Guide

Explore New York City

Gotham, The Big Apple, The City that Never Sleeps ... no matter what name you know it by, New York City offers an incredible array of history, architecture, and preservation stories. Once you've had your fill of Times Square, consider exploring these other unique spots on and off the grid.

  1. New York State Pavilion

    Photo By: Duncan Kendall

    The New York State Pavilion

    Architect Philip Johnson designed the New York State Pavilion for the 1964-65 World’s Fair, which drew an estimated 51 million visitors to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for a celebration of culture, technology, and “man's achievement on a shrinking globe in an expanding universe.” Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and named a National Treasure, the New York State Pavilion is a remarkable relic not only of World’s Fair architecture, but also of this fascinating era in American history.

  2. Image of facade and block of Orchard Street

    Lower East Side Tenement Museum

    For more than two decades, the Tenement Museum has fulfilled its mission to make tangible the profound role immigration plays in shaping American identity. The museum forges powerful emotional connections between visitors and immigrants past and present, and unforgettably evokes the history of immigration on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Book your tour today to experience America’s iconic immigrant neighborhood through this National Trust Historic Site.

  3. Bronze statue of George Washing- ton, by John Quincy Adams Ward, unveiled in 1883

    Photo By: Istock

    Federal Hall National Memorial

    Long a public gathering place for events like the 1929 stock market crash and Armistice Day rallies, as well as a place of respite and reflection after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Federal Hall—a masterpiece of Greek Revival architecture and the site of more than 300 years of government activity—is a touchstone for the founding ideals of American democracy and capitalism. Once you've snapped your selfie with George on the steps, head inside this National Treasure for a special self-guided tour.

  4. Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney with her assistant, Salvatore F. Bilotti, at work in her sculpture studio on MacDougal Alley, c. 1939.

    Photo By: New York Studio School

    Whitney Studio

    As the art studio and salon of the sculptor and arts patron Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875–1942), the Whitney Studio was at the center of the development of the early modern art movement in America, borne out of Mrs. Whitney’s tremendous advocacy on behalf of living American artists. This National Treasure is now reopened to the public for guided tours.

  5. The exterior of the Stonewall Inn in New York's West Village.

    Photo By: NPCA

    The Stonewall Inn

    Located at 53 Christopher Street in the heart of New York City’s West Village, the Stonewall Inn is a historic bar famed as the site of the riots that helped launch the LGBT civil rights movement. In June 2016, President Barack Obama designated Stonewall and the area surrounding it as the country’s first national monument dedicated to LGBT history. Stop by to toast this important chapter in American civil rights history.

  6. A view of the New Jersey Palisades in Autumn

    Photo By: Doug Schneider Photography/Moment Open/Getty Images

    The Palisades

    Across the Hudson River from Manhattan, the cliffs of the Palisades in New Jersey were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965. About 12 miles long, 1/2 mile wide, and comprising about 2500 acres of shorelands, uplands, and cliffs, the Palisades Interstate Park provides visual and physical access to natural grandeur for millions in the metro area.

  7. View of Italian gardens and terrace

    Photo By: Historic New England/David Bohl

    Villa Lewaro (Madam C. J. Walker Estate)

    Madam C.J. Walker was a cosmetics and business pioneer recognized as America's first, self-made female millionaire. Developing beauty and hair products for black women, she trained nearly 23,000 sales agents and workers, serving customers in the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. Her impressive estate, designed by African-American architect Vertner Tandy, embodies the optimism and perseverance of the entrepreneurial spirit.

  8. Lyndhurst

    Photo By: Brian Thomson/The Ethan James Foundation

    Lyndhurst

    Lyndhurst, a National Historic Landmark in Tarrytown, is widely acknowledged as one of the finest Gothic Revival mansions in America. The sprawling estate is emblematic of the enormous financial and maintenance challenges faced by historic sites across the nation. When you've had your fill of the city proper, head out to this gorgeous National Trust Historic Site for a dose of restorative beauty.

  9. Garden view

    Photo By: Ron Blunt

    Kykuit

    Completed in 1913 for American businessman and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Kykuit has been home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. The Beaux Arts house and elaborate Italian-style gardens make this community resource a beautiful backdrop to a wide array of programs, including museum visits, lectures, cultural events, and artist residencies.

Looking for a meaningful way to support the historic local eateries you love? Nominate your favorite spots for a Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant.

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