Lower Manhattan, New York City
Jewish Heritage Museum, Battery Park,World Trade Center, Wall Street
Lower Manhattan has much to offer the visitor to New York . Explore Battery Park or the Financial District, visit Ground Zero, take a boat trip to The Statue of Liberty.
Away from the hustle of Time Square, Fifth Avenue and Broadway, Lower Manhattan has many attractions, often overlooked in a hectic rush round Midtown Manhattan.
The southern tip of the island has much more to offer than standing in the lines for the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island. Rapid redevelopment has followed the events at the World Trade Center, where the continual development is a poignant reminder of tragedy and an inspirational symbol of hope.
Riverside walks down the promenade at Battery Park provide excellent views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the New Jersey skyline, as does the free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Street.
Money dominates this part of town, all the major financial institutions, including the Federal Reserve Bank and the New York Stock Exchange are found in a small area based round Wall Street.
Museums and Galleries
National Museum of the American Indian
1 Bowling Green Street Phone +1 212 514 3700 Nearest Subway Bowling Green
This granite palace, built in 1907, was the US Customs House until 1973. Now, three floors house over one million items of Native American history, including contemporary works of art.
Open Daily 10am to 5pm (8pm on Thursday) Admission Free of charge
Castle Clinton National Monument
Battery Park Phone +1 212 344 7220 Nearest Subway Bowling Green or South Ferry
Castle Clinton preceded Ellis Island as the immigration processing center for New York. Originally an artillery defence post, built in 1811 it soon became a fashionable 19th century theatre.
Today, the site has a visitors’ center and is the departure point for the Liberty ferries.
Open Daily 8.30am to 5pm
Museum of Jewish Heritage
18 First Place Phone +1 646 437 4200 Nearest Subway Bowling Green or South Ferry
The museum, which claims to be “A Living Memorial to the Holocaust” stands on three floors, each with a different theme. These are Jewish Life A Century Ago, The War Against the Jews, and Jewish Renewal and special exhibitions are added from time to time
Admission
$10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students, children 12 and under free.
Free admission every Wednesday from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m..
Opening hours
Sunday-Tuesday, Thursday 10 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Wednesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m (but may vary please phone to confirm)
Closed Saturdays, Jewish Holidays, and Thanksgiving Day.
Fraunces Tavern Museum
54 Pearl St Phone +1 212 425 1778 Nearest subway Wall St, Broad St or Bowling Green
Fraunces Tavern is the oldest building in Manhattan, and one of only three that date back to witness to the Revolutionary War. In 1783, the Long Room was the venue for George Washington’s famous farewell after British soldiers had finally been banished from American soil.
Today, the museum shows everyday life in 18th century New York, with a selection of artwork and other objects.
Admission
Adults $4, seniors and children 6-18 $3, children under 6 free
Opening hours
Monday – Saturday 12noon-5pm
How to get there
Subways from all over New York serve Midtown Manhattan, from New Jersey take the PATH to the World Trade Center.
