Museums and cultural institutions in New York City

Art
American Museum of the Moving Image
American Folk Art Museum
The Dahesh Museum
The Drawing Center
Fisher Landau Center
Forbes Galleries
Frick Collection
International Center of Photography
Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art - commonly called “The Met”
The Cloisters - medieval art collection
Municipal Art Society (includes the Urban Center Gallery)
Museum for African Art
Museum of Biblical Art
Museum of Modern Art - MoMA,
Museum of Television and Radio
Neue Galerie
New Museum of Contemporary Art
Noguchi Museum (aka The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum)
P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center
Queens Museum of Art
Rubin Museum of Art
Socrates Sculpture Park
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Studio Museum in Harlem
Williamsburg Art and Historical Center
Whitney Museum of American Art

Culture or History
American Numismatic Society Museum
Brooklyn Museum
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum
Jewish Museum (New York)
Merchants House Museum
Museo del Barrio, El
Museum of the City of New York
Museum of Chinese in the Americas
Museum of Jewish Heritage
National Museum of the American Indian (New York branch)
National Museum of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History
New York City Fire Museum
New York City Police Museum
New York Historical Society
New York Transit Museum
Queens County Farm Museum
Skyscraper Museum
Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences
Yeshiva University Museum

Design

Center for Architecture
Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design
National Academy of Design
Parsons The New School for Design

Natural History

The AMNH in 2000
American Museum of Natural History
Hayden Planetarium (the Rose Center for Earth and Space)
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
New York Botanical Garden
New York Hall of Science (more…)

Must See in New York

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, the most enduring symbol of New York City - and indeed, the USA - can trace its unlikely origins to a pair of Parisian Republicans. In 1865, political activist Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Laboulaye and sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi went to a dinner party and came away with the notion of building a monument honoring the American conception of political freedom, which they would then donate to the Land of Opportunity.

Twenty-one years later, on 28 October 1886, the 151ft (45m) Liberty Enlightening the World , modeled on the Colossus of Rhodes, was finally unveiled in New York Harbor before President Grover Cleveland and a harbor full of tooting ships. It’s a 354-step climb to the statue’s crown, the equivalent of climbing a 22-story building, and if you want to tackle it, start early to avoid the crowds - it’s hard to contemplate the American dream with your nose to the tail of the person in front.

Greenwich Village

The Village (as New Yorkers call it) is one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods, and a symbol throughout the world for all things outlandish and bohemian. The area’s reputation as a creative enclave can be traced back to at least the early 1900s, when artists and writers moved in, followed by jazz musicians who played at famous (still functioning) clubs like the Blue Note and Village Vanguard. By the ’40s the neighborhood was known as a gathering place for gays. The coffeehouses on Bleecker St hark back to New York’s beatnik ’50s and hippie ’60s. Bob Dylan reputedly smoked his first joint in the Village, Jimi Hendrix lived here and the Rolling Stones recorded here. Greenwich Village is still a vibrant and varied area, packed with historic sites, cafes, shops, gay bars, and Washington Square Park, purportedly the most crowded recreational space in the world.

Empire State Building

New York’s original skyline symbol, the Empire State Building, is a limestone classic built in just 410 days during the depths of the Depression. Standing 102-stories and 1454ft (436m) above 5th Ave and 34th St, it’s on the site of the original Waldorf-Astoria. The famous antenna was originally to be a mooring mast for zeppelins, but the Hindenberg disaster put a stop to that plan. One airship accidentally met up with the building: a B25 crashing into the 79th floor on a foggy day in July 1945, killing 14 people. Taking the ear-popping lift to the 86th or 102nd floor observation desks can entail a bit of waiting around, but it’s worth it when you get there.

Central Park

It’s easy to see what a boon Central Park is when you’re standing up the top of the Empire State: the 843 acre (337 hectare) rectangle of bobble-topped green bits are a welcome contrast to the concrete and traffic mosh jostling in the rest of Manhattan. When Central Park was officially opened in 1873 it was intended to be an oasis from the city’s bustle. However the commotion which is New York seeps into the botanic calm in the form of joggers, skaters, musicians and tourists. Quieter areas are above 72nd St, where the crowds thin out and the well-planned landscaping becomes more apparent. There’s a small zoo in the park, organized and casual sport (predominantly baseball and Frisbee) to watch or play, a swimming pool and various free performances.

Times Square

Dubbed the ‘Great White Way’ after its bright lights, Times Square has long been celebrated as New York’s glittery crossroads. The Square went into deep decline during the 1960s when the movie palaces turned XXX-rated and the area became known as a hangout for every colorful, crazy or dangerous character in Midtown. A major ‘clean-up’ operation removed most of the sleaze and now the combination of color, zipping message boards and massive TV screens makes for quite a sight. Up to a million people gather here every New Year’s Eve to see a brightly lit ball descend from the roof of One Times Square at midnight, an event that lasts just 90 seconds and leaves most of the revelers wondering what to do with themselves for the rest of the night.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Upper East Side is home to New York’s greatest concentration of cultural centers: 5th Ave above 57th St is known as Museum Mile. The big daddy of these is the Metropolitan Museum of Art (’the Met’), New York’s most popular tourist site, which functions something like a self-contained cultural city-state with three million individual objects in its collection. It’s best to target exactly what you want to see and head there first, before culture and crowd fatigue sets in. Exhibitions range from Egyptian mummies through to baseball cards so even if (when?) you get lost, you’re sure to stumble upon some interesting stuff.

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Getting in New York

Served by three major airports, two train terminals and a massive bus depot, New York City is the most important transportation hub in the northeastern USA. John F Kennedy Airport (JFK), 15 miles (24km) from Midtown Manhattan in southeastern Queens, is where most international flights land. Recently voted the third-worst airport facility in the world by business travelers, JFK is best avoided.

La Guardia Airport in northern Queens is 8 miles (13km) from Manhattan and services mostly domestic flights. If you’re arriving or departing in the middle of the day, La Guardia is a more convenient choice than JFK. Newark Airport is in New Jersey, directly 10 miles (16km) west of Manhattan. Flights to and from Newark airport are sometimes a bit cheaper because of the erroneous perception that the airport is less accessible than JFK or La Guardia. In fact, Newark has a large and spanking-new international arrivals terminal, and its four terminals are linked by a monorail system.

All suburban and long-haul buses leave and depart from the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 41st St and Eighth Ave in midtown Manhattan. Bus lines available there include Greyhound, which links New York with major cities across the country; Peter Pan Trailways, which runs buses to the nearest major cities; Short Line, offering numerous departures to towns in northern New Jersey and upstate New York; and New Jersey Transit buses, with direct service to Atlantic City and the entire Garden State.

Pennsylvania Station, on 33rd St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, is the departure point for all Amtrak trains, including the frequent daily Metroliner service to Princeton, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, and Washington, DC.
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Getting Around in New York

Buses run every 30 minutes between the city and JFK International Airport; the trip takes at least an hour. You can also take a subway to the Howard Beach-JFK station then transfer to a bus, a journey of about 75 minutes. Buses run every 30 minutes between the city and La Guardia; a water shuttle also runs along the East River, or you can catch the subway to Roosevelt Ave-Jackson Heights and transfer to a bus, but it will take you well over an hour. To get from Newark Airport, you can get a private or public bus from the city. Taxis from all three airports into the city are expensive.

New York has more than enough public transport options: driving your own car is tantamount to insanity in a city where traffic is horrendous, parking costs astronomical and petty thievery commonplace. New York car rentals are also notoriously expensive - you’ll have to budget at least $95 a day (plus tax and insurance) for a medium-sized car - and petrol in the city costs far more than elsewhere in the US. If you really must rent a car, you’ll need a license and a major credit card. The major agencies are in all three airports.

New York is infamous for its allegedly incomprehensible, dangerous subway. Although it’s noisy, confusing and sometimes hot as hell, the subway is really not that difficult and is statistically safer than walking the streets in daylight. It’s the fastest, most reliable way around town and most of Manhattan’s sights are on its lines. Subway tokens, which let you ride the system as far as you want, are a bargain, or you can get a Metrocard. Both are acceptable currency on New York’s blue-and-white city buses. New Jersey’s Port Authority Trans-Hudson trains are a separate-fare system running from Manhattan to Newark and northern New Jersey.

City buses run 24 hours a day. Bus maps are available at subway and train stations, and well-marked bus stops have ‘Guide-a-Ride’ maps showing the stops and nearby landmarks. Between 10pm and 5am you can ask to be let off anywhere along your route, even if it’s not a designated stop. Ferries run up the Hudson River Valley, from Midtown to Yankee Stadium and from Hoboken to the World Financial Center.
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Politics in New York

New York state consistently supports Democratic candidates in federal elections. Presidential candidate John Kerry won New York State by 18 percentage points in 2004, while Al Gore had an even bigger margin of a win in New York State in 2000. New York City is a major Democratic stronghold with liberal politics. Many of the state’s other urban areas, including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica are also Democratic.

However, upstate New York, especially in rural areas, is generally more conservative than the cities and tends to vote Republican. Heavily populated suburban areas such as Westchester County and Long Island usually hold the power in determining state elections and have tended to favor Republicans at the state level and Democrats at the federal level but that trend seems to be changing since the past few elections, with Democrats picking up some more power statewide in both regions.

Because New York state consistently votes Democratic in national elections, many observers argue the state is insignificant in presidential contests. New York City, however, is the most important source of political fundraising in the United States. Four of the top five zip codes in the nation for political contributions are in Manhattan. The top zip code, 10021 on the Upper East Side, generated the most money for the 2000 presidential campaigns of both George Bush and Al Gore.

Republican Presidential candidates will often skip campaigning in the state, taking it as a loss and focusing on vital swing states. Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, a Republican, was quoted as saying in 2004 before the presidential elections, there was no point in backing a candidate as he already knew who was going to win before the elections occurred.

Albany The Capital of New York

Albany is the capital of the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 census, it has a population of 95,658. It is the county seat of Albany County. The City of Albany lies 145 miles (233 km) north of and slightly east of New York City, and slightly to the south of the juncture of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. Albany has close ties with the cities of Troy, New York and Schenectady, New York, forming what is generally known as the Capital District, which in turn makes up the bulk of the Albany-Troy-Schenectady Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Albany was one of the earlier permanent settlements in the thirteen original American colonies and is the second oldest chartered city in the United States. Modern-day Albany is built on the site of the Dutch Fort Orange and its surrounding community of Beverwyck. The name of the city was changed to Albany when the land was taken by the English, in honor of the Duke of Albany. It was formally chartered in 1686 via charter issued by Governor Thomas Dongan.

Albany is a major regional educational center, and is home to Siena College, Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany Law School, Albany Medical College, College of Saint Rose, Excelsior College, Maria College of Albany, Sage College of Albany and the University at Albany, part of the State University of New York system.

History

Albany was one of the earlier permanent settlements in the thirteen original American colonies and is the second oldest chartered city in the United States. The original native settlement in the area was called Penpotawotnot. Its colonial history began when Englishman Henry Hudson, exploring for the Dutch East India Company on the Halve Maen (or Half Moon) reached the area in 1609. In 1614, the company constructed Fort Nassau, its first fur trading post near present-day Albany. Commencement of the fur trade provoked hostility from the French colony in Canada and amongst the native tribes, who vied to control the trade. In 1624, Fort Orange was established in the area. Both forts were named in honor of the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau. Nearby areas were incorporated as the village of Beverwyck in 1652.

When the land was taken by the English in 1664, the name was changed to Albany, in honor of the Duke of York and Albany, who later became King James II of England and James VII of Scotland. Duke of Albany was a Scottish title given since 1398, generally to a younger son of the Scottish King. The name is ultimately derived from Alba, the Gaelic name for Scotland. Albany was formally chartered as a municipality by Governor Thomas Dongan on 1686-07-22. The “Dongan Charter” was virtually identical in content to the charter awarded to New York City three months earlier. Pieter Schuyler was appointed first mayor of Albany the day the charter was signed.

In 1754, representatives of seven British North American colonies met in the Albany Congress. Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania presented the Albany Plan of Union, the first formal proposal to unite the colonies. Although it was never adopted by Parliament, it was an important precursor to the U.S. Constitution. Albany native Philip Livingston was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. William Alexander, a general in the Revolutionary War, died in Albany in 1783. Several US Navy ships have since been named USS Albany in honor of the City’s historical and military importance.

In 1797, the state capital of New York was moved from Kingston to Albany, about 50 miles north. The State Capitol building was constructed between 1867 and 1899 and inspired by the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) in Paris, France. Notable architectural features include its “Million Dollar Staircase.”

The City’s location on the Hudson River made it a center of transportation from the outset. In 1807, Robert Fulton initiated a steamboat line from New York City to Albany. On October 26, 1825 the Erie Canal was completed, forming a continuous water route from the Great Lakes to New York City. The Mohawk and Hudson Railroad between Albany and Schenectady, New York opened on September 24, 1831 and subsequently became part of the New York Central Railroad. Erastus Corning, a noted industrialist and founder of the New York Central, called Albany home and served as its mayor from 1834 to 1837. His great-grandson, Erastus Corning II, served as mayor of Albany from 1942 until 1983, the longest single mayoral term of any major city in the United States.

Between 1965 and 1978, the Empire State Plaza was constructed in Albany’s Midtown, west of Downtown and south of the Capitol building. It was, and remains, controversial, in large part because it required the demolition of several historical neighborhoods and the forced removal of their inhabitants. The Plaza was conceived by Governor Nelson Rockefeller and is now named in his honor. The Erastus Corning Tower stands 589 feet (180 meters) high, the tallest building in New York State outside New York City. Four other smaller towers, the Legislative Office Building, the State Library and Museum, the Justice Building, and the impressive performing arts center known as “The Egg” make up the rest of the Empire State Plaza. The design of Empire State Plaza is based loosely on the National Congress complex in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia.

Chester A. Arthur, 21st U.S. president, is buried in Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, north of the City.

Mayors of Albany

From Albany’s formal organization in 1686 until 1779, Mayors of Albany were appointed by the royal governor of New York, per the provisions of the original City Charter. From 1779 until 1839, mayors were chosen by the New York State’s Council of Appointment, typically for a one year term that began in September. After 1840, Albany’s Mayors were directly elected by the City’s residents. Albany has had 74 Mayors since its inception. Gerald D. Jennings is the current Mayor; he was first elected in 1993 and is currently serving in his fourth term of office.

Geography

Albany is located at 42°39′35″ North, 73°46′53″ West (42.659829, -73.781339)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.8 mi² (56.6 km²). 21.4 mi² (55.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 mi² (1.2 km²) of it is water. The total area is 2.15% water. The Pine Bush, located on the far edge of the city with Guilderland and Colonie is the only sizable inland pine barrens and sand dunes in the United States and home to many endangered species including the Karner Blue butterfly. Four lakes exist within city limits, including Buckingham Lake, Rensselaer Lake, Tivoli Lake, and Washington Park Lake.

Albany is the hub city of the Capital District, which itself is a large component of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which was ranked the 56th most populous in the United States of America in the 2000 Census, with a total population of 825,875.

Transportation

Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) provides bus service throughout Albany and surrounding areas (including Schenectady and Troy and provides management for the local airport and rail station.

Albany International Airport, located in Colonie, serves Albany and the greater Capital Region with air service across the US and to one Canadian destination.
Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak station (located right across the river in Rensselaer) was Amtrak’s fourteenth busiest station as of 2004 and serves as a connection point for many Amtrak trains.

Greyhound, Trailways, and Peter Pan/Bonanza buses are all served by a downtown terminal which is not far from most state office buildings and is convinent to most CDTA lines.

Sister cities

Albany has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
Nassau, Bahamas
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Quebec City, Quebec
Tula, Russia
Albany-Tula Alliance
Albany-Tula Alliance (from Russia)

Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 95,658 people, 40,709 households, and 18,400 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,474.6/mi² (1,727.5/km².) There were 45,288 housing units at an average density of 2,118.4/mi² (817.9/km².) The racial makeup of the city was 63.12% White, 28.14% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 3.26% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.15% from other races, and 2.98% from two or more races. 5.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 40,709 households out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.3% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.8% were non-families. 41.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 19.3% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,041, and the median income for a family was $39,932. Males had a median income of $31,535 versus $27,112 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,281. 21.7% of the population and 16.0% of families were below the poverty line. 28.8% of those under the age of 18 and 12.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Performing and Fine Arts

While an oft-discussed “Smallbany” mentality may lead locals and visitors alike to conclude that Albany’s culture is lacking or provincial when judged against that of New York City or other large metropolitan areas, the city does indeed possess an active and fruitful artistic community which may be rated as being of equal or superior quality when compared to cities of similar size, despite its not being well known outside its inner core.

Over the past decade, the City has invested effort and advertising resources to cultivating venues and municipal zones that can attract after-hours business once the large commuting worker population has left Albany for the day. Pearl Street, Broadway and Lark Street now serve as the most commercially active arts and entertainment areas in the City, and summer concert series are sponsored by the City and local businesses at the Corning Preserve, Tricentennial Square and the Empire State Plaza. Albany’s independent and underground artists, musicians and writers actively work in a variety of clubs, bars and coffee houses located throughout the City, many of them outside of those more commercially active areas. Metroland, the alternative newsweekly of the Capital Region, has generally provided a central focal point for previewing, reviewing and interviewing independent local artists and performers for much of the past quarter century.

The Albany Symphony Orchestra Capital Repertory Theatre and Albany Insitute of History and Art provide major outlets for both locally composed, created and curated works, as well as traveling exhibitions and shows. The recently renovated Palace Theatre and the The Egg both provide mid-sized forums for music, theatre and spoken word performances. The Pepsi Arena serves as the city’s largest musical venue for nationally and internationally prominent bands, as well as trade shows, sporting events and other large-scale community gatherings. The New York State Museum is a major regional cultural draw, focusing on fine arts, natural history, and the economic, political and social histories of New York State. Additionally, there are several small, private art galleries and antiquarian book shops in Albany, mainly clustered around Lark Street between Washington Avenue and Madison Avenue. Albany also has two independent film theatres, as well as performing and fine arts venues associated with the University at Albany and College of St. Rose.

Sports

NCAA Division I College Athletic Programs

University at Albany: Currently plays at the Division I level in all of its sports, though for most of its history it was a Division III school, with a brief stay at the Division II level in the late 1990s.

The football team is a member of the Division I-AA Northeast Conference, while all other sports teams play as members of the America East Conference. In 2006, Albany became the first SUNY affiliated school to send a team to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The men’s Lacrosse team has also played in its NCAA Division I Championship Tournament, the first University at Albany team to do so. Albany has hosted the New York Giants summer training camp since 1996. (more…)

Visas for New York

Passports valid for at least six months after date of arrival are required by all. In general, people who wish to visit the United States for business or for pleasure are required to obtain visas. However, under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Uruguay are allowed to stay for 90 days without a visa.

They simply need to fill out a visa waiver form handed out on the airplane. Citizens of Canada and Mexico do not need a visa for entry but must have proof of identity and citizenship. Transit passengers are allowed to enter the U.S. without a visa provided they depart within 8 hours from the same airport and possess valid onward travel documents. The U.S. State Department provides additional information on visa requirements. Allot at least a month for U.S. visa application and processing.

The standard attire in New York is a business suit especially when meeting with top officials of big companies. Women are also expected to dress in standard corporate attire; dress suits or slacks and blazers are appropriate. Unlike in Europe, people in America tend to dress more casually outside the corporate world.

Jeans and sweaters are acceptable casual clothes. In New York, smart casual dressing is recommended even on casual Fridays. Some restaurants and hotels though may have more formal dress requirements; coats and ties required. When visiting during the winter, make sure that you bring along warm clothes and snow proof footwear.

Special Events in New York

Winter Restaurant Week, many of the city’s best restaurants set low fixed-price menus corresponding to the year, Jan, various venues

Manhattan Antiques and Collectibles Triple Pier Expo, Feb, Hudson River

Chinese New Year, new lunar year celebrations, early Feb, Chinatown

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, more than 2,500 champion dogs compete (website: www.westminsterkennelclub.org), 14-15 Feb, Madison Square Garden

New York Flower Show, 15-17 Apr, Hofstra University Arena, Hempstead

Art Expo New York, 3-6 Mar, Javits Convention Center

St Patrick’s Day Parade, Irish-American parade, 17 Mar, Fifth Avenue

Macy’s Flower Show, Apr, Macy’s department store, Herald Square
Tartan Day, 10,000 pipers and drummers march through city streets in celebration of Scotland, 2 Apr, Manhattan

Cherry Blossom Festival, the first signs of New York spring (website: www.bbg.org), mid-Apr, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Washington Avenue
Ninth Avenue International Food Festival, culinary street fair, begins 21 May, Ninth Avenue

DanceAfrica Festival, African and African-American dance festival, 31 May-7 Jun, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)

Fleet Week, a nautical festival hosted by the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum (website: www.intrepidmuseum.org), Memorial Day weekend, 24-31 May, Hudson Harbor

Summerstage, free outdoor concerts, May-Aug, Central Park
Summer Restaurant Week, many of the city’s best restaurants set low fixed-price menus corresponding to the year

Heritage of Pride, annual lesbian and gay pride march, ending in street festival and dance party, 19-26 Jun, upper Fifth Avenue to the Village (more…)

Cost of Living in New York

One-liter bottle of mineral water: US$1.69
33cl bottle of beer: US$1.50
Financial Times newspaper: US$1
36-exposure color film: US$7
City-center bus ticket: US$2
Adult football ticket: US$65-85
Three-course meal with wine/beer: From US$40

1 American Dollar (US$1) = £0.57; C$1.16; A$1.31; €0.83