Lesser Known New York City Attractions

New York is a popular city for travelers from around the world. Everyone comes to the city to see the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, and other iconic buildings. They take a stroll around Central Park. They eat at restaurants like 21. They take in a Broadway show. But they may still be missing out on some great attractions. Here are five lesser known New York City attractions.

City Reliquary Museum

Located in Brooklyn, the exhibits at this storefront museum, devoted to the history of New York, includes trinkets from the 1964 World’s Fair, the Statue of Liberty Collection, and Geology of New York City. Take a stroll through New York’s vast history, and see how far the city has come.

Hall of Fame for Great Americans

Founded in 1900, the country’s original Hall of Fame is in the Bronx. The main attraction is a 630-foot high, open-air colonnade featuring panoramic views of the Cloisters across from the Harlem River. It houses 98 bronze busts, including Alexander Graham Bell, Eli Whitney, and George Washington. To book a private tour, complete a reservation form online and email it to the property.

 Merchant’s House Museum

Did you ever imagine taking a ghost tour in New York City? At Merchant’s House Museum, you can do just that. The preserved 19th-century townhouse was home to the Treadwell family. Gertrude, one of the daughters, reportedly haunts the building. Legend has it she was forbidden to marry her true love, and died alone in 1933, at the age of 93. Take a tour of the house and see if you spot Gertrude lurking around.

The Paley Center for Media

Formerly the Museum of Television and Radio, the Paley Center for Media features nearly 150,000 clips from radio and television programs, podcasts, and public programs where TV addicts can mingle with one another, and possibly meet some of their favorite shows’ creators, and even some of the stars themselves. Check the schedule to learn who the featured people are during your stay in New York.

The Panorama of the City of New York

Image via Flickr by 16 Miles of String

Did you know you could own a piece of New York? The Queens Museum of Art features a scale model of New York’s five boroughs, which includes more than 800,000 of the city’s buildings and many of its bridges. The model was originally constructed for the 1964 World’s Fair, and has been kept up-to-date. If you donate to the museum, you can put your name on a piece of the work through the Museum’s Adopt-a-Building program.

Socrates Sculpture Park

Built in 1986 over a landfill, this 4.5-acre park features large-scale sculpture exhibits and free community programming. Take a stroll through the exhibits and surrounding gardens for a refreshing change to your walk around the city. Then, head back to yourNew York City hotel to get ready for a night on the town.

These six lesser-known New York City attractions will add a unique and unforgettable adventure to your visit. Check them out on your next stay.