Downtown Manhattan Museums & Parks

Start your tour at Ground Zero, where the World Trade Centers stood. It is both a construction site and an ongoing memorial to those who lost their lives on Sept. 9, 2011.

Expect the views to change as construction of the Freedom Tower progresses.

Ground Zero is centrally located; the places on your tour are all just a couple of blocks from it.

---
Location: Northeast corner of Albany and Greenwich Streets (site of the memorial)

Battery Park City has several parks and playgrounds, plus a lush lawn that invites picnickers and sunbathers. If you are with kids, head to the large playground at Rockefeller Park or borrow sports equipment.

You can walk around the gardens, watch the boats in the harbor and explore the Irish Hunger Memorial. Take a free adult drawing class or nature tour; check the website for more special events.
---
Address: 75 Battery Place
Phone: 212-267-9700

The Museum of Jewish Heritage, at the lower tip of Battery Park City, is living memorial to those who died in the Holocaust. It has artifacts on Jewish life before the Holocaust, a very emotional exhibit about the Holocaust (families with young kids are advised to skip parts) and an exhibit on life after.

The immigration exhibit has views of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

You can see the outdoor contemplative Andy Goldsworthy work, "Garden of Stones," without paying museum admission.

---
Address: 36 Battery Place
Phone: 646-437-4200

Hours:
Sunday-Tuesday, Thursday 10am-5:45pm
Wednesday 10am-8pm
Friday 10am-5pm
Closed Saturday
Closes at 3pm before Jewish holidays and Fridays in winter.

Admission:
Adults $12
Students $7
Kids 12 and younger FREE
FREE admission Wednesday 4-8pm

The Skyscraper Museum, in a building with a Ritz Carlton, has miniature scale models of downtown and midtown, plus an exhibit on the planned Freedom Tower. The small museum has exhibits on skyscrapers around the world and Saturday morning family workshops for kids 5+.

---
Address: 39 Battery Place
Phone: 212-968-1961
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday Noon-6pm
Admission: Adults $5, Students $2.50

The National Museum of American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center, part of the Smithsonian Institute, is in the gorgeous old Beaux Arts Customs House.

You can see Native American artifacts, plus art and photography. The museum offers free tours daily at 1pm and free family programming, including films, dance and music.

---
Address: 1 Bowling Green
Phone: 212-514-3700

Hours:
Monday-Wednesday, Friday-Sunday 10am-5pm
Thursday 10am-8pm

FREE Admission

The New York City Police Museum displays vintage police uniforms and weapons. An interactive Junior Officers Discovery zone lets kids 3-10 can climb into a police car and emergency services vehicle.

A Sept. 9, 2011, exhibit has Ground Zero artifacts and the Hall of Heroes recognizes officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

---
Address: 100 Old Slip
Phone: 212-480-3100

Hours:
Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday Noon-5pm

Admission: Adults $8, Kids 2 and older $5

The South Street Seaport and Pier 17 have shops and restaurants plus a free Friday night music festival in the summer. Explore the historic ships, part of the South Street Seaport Museum.

You can also see inside more than 200 real people at "Bodies...The Exhibition."

---
Address: 12 Fulton St.
Phone: 212-732-7678

---
South Street Seaport Museum Ships
Hours:
Thursday-Sunday 10am-5pm

Admission: $10; Free for ages 2 and younger

---
"Bodies"
Hours:
Daily 10am-7pm
Friday-Saturday until 9pm

Admission:
Adults $28.85
Kids 4-12 $22.32