Things to Do in NYC: Museums, Sightseeing, and Shopping Guide

The Frick Collection

Fresh off a major renovation, this former Fifth Avenue residence of industrialist Henry Clay Frick shows off one of the world’s top private art collections, with works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Goya on view in richly detailed rooms. The museum stays open late on Fridays and offers pay-what-you-wish admission on Wednesday afternoons (frick.org).

The Noguchi Museum

Located in the Queens neighborhood of Long Island City, this small gem of a museum was designed by Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. His abstract sculptures, brush drawings, and other works are on view on the ground floor and in the serene garden (noguchi.org).

The Tenement Museum

A National Historic Site, this Lower East Side museum tells the stories of immigrants and migrants through interactive guided tours of its two tenements; apartment furnishings reflect the daily lives of families who lived here between the 1860s and 1980s (tenement.org).

The Morgan Library & Museum

A short walk northeast from Penn Station, the Morgan was once the private library of banker J.P. Morgan. Now anyone can marvel at the East Room’s walnut bookshelves with balconies and frescoed ceilings along with the collection of rare manuscripts, fine artwork, and tapestries (themorgan.org). 

New York Historical Society

Founded in 1804, the Historical Society is the city’s very first museum. Today, it hosts a wide variety of programming on the past, present, and future of New York, including exhibitions, film screenings, and lectures. In another pioneering move, it debuted the Center for Women’s History, the first of its kind within a major museum (nyhistory.org).

The Met Cloisters

America’s only museum dedicated to art and architecture of the Middle Ages, the Cloisters (formally known as the Met Cloisters) charms with its layout of galleries, gardens, and a courtyard connected by walkways – incorporating portions of five medieval cloisters. The museum overlooks the Hudson River from its perch within Fort Tyron Park in northern Manhattan. The expansive green space also counts the city’s largest dog run, gazebos, volleyball courts, built-in ping pong tables, and two playgrounds (metmuseum.org).

The Bell House

This Brooklyn mainstay in a 1920s-era warehouse hosts a dynamic lineup of avant-garde programming, featuring both big names and rising stars in comedy, music, literature, and more (thebellhouseny.com).

The Public

This NoHo performing arts space boasts five theaters along with a cabaret-style bar, Joe’s Pub, where you can check out performances ranging from live music to one-man shows and slam poetry. Every summer, it also brings Shakespeare in the Park to the open-air Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, a beloved New York tradition that draws audiences from all over the city (publictheater.org).

Blue Note

The Blue Note is one of the most famous jazz clubs in the city, if not the world. Even if you’re not a diehard fan, it’s worth a chance to see a performer who might be the next Chick Corea or Dizzy Gillespie – both of whom recorded live albums there (bluenotejazz.com).

New York Botanical Garden

Hop on the Metro-North Railroad to the Bronx, where you’ll find nature’s museum. The botanical garden features 250 acres of lush flora to explore, as well as the annual Holiday Train Show and other special exhibitions throughout the year (nybg.org).

The High Line + Little Island

Winding its way above the streets of Chelsea, the High Line is a 1.45-mile-long elevated greenway built on the foundation of a retired freight rail line. Take in cityscapes, art installations, and wildflowers while getting in your steps (thehighline.org). While you’re in the area, check out nearby Little Island, a man-made island-cum-public park sitting in the Hudson River, easily accessible by pedestrian footbridge (littleisland.org).

Prospect Park

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the mastermind behind Central Park and the Boston Common, Brooklyn’s sprawling Prospect Park is a prime destination for trail walking, sunbathing, people watching, and NYC's more recent phenomenon, pickleball (prospectpark.org).

Chelsea Market

After working up an appetite at the High Line and Little Island, head to Chelsea Market, a global marketplace with a variety of food stalls and vendors proffering cheese, meats, and other delicacies, plus a few sit-down restaurants.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park

This 85-acre riverside park with views of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge is a destination for a variety of outdoor recreation, including roller skating, kayaking, pickleball, and basketball. You’ll also find several dining options – and don’t forget to take a spin on Jane’s Carousel (brooklynbridgepark.org).

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Governors Island

Located in New York Harbor, just a short ferry ride from downtown Manhattan, Governors Island is a green space offering enviable views of the city, along with bike rentals, playgrounds, public art and exhibitions, and year-round events. It’s also a wellness destination, thanks to QC NY Spa, which has indoor treatment rooms and outdoor infinity pools (govisland.com). 

SoHo

You’ll find luxury stores among the cobblestone streets and cast-iron buildings of SoHo as well as mid-range retailers and boutiques where you can Shop Small® to support local favorites and invest in the community. Browse edgy jewelry for women and men at Versani; classic footwear at family-owned Meermin Shoes; and denim and patterned dresses at Ulla Johnson, named for the designer, a native New Yorker. 

Fifth Avenue

This famed shopping avenue has all the big luxury names, from high-end department stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue to jewelers like Cartier and Tiffany, and fine boutiques like Prada and Dior. Stop for lunch at Hōseki, a six-seat omakase counter located inside Saks.

West Village

The Village’s bohemian spirit lives on partially through its vintage and consignment shops, bookstores, and eclectic gift shops. Visit John Derian for artisanal home goods, handcrafted furniture, and textiles or pop into The Grey Pearl for unique glassware, kitchen essentials, and other home décor. 

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg has a high concentration of great vintage stores – Bedford Vintage, Brooklyn Woke Vintage, and dress Fellini-esque at Amarcord, which specializes in Italian vintage, to name a few.