As one of the most popular tourism destinations in North America, New York City has an abundance of things to offer. From music, to theatre, to shopping, to bars, it really is the city that never sleeps. It’s also a city of rich history, made so by the millions of people who came from around the world to make New York their home. Whether you’re looking for political history, social history, music history, or to gaze at some stunning architecture, New York City has something to offer everyone. While this list is in no way exhaustive, to help plan your trip, below I’ve listed 10 Historical Things to do in New York City.
1. Explore thousands of years of art history at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met).
A visit to New York city is incomplete without a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as The Met. The Met opened to the public on Fifth Avenue in the year 1870. The idea for the museum came from a group of Americans living in Paris in the 1860s, who wanted to bring further art education back to America. The museum has moved a couple of times since, but opened in its current location on Fifth Avenue in 1880. By the 20th century, it had become one of the world’s most prestigious art museums.
Today at The Met, you can see a variety of well-known artworks from artists around the world. Just a few of the highlights include Claude Monet’s Bridge over a Pond of Water Lillies (1889), Pablo Picasso’s Gertrude Stein (1905-6), the Sphinx of Hatshepsut (1479–1458 B.C.) and The Temple of Dendur (completed by 10 B.C.). I would note that the museum is quite large, so I would either leave yourself plenty of time, or plan to do in multiple visits.
2. Have a meal in NYC’s oldest tavern, the Fraunces Tavern.
With a history that dates back to the year 1762, Fraunces Tavern is New York City’s oldest tavern. Like with many cities, historically taverns were gathering places for the community where people would go to enjoy a drink, exchange ideas and converse about the latest news. And while Fraunces Tavern has many years of drinking history, it is probably most famously associated with George Washington. It’s where, on December 4, 1783, he bid a group of his officers farewell after British troops had left the city at the end of the American Revolution.
Today there is both a museum and tavern on-site, where you can learn more about the area in the time of George Washington. I also highly recommend going for a meal, as the food is delicious and reasonably-priced. The interior also provides a great historical feel of what it would have been like to drink here all those years ago.
3. See remnants of the 17th century city at the Portal Down to Old New York.
If you walk along Broad Street, not far from the Fraunces Tavern, you’ll come across a glass section of the street known as the Portal Down to Old New York. Beneath the glass are the remnants of buildings from the 17th century Dutch colony, at a time when New York was actually named New Amsterdam. An excavation of this site in 1975 revealed some of the city’s oldest buildings, including the remains of the Lovelace Tavern, which was opened in 1670, next to the New Amsterdam City Hall. Both buildings were very much the centre of life in New Amsterdam and played an important role in the shaping of the city. It’s an interesting glimpse into some of New York’s earlier history.
4. Explore the history of immigration at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.
Wherever I am, I always enjoy exploring elements of social history, because I feel they give a real insight into the lives of everyday people. One of my favourite spots in New York city is the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which explores the history of immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Lower East Side was historically an immigrant neighbourhood, where people came from all over to start a new life in America. The museum offers a few very interesting tours, with recreated apartments, that show what it would have been like to live on the Lower East Side of Manhattan during various time periods.
I went on the Exploring a Tenement: 1902 tour, which tells the story of the Levine family, who ran a small garment factory out of their home, as well as raising their five children. The tour was fantastic and I highly recommend a visit to this important museum.
5. Visit the iconic Apollo Theatre in Harlem and see where some of music’s biggest names got their start.
If you’re looking to be entertained while in New York City, then you need to look no further than the Apollo! The Apollo first opened its doors in Harlem in 1914 and for over 100 years has played an influential role in American music such as jazz, R&B, gospel, swing, soul and more. The best of the best have played (and many got their start) at the Apollo, including Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., Gladys Knight, Sarah Vaughan, Lauren Hill and more.
The Apollo is also well-known for its Amateur Night contest, which first started in 1934. Amateur performers take to the stage hoping to be discovered… and also hoping not to get boo-ed off! I have to admit, my Canadian side was a bit taken aback by the boo-ing at first, but I soon realized it’s all in good fun and the contest has helped launch the careers of some of America’s most successful performers.
6. Have a drink at the Ear Inn.
The Ear Inn is an awesome little place, located just south of Greenwich Village. It’s been serving alcohol since 1817, making it New York City’s oldest bar continuously serving alcohol. The building’s history dates back to the 1770s when it was built for an African aide to George Washington named James Brown during the Revolutionary War. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that home-made beer was sold from here to the large number of sailors come along the nearby Hudson River. Moving into the 20th century, it became a restaurant, which even continued to operate as a speakeasy during Prohibition. The name the Ear Inn was given by its current owners (you can read the story in their website here) and today is a charismatic place to have a drink or bite to eat.
7. Enjoy a Pastrami Sandwich at Katz’s Deli.
Next on the list is Katz’s Delicatessen, which is the oldest deli in New York City. The original deli was built here on the Lower East Side in 1888, across the street from the present location. In 1917, it moved to its current location, with the facade being added in the 1940s. The name comes from one of the partners Willy Katz who joined the business (original called Iceland Brothers) in 1903 to form Iceland & Katz. The history of Katz held a special place in the Lower East Side community, as it was a gathering place for neighbours in the early 1900s, when the neighbourhood would have primarily been made up of immigrant families.
The neighbourhood had a large Jewish presence and Katz is still well-known for its Jewish specialities. It’s also famous for its iconic Pastrami Sandwich. If planning to make a visit to Katz, just note that there does tend to be a lineup (although it moved quickly) and you will need cash for inside.
8. Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
On September 11, 2001 the world changed forever as two planes hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre. I doubt there’s anyone who doesn’t remember where they were as the harrowing scenes played out on the streets of New York City. 2,977 victims lost their lives in the attack and countless others risked their lives to assist those in need. Today, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum teaches visitors about the history of both the 9/11 attacks as well as the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. It also commemorates both the victims and every day heroes of these tragic events in world history.
Outside of the museum you can visit the twin reflecting pools, which are located where the towers once stood. Inside the museum you can visit the exhibitions. The museum is very well put together, with a number of artifacts and personal stories of September 11. Walking through the museum was an extremely chilling experience, although it’s put together in a way that allows you to move in and out of different areas at your own comfort level. I think it’s an important visit for everyone to make, and while it’s hard to find the words to describe, I’m left with the main quote featured in the museum, “No day shall erase you from the memory of time – Virgil“.
You can learn more about visiting the 9/11 Memorial & Museum here.
9. See where the Carpathia docked at Pier 54, carrying survivors of the Titanic.
One of the most famous events of the 20th century is the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 10, 1912. The Titanic left from Southampton, England and was bound for Pier 59 in New York City, but after striking an iceberg, never made it to its final destination. Over 1,500 lives were lost in the sinking of the Titanic with 705 passengers rescued. The ship that rescued these passengers was the RMS Carpathia, which answered a distress call from the Titanic after departing from New York City a few days before. After picking up over 700 passengers, the Carpathia returned to New York City, arriving at Pier 54. Upon its arrival, there were said to be thousands of people waiting for news of loved ones travelling on the Titanic. Today, you can still see the historic pier on Manhattan’s West Side.
10. Visit The Back Room, an original speakeasy that operated during Prohibition.
In my opinion, one of the coolest locations in New York City is The Back Room. It is one of only two remaining speakeasies in the city that operated during Prohibition. Speakeasies were popular in America during the 1920s and early 1930s as they illicitly sold alcohol while it was banned by the government. They often had secret entrances and attracted quite the glamorous crowd. The Back Room (then known as The Back of Ratner’s) was known to be frequented by many famous, and infamous, faces including gangsters like Bugsy Siegel and Lucky Luciano.
Today, you can still visit the historic speakeasy on the Lower East Side and enter by the same original hidden entrance. You can also enjoy your cocktail out of a teacup, as it was traditionally common for alcohol to be served in these vessels of disguise.