It was a good place to visit on a rainy day. The place is clean and a good healthy walk around many…read moredifferent exhibits. There are buildings to shelter in if it's raining hard and they are packed cool things to see if you're interested in the past. The animals are very beautiful and seem healthy. Children will love running and playing in the many playgrounds too.

I love going here, I love seeing all the animals and antiques. The food is excellent and the staff…read moreare friendly.

Sterling Mine is a fun, informative, educational museum. Great for adults and children alike. The…read moregrounds outside the mine have many parts and pieces of technology and engineering to investigate. A sluice is also there for children to enjoy. We went there during the rainy Memorial weekend, but I bet the cool mine feels even better during a hot summer day.

714/24 (Visit): Sterling Hill Mining Museum had been a working zinc mine up until '86…read more On the outside of the museum, there's several impressive statues of miners and of the brothers Richard and Robert Hauck who opened the museum. The tour is approx. 2 hours. Gerrard was our guide. He was extremely knowledgeable about the entire science behind the minerals. In the mine, you'll see a shaft and how it operates. -Just keep in mind, the mine gets slightly misty and the floor is wet. One large area was filled with different minerals. Gerrard spoke about how the minerals reflect different colors under fluorescent light. Zobel Exhibit Hall displayed beautiful colored minerals from all over the world and incredible fossils from NJ. The museum is probably best for children at least age 5 and up. I noticed some people with strollers having some minor difficulties maneuvering in the mine. Many thanks to the brothers Richard and Robert Hauck. They purchased the property at auction. The brothers opened the museum in 1990. In 1991, it was designated a National Historic Site and continues to house the most extensive collection of fluorescent minerals globally. Prices for Tours: -Adults: 13 years and older $15.00 -Seniors: 65 years and older $14.00 -Children: 4 to 12 years $13.00

My first time going to the Cloisters. I went with family last week- they went at their pace then…read moresat in the courtyards which had some seating, while I went around at my pace. Good thing I didn't take my boys when they were younger, wouldn't have been for them. A smaller museum compared to the Met but there were still many items to look at. What caught my attention were the details - in the paintings, written books, carved pieces/sculptures (esp the really small ones), tapestries, etc. There were groups having an activity in some areas which blocked us from seeing some of the works of art up close though, like the Unicorn tapestry. I think visits in the spring and summer are better so can enjoy the outdoors. The open courtyards/gardens were lush with greenery and it's nice to spend time out there. The museum has 2 floors. Be ready for going up/down via stairs. It is wheelchair-accessible though I read it is limited. There are a few wheelchairs - free to use, first come-first served. Best to contact them re: the accessible entrance, a shuttle, etc. I learned from another visitor that a staff member has to accompany when taking the elevator. Restrooms are in the lower level, with a wheelchair-accessible one. Took the A train - Dyckman St. station. Entered Fort Tryon Park, then walked uphill a bit then took the stairs (towards the left from the path, steep in some areas). If you have difficulty with stairs, continue on the path or ask about the shuttle.

4/24/26: The Met Cloisters is a must see when in NYC!…read more It's been ages since my last visit. The Cloisters overlooks the Hudson River. It officially opened in 1938. The museum is dedicated to medieval art and architecture. The Cloisters itself is a stunning building. Our first Tour Guide took us around the wonderful medieval statues and gardens. She explained thoroughly about all the herbs and plants that are culinary and for their medicinal purposes. Our second tour guide Valerie was excellent for the "Highlights of the Met Cloisters. A major museum highlight is the Unicorn Tapestry Room (Permanent Display). These 7 tapestries were created approximately 500 years ago. (The Narrative: The Unicorn series tells a story ranging from the hunt's start and the unicorn at a fountain to its defense, capture, and, finally, the famous "Unicorn in Captivity" image). The museum does have a café (The Trie Cafe) on the premises. It's very good for a quick bite along with garden view seating. Museum times as follows: Sunday through Tuesday 10 AM - 5 PM Wednesday- Closed Thursday-Saturday 10 AM- 5 AM. It's best to arrive at the Cloisters upon opening. During the first tour, it wasn't too crowded, but the second tour was extremely crowded. The Met Cloisters is located at 99 Margaret Corbin Drive Fort Tryon Park, New York City, NY 10040. Highly recommend visiting the stunning Met Cloisters.

This started as a mission to find a Hash (expat international) group meetup somewhere in this vast…read morepark, but since we didn't connect it turned out to be a "walk in the park" and pure joy. Central Park may be in a more convenient location for tourists, but Prospect Park is a divine place to explore, with plenty of twists and turns, and what the heck is that? Lots to look at! The other thing I liked was that we found free on-street parking right across the street on Ocean Avenue. Amazingly we also found parking right by Central Park as well. (This trip was a superb driving one) Even hanging out in the van, having a cold one at the parking spot was a fun experience. There's even a cafe in the middle of the park that is super nice! Worth seeking out when visiting Brooklyn.

One of my favorite things about Brooklyn is Prospect Park. Even though it's large, as you can…read moreimagine it gets busy on the weekends. Lots of families, etc. Still, it can be an enjoyable time. I do prefer weekday visits myself. The walking/bike paths are a great way to see the park in its entirety. Plenty of green space for a picnic, playing frisbee, etc. Playground and splash pads as well. Of course, I can't forget the lake with all of the ducks splashing about. It's really a wonderful way to spend a day in Brooklyn, getting away from it all.

I forgot how huge this museum is. Wonderfully designed…read moreexhibits spaced out enough so that you can actually appreciate each piece Very helpful staff

I used to love it here for years, but it's gotten too popular and lost the charm it had for me…read more The popularity is great for the museum itself. It's experienced an undeniable glow up. People I could never get to step a toe in a museum now beg me to come with them to see some trendy exhibit they heard about. Marketing has improved immensely. They've expanded their reach beyond geeks and schoolchildren to a wide variety of people, and that's good. It keeps the museum alive. It's just no longer one of my favorite places personally. What I miss the most are the old First Saturdays that no one knew about. I'd look forward to them all month like a child looks forward to Christmas. It felt like Brooklyn's best kept secret. Now you have to preregister to get sardined. I'm not much of a noisy crowd person, so I end up leaving early the rare occasion I attempt to go. I do enjoy the salsa parties. Those are fun. Staff can be rude as all else. I've never personally had an issue, but I've seen some uncalled for behavior towards other patrons, especially if they give touristy vibes. The littlest thing can set someone off. It's completely uncalled for.

After six years I have come back to the Whitney Museum to look at what they have. This place was so…read morebusy that it was packed with so many people looking at the art. I was a little shocked since the last time it was quite empty but it was fun to walk around all the levels to see what had changed. Or what has been stated is the same. The view is still amazing so please check that out!

Went to the Whitney yesterday and accidentally wandered into a live-action remake of Radical Chic…read more Endlessly aggressive self-congratulatory "activism," and rooms full of wealthy white patrons nodding solemnly at art that felt engineered more for moral signaling than aesthetic experience. Less museum, more luxury-branded political group therapy. To be fair, the Edward Hopper floor was a real treat and reminded me what actual artistry looks like. But overall? Not remotely worth the admission price. If you absolutely must go, make it a free-admission day.

It's like a book that makes your feet hurt…read more Though the museum is undeniably thorough, the curation relies so heavily on dense, text-based presentation that it ultimately feels less like an impressive journey through history and more like an encyclopedic book that you read with your feet. There's some incredible stuff, like the blue whale model, dinosaur skeletons, popular culture items (like Jesse Owens' gold medal), giant geode, the animal scenes, and the impressive and hypnotic miniature dioramas, but is a college-educated, book reading, trivia absorbing teacher allowed to admit it's a little dull? Just a little. Probably because I much prefer art museums or Smithsonian types with pop culture, inventions, political history, etc. Dull might be too strong a word because I did spend over four hours there and didn't see everything. Let's say it's yawn-adjacent.

The absolute best museum i have ever been to! So many amazing things to discover around every…read morecorner. You can spend all day in here, it's quite spectacular!

Took the ferry from Battery Park to Ellis Island this morning and took the 90-minute Hard Hat tour…read moreof the hospital. Both the museum and the 90-minute tour are worth the time. The Hard Hat tour - led by Melissa - was a fascinating introduction into the history of the Ellis Island facilities and hospital, progressing from its inception to very busy facility for evaluation and care of incoming immigrants, to a coast guard hospital to present day preservation efforts. A portion of your ticket price goes to the preservation efforts. Melissa was very knowledgeable, invited questions and told interesting stories about the site's uses and history and some of the people involved. Ticketing: One thing I was confused about was the timing of the tour in relation to the time I purchased the ticket for. When I purchased the ticket online, I "assumed" an 11:30 am tour ticket was for an 11:30 am tour. Nope. The 11:30 am is the time you need to be at Battery Park or Liberty Park to get on the ferry to Ellis Island. The tour can be up to 2-1/2 hours later. And we were told that we shouldn't arrive before 11:30 am, because we would not be allowed on an earlier ferry, even if we wanted to go to Liberty Island beforehand. (I got that express direction from the tour group as a response to my specific email question.). Anyway, we arrived at 11:00 am and got the 11:30 am ferry. At Ellis island a little after 12:15 pm, we were told our tour would be at 2:30 pm. We asked if we could be added to the 12:30 pm tour, and they agreed. So we were able to do that. I think the ticketing is confusing and the rules about taking an early ferry are awkward. Maybe it's during very heavy tourist season? But today I didn't see why we were told we couldn't take an earlier ferry. The 30 minute video in the museum is worth seeing. We grabbed something to eat at the museum after our Hard Hat tour My partner got a grilled chicken sandwich, which was quite good on a fresh bun. I ordered a side salad ($5) as an entree and it was quite large, fresh and tasty.

Our first visit to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration was on Sep 10, 2008. I had but…read morepassing memories and few photos to show for. Our second and most recent visit was on Jun 23, 2025 as part of Road Scholar's "American Mosaic - An NYC Exploration" tour program. It felt like a much more enriching experience. We indeed did much more. For starters, we went to the Ellis Island Cafe. Lunch coupons (provided by the tour group) covered our meals, so no out-of-pocket expenses. After that, we started with the familiar Baggage Room. Then came the America Immigrant Wall of Honor kiosk, where we entered our family name for a commemorative certificate that we visited Ellis Island. Next was the Citizenship Gallery and "New Eras of Immigration" gallery. I don't recall both being around in 2008. The content is extensive. Loads of prose and photos on walls, numerous kiosks of personal stories (four per kiosk), and exhibits showing the immigration journey by sections (L-M-A-S-B, total of five) just to name a few. There was a console where kids could take the Citizenship Test. It looks similar to the one I took in Nov 2011 during my naturalization process. I liked the console that filters citizens by demography (ethnicity, country of origin, gender, etc.). I got a photo that shows how many Kryptonians are living in the United States. We then saw the Great Hall (don't remember much of it from the first visit), and then the exhibits on the upper floors. These included Peak Immigration Years gallery and Through America's Gates gallery on the second floor. Both were good but not as impressive as Citizenship Gallery and "New Eras of Immigration". While the third floor had natural lighting from the ceiling windows, but the exhibits on this floor got none of it. The displays were enclosed in glass walls with lighting that was dimmer within than without. Every time I tried to take a picture, my reflection appeared vividly on the walls. The Ellis Island Chronicles gallery - on the third floor - has miniature models of buildings on (models of) Ellis Island through the decades from the mid 19th century to WWII. It was a wonder to behold the sheer growth of capacity necessary to accommodate the increasing influx of immigrants. Also on the third floor is "Treasures from Home" gallery. This would be my #2 most impressive of all the exhibits. It displays numerous items - those that were donated - brought by the immigrants through Ellis Island. Again, dim lighting plus reflection on glass windows = no photos taken. We would have spent more time if we weren't on a schedule. Someday I might return and spend more time on Ellis Island and museum. I recommend visiting anytime of the year except during the summer vacation period (Jun to Aug). It was very crowded when we were there. Bodies were pressing against us while we were waiting for the boat back to the mainland. The weather was in the upper 90s deg. F. The waiting was long and uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration was an enjoyable experience.

Just a few more days until the Raphael exhibit leaves The Met. I'm so happy I had the chance to see…read moreit. The landmark exhibition Raphael: Sublime Poetry runs through June 28 at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 899. It is the first comprehensive exhibition on the Italian Renaissance master in the United States, gathering over 170 of his paintings, drawings, and tapestries from 62 global lenders. The Met is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, museums in NYC. Grand, opulent, rich in history and gorgeous. Raphael exhibit has been running for three months and showcases the celestial beauty of his work. Whether it's his famous portraits or the multiple Virgin Mother and Child paintings, his stunning work will leave you breathless. Raphael, along with Michelangelo and Da Vinci were known as the Supreme Masters of the High Renaissance. Exquisite Master artists. In addition to this gorgeous exhibit which is included in the standard admission, there's always so much to see at The Met. The last day of the exhibit is June 28--catch it!

The MET is gorgeous. You could easily spend a whole day at the Met and it would be worth it…read more ADA wise, there are elevators and escalators. Bathrooms are clean and spread out throughout the museum. I can go on and list my favorite parts of the museum but I suggest you come here and enjoy it yourself. I've been here 10+ times and it never gets old. There's always something new and beautiful to see.

I can't believe I've never reviewed the Strand. I guess I haven't visited in years?! Well, I…read morecorrected that oversight last Sunday, and I still love it as much as I did when I was in college. I love bookstores, and NYC has lots of great ones. But the Strand Bookstore might be the best? It's a classic. It's the largest independent bookstore in the city, carrying 2.5 million used, new, and rare books (their tag line - "18 Miles of Books" refers to the fact that the shelf space in the store supposedly stretches over 18 miles)! Plenty of people just shop front their discount racks outside the sidewalk (where all books are $3-7) and then pop in just to pay. But the inside is incredible. More books than almost any bookstore I've ever been to. Still family-owned, over 100 years old, and with an emphasis on bookseller recommendations, it's just an excellent bookstore. When I stopped by on Sunday, I made it past about four tables and end displays - new fiction, signed books, and employee recommendations - about 50 feet into the store. I already had six books in my hands and decided I better leave quickly before I had a problem! Despite the size of the store and the number of shoppers, the line to check out was short and quick. With friendly customer service to boot. It's simply one of the best bookstores in the city. Maybe in the country, too?! Definitely check it out.

I was so surprised to see I have not written a review for Strand even though I have visited several…read moretimes. Strand Book Store is a landmark family owned bookstore famous for its "18 miles of books" and a massive inventory of over 2.5 million new, used, and rare titles. There are four floors - the first floor which is usually very busy and chaotic features a vast collection of new releases and best-sellers, and a wide variety of Strand themed merchandise The lower level is mainly non-fiction and music and travel section. The second floor has art, photography, architecture and children's books. The third floor is rare books. The store is packed with books and if you cannot find a book here it may not exist. It is easy to spend hours browsing through the aisles.