New York City Fire Museum

Occupying a grand old firehouse dating from 1904, this museum houses a collection of gold, horse-drawn firefighting carriages and modern-day red firetrucks. Exhibits show the development of the NYC firefighting system (which began with the ‘bucket brigades’) and the museum’s friendly staff (and the heavy equipment) make this a great place to bring children. The New York Fire Department (FDNY) lost half of its members in the collapse of the World Trade Center, and memorials and exhibits have become a permanent part of the collection. An excellent gift shop sells official FDNY clothing and patches and books about firefighting history.