Brooklyn Historical Society

Brooklyn: Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn & Dumbo

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Housed in a majestic, landmarked 1881 building with striking terracotta details, this museum is devoted to all things Brooklyn. Its priceless collection contains a rare 1770 map of NYC and a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. Exhibits on Brooklyn life and history rotate regularly. Peek into the stunning 33,000-book Othmer Library, with its original 19th-century balcony of black ash.

The lobby gift shop (open noon to 5pm daily) is a fantastic resource for Brooklyn-themed books and upscale gifts.

The society also organizes regular exhibitions and neighborhood walks; check the website for details.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • A woman takes notes in front of a sculpture at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

    Metropolitan Museum of Art

    6.02 MILES

    What started with a handful of paintings brought over from Europe or donated by a coterie of philanthropically minded robber barons in the 19th century…

  • OCTOBER 2015: Visitors paddle in boats near a bridge at Central Park..

    Central Park

    6.2 MILES

    One of the world’s most renowned green spaces, Central Park comprises 843 acres of rolling meadows, boulder-studded outcroppings, elm-lined walkways,…

  • Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum

    Ellis Island

    2.53 MILES

    Located in New York Harbor, Ellis Island is the US's most famous and historically important gateway and is home to one of the country’s most moving…

  • Beautiful view of Manhattan during a summer sunset

    Empire State Building

    3.71 MILES

    The Chrysler Building may be prettier, and One World Trade Center taller, but the queen bee of the New York skyline remains the Empire State Building. NYC…

  • NEW YORK - MAY 29 : ONE WORLD OBSERVATORY grand opening day on May 29, 2015. It is open year round. Starting May 29th until September 7th from 9 a.m. until midnight

    One World Observatory

    1.67 MILES

    Spanning three levels at the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, One World Observatory offers dazzling panoramic views over Manhattan's…

  • SolomonR. Guggenheim Museum, detailed view

    Guggenheim Museum

    6.34 MILES

    A New York icon, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, more commonly known as the Guggenheim, is an internationally-renowned art museum and one of the most…

  • Statue of Liberty

    Statue of Liberty

    2.77 MILES

    It’s been over a century since Lady Liberty made her debut appearance on the New York skyline, but this iconic statue is still one of the city’s most…

  • NEW YORK CITY, USA - JUNE 18 2016 - Panoramic view of the interior National 9/11 Memorial Museum. The Last Column Remnants and Slurry Wall. Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA

    National September 11 Memorial Museum

    1.57 MILES

    When the twin towers of the World Trade Center toppled during the awful events of 11 September 2001, it led to years of soul-searching about what would be…

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Nearby Brooklyn: Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn & Dumbo attractions

1. Plymouth Church

0.3 MILES

Founded in 1847, this Protestant church became one of the centers of the mid-19th-century anti-slavery movement, thanks in large part to its first pastor,…

2. Brooklyn Heights Promenade

0.32 MILES

Six of the east–west streets of well-to-do Brooklyn Heights (such as Montague and Clark Sts) lead to the neighborhood’s number-one attraction: a narrow,…

3. New York Transit Museum

0.32 MILES

Occupying an old subway station built in 1936 (and out of service since 1946), this kid-friendly museum takes on 100-plus years of getting around town…

4. Invisible Dog

0.53 MILES

In a converted factory dating to 1863, the Invisible Dog is an interdisciplinary arts center that embodies the spirit of Brooklyn's creativity. Check the…

5. Brooklyn Bridge Park

0.54 MILES

This 85-acre park is one of Brooklyn’s best-loved attractions. Wrapping itself around a 1.3-mile bend on the East River, the post-industrial site runs…

6. Empire Stores

0.59 MILES

Built just after the Civil War, the Empire Stores are a vestige of Brooklyn's historic waterfront, which once supported 3 miles of brick warehouses…

7. Jane’s Carousel

0.66 MILES

Behold the star attraction of the north end of Brooklyn Bridge Park: a vintage carousel built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company back in 1922. In 1984…

8. Brooklyn Bridge

0.7 MILES

A New York icon, the Brooklyn Bridge was the world’s first steel suspension bridge, and, at almost 1596ft, the longest when it opened in 1883…