General Theological Seminary

West Village, Chelsea & Meatpacking District

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Founded in 1817, this is the oldest sem­inary of the Episcopal Church in America. The school, which sits in the midst of the beautiful Chelsea historic district, has been working hard lately to make sure it can preserve its best asset – the garden-like campus snuggled in the middle of its full block of buildings – even as Chelsea development sprouts up all around it.

This peaceful haven is the perfect spot for finding respite, either before or after your neighborhood gallery crawl. To visit, ring the buzzer at the garden gate, located halfway down 21st St between Ninth and Tenth Aves.

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

    3.15 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

    3.22 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

    3.71 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

    0.99 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

    2.31 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

    3.5 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

    4.45 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

    2.41 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 West Village, Chelsea & Meatpacking District attractions

1. Matthew Marks Gallery

0.14 MILES

Founded in 1991, this gallery exhibits the work of American and European artists making use of many different media, from painting to printmaking to…

2. David Zwirner

0.19 MILES

David Zwirner operates several galleries around Chelsea, including this five-story, sustainability-certified building with 30,000 sq ft of exhibition…

3. Gladstone Gallery

0.21 MILES

Curator Barbara Gladstone has learned a thing or two after three decades in the Manhattan art world. Expect talked-about, well-critiqued exhibitions from…

4. Andrea Rosen Gallery

0.22 MILES

Oversized installations are the norm at this spacious gallery, where curators fill every inch of space (and the annex, Gallery 2, next door) in…

5. Pace Gallery

0.26 MILES

With seven galleries across the world – including this eight-story Chelsea flagship – and decades of experience showing the work of such artists as Willem…

6. Artechouse

0.26 MILES

The previously unused boiler room beneath historic Chelsea Market has finally found a tenant in Artechouse, a technology-forward creative space where…

7. Gagosian

0.27 MILES

International works dot the walls at the Gagosian. The ever-revolving exhibits feature the work of greats such as Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel…

8. Chelsea Market

0.27 MILES

In a shining example of redevelopment and preservation, the Chelsea Market has transformed a former factory into a shopping concourse that caters to…