While Manhattan is viewed as a center of culture around the world, Queens has its share of cultural attractions, from a museum dedicated to film and television to the only farm in the five boroughs.
Bowne House
37-01 Bowne St., Flushing
(718) 359-0528
www.bownehouse.org
Built around 1661, the John Bowne House was the location of a Quaker meeting in 1662 that resulted in the arrest of its owner, John Bowne. He is honored today as a pioneer for religious freedom. Since 1947, it has been a museum.
Greater Astoria Historical Society
35-20 Broadway, 4th Floor (Quinn
Building), Long Island City
(718) 278-0700
www.astorialic.org
The Greater Astoria Historical Society, chartered in 1985, is a nonprofit that hosts field trips, walking tours, slide presentations and guest lecturers for schools and the public. Regular meetings are held on the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m.
Godwin-Ternbach Museum
65-30 Kissena Blvd., 405 Klapper Hall, Queens College, Flushing
(718) 997-4747
www.gtmuseum.org
The Godwin-Ternbach Museum is a professional not-for-profit art institution at Queens College. A permanent collection of 5,000 objects from all cultures is used to organize exhibitions and programs as cultural and educational vehicles for students, faculty and public audiences.
King Manor Museum
150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica
(718) 206-0545
www.kingmanor.org
King Manor is a historic house museum to preserve and interpret the home and legacy of Rufus King. The museum is located in Rufus King Park.
Guided tours are offered from February through December (noon to 2 p.m. on Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday). Suggested admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, and free for ages 16 and below.
Lewis H. Latimer House Museum
34-41 137th St., Flushing
(718) 961-8585
www.latimernow.org
The Lewis H. Latimer House was constructed between 1887 and 1889. Lewis Howard Latimer, an inventor and electrical pioneer and the son of fugitive slaves, lived in the house from 1903 until his death in 1928. The house is now a museum dedicated to his work.
The museum’s hours are noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Louis Armstrong House Museum
34-56 107th St., Corona
(718) 478-8274
www.louisarmstronghouse.org
The Louis Armstrong House Museum collects and preserves materials on the life and career of Louis Armstrong and presents public programs to preserve his legacy.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, students and children.
MoMA PS1
22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City
(718) 784-2084
www.momaps1.org
MoMA PS1 displays experimental art from around the world. A catalyst and an advocate for new trends in contemporary art, MoMA PS1 pursues emerging artists and new genres to support innovation in contemporary art.
The suggested donation is $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Children ages 16 and below get in for free. The museum’s hours are from noon to 6 p.m., Thursday through Monday.
Museum of the Moving Image
Museum of the Moving Image
36-01 35th Ave., Astoria
(718) 777-6800
www.movingimage.us
The Museum of the Moving Image is the country’s only museum dedicated to the art, history, technique and technology of the moving image. The museum is a destination for audiences of all ages and interests.
The museum is open on Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $11 for students and seniors and $7 for children ages 3 to 17.
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th St., Corona
(718) 699-0005
www.nysci.org
The New York Hall of Science presents exhibits, demonstrations, workshops and participatory activities that explain science, technology, engineering and math. NYSCI was founded at the 1964–1965 World’s Fair and has evolved into New York’s center for interactive science.
The museum is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $16 for adults and $13 for children (ages 2 to 17), students and seniors.
Noguchi Museum
9-01 33rd Rd., Long Island City
(718) 204-7088
www.noguchi.org
The Noguchi Museum was founded and designed by Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi for the display of representative examples of his life’s work. Opened in 1985, the museum is housed in a converted industrial building and connected to a building and interior garden of Noguchi’s design. The museum itself is considered to be one of the artist’s greatest works.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. General admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. It is free for public high school students.
Queens County Farm Museum
73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Floral Park
(718) 347-3276
www.queensfarm.org
The Queens County Farm Museum dates back to 1697 and occupies New York City’s largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland.
The farm encompasses a 47-acre parcel that is the longest continuously farmed site in New York State. The site includes historic farm buildings, a greenhouse complex, livestock, farm vehicles and implements, planting fields, an orchard and an herb garden.
The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free, except during public events.
Queens Historical Society
143-35 37th Ave., Flushing
(718) 939-0647
www.queenshistoricalsociety.org
Founded in 1968 as a not-for-profit organization, the historical society is the largest and most active historical society in Queens. It promotes research into social, political and economic aspects of Queens history and maintains an archive and library of historical information. The society owns and maintains the Kingsland Homestead structure that was the first New York City landmark in Queens County.
Queens Museum
New York City Building,
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
(718) 592-9700
www.queensmuseum.org
The Queens Museum is dedicated to presenting the highest-quality visual arts and educational programming for residents of Queens. Its most famous exhibit is the panorama of New York City.
The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday. Suggested admission is $8 for adults and $4 for seniors. Children (ages 18 and below)and students get in for free.
SculptureCenter
44-19 Purves St., Long Island City
(718) 361-1750
www.sculpture-center.org
This contemporary art center focuses on artistic innovation and positions artists’ work in larger cultural, historical and aesthetic contexts. Founded by artists in 1928, SculptureCenter provides an international forum that connects artists and audiences via exhibitions, commissioning new work and generating scholarship. The art center is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday through Monday.
Socrates Sculpture Park
32-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City
(718) 956-1819
www.socratessculpturepark.org
Socrates Sculpture Park is the city’s only site specifically dedicated to providing artists with opportunities to create and exhibit large-scale sculpture and multi-media installations in a unique outdoor environment that encourages interaction among artists, artworks and the public.
The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. until sunset. Admission is free.
Vander Ende-Onderdonk House
1820 Flushing Ave., Ridgewood
(718) 456-1776
www.onderdonkhouse.org
The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House is the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City. In 1709, Paulus Vander Ende of Flatbush began construction of the current house. The house serves as a museum for a permanent exhibit on the archaeology of the Onderdonk site.
The museum is open on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $3 for adults and $1 for children, except in the case of special events.
Voelker Orth Museum
149-19 38th Ave., Flushing
(718) 359-6227
www.vomuseum.org
The Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary and Victorian Garden—which provides the experience of life in an immigrant family’s home in the 1890s—preserves and interprets the cultural and horticultural heritage of Flushing.
The museum is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. Suggested admission is $2.
