• email
• print
• 
  
  

This spring, Lower Manhattan is filled with can't-miss events and activities, many of them free. Read the below to learn what's going on, and be sure to check back, as we'll be adding new listings throughout the season.

May 26–September 30
Assorted Summer Fun at Governors Island
This 172–acre recreational oasis hosts a full slate of programming including art exhibitions, concerts and sporting events. Cultural highlights include exhibits from the Children’s Museum of the Arts, Cooper-Hewitt and Cornell Glass Lab. If you’re feeling active, Governors Island is also a great place to rent a bike from Bike and Roll. For more info, visit govisland.com.

Through May 2012
Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights in Jazz at BMCC Tribeca PAC 
New York’s oldest jazz series, produced and directed entirely by Jack Kleinsinger is now in its 40th season. The series presents a different performance each month, featuring industry notables like Christian McBride, George Cables, Paula West and Bucky Pizzarelli. For more info, visit tribecapac.org and highlightsinjazz.org.

June 7
An Evening with an Italian Master
Renowned fourth-generation Italian winemaker Angelo Gaja, owner and president of GAJA winery, discusses his life, his legacy and, of course, wine. For more information, visit 92y.org.

June 8–17
The Trust Art Triennial at Liberty Island
Trust Art, a nonprofit organization that supports and funds public art, hosts its first public art show this spring. This inaugural show features artworks, installations and live performances. Projects include Dreamers by Justin Tellian, Humanity by Anne McClain, Bushwick Art Park by Skewville and much more. The show will conclude with a public auction and interactive light show, bringing the history of the Statue of Liberty into new light. To learn more about the projects and the organization, visit trustart.org. 

July 11–12
Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival with Buddy Guy and Neko Case
The Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival takes place at the World Financial Center July 11–12. On Wednesday, jazz legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Buddy Guy performs, and Thursday the headliner is singer-songwriter Neko Case, who is perhaps best known for her work with The New Pornographers, and who currently has an original song on the Hunger Games soundtrack. (Bonus: opening up for Case is Charles Bradley, the 63-year-old soul man whose debut came out last year.) For more information, visit artsworldfinancialcenter.com.

July 14
4 Knots Festival
After a decade of presenting the Siren Music Festival at Coney Island, The Village Voice moves its indie bonanza to another waterfront location. The lineup is still TBA, but rest assured: There Will Be Buzz Bands. For more information, visit villagevoice.com.

September 16–21
World Financial Center New York Motorexpo
Motorexpo returns to the World Financial Center for its free annual car show, exhibiting the latest vehicles and technology from the world’s foremost automobile manufacturers. The show is free to the public and is held both indoors and outdoors September 16–21. For more information, visit motorexpo.com.

Ongoing
9.11 Remembered at The New York City Police Museum
Through interviews, photographs and artifacts, this exhibition chronicles the role of the NYPD during the response to the attacks of September 11. For more info, visit nycpm.org.

Ongoing
Accomplice
The first of many hints that Accomplice is no ordinary tour comes in the form of an anonymous confirmation call about "that thing you're doing tomorrow," complete with instructions to meet near a red boat at South Street Seaport and, of course, to keep your plans secret. Indeed, while there's ample walking and sightseeing during this interactive theater experience, the "guides" remain utterly committed to their roles while enlisting participants' help as accessories to a nefarious criminal plot. For more info, visit accomplicetheshow.com.

Ongoing
Bodies...The Exhibition at South Street Seaport
This innovative display of real human specimens, preserved according to mortuary science and arranged in a series of athletic poses, shows off the complex structure of the human organism and promotes healthy living. For more info, visit bodiestheexhibition.com.

Ongoing (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Bowling Green Greenmarket
Every Tuesday and Thursday year-round, local farmers sell fresh produce and other edible homemade goodies at the Bowling Green plaza. The market runs from 8am to 5pm. For more information, visit grownyc.org.

Ongoing
Children’s Museum of the Arts
This museum nurtures young artists and displays their work. Hands-on workshops taught by working artists give budding creative folk the chance to develop their skills in the visual and performing arts while also, of course, having fun. For more info, visit cmany.org.

Ongoing
Dining on Stone Street
The City's oldest paved street hosts a plethora of dining and drinking establishments. Enjoy everything from pizza and pub fare to more upscale grub (not to mention beer, and plenty of it). This stretch of Lower Manhattan is a lively after-work spot. For more info, see our guide to Lower Manhattan.

Ongoing
Emma Lazarus: Poet of Exiles at the Museum of Jewish Heritage
Emma Lazarus is most famous for having penned "The New Colossus," the sonnet inscribed on the base of Lady Liberty. ("Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...") This exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Heritage addresses both the 19th-century poet's best-known works and details of her biography, including her Sephardic background, life in New York City and her work for a variety of Jewish causes. For more information, visit mjhnyc.org. 

Ongoing
Free Ferry Rides on the Staten Island Ferry
More than a means of transportation, the Staten Island Ferry is an attraction unto itself. For no charge, visitors can take a 25-minute voyage by water from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island and take in the Statue of Liberty and the stunning vistas of New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline. For more info, visit siferry.com.

Ongoing
Free Lower Manhattan Walking Tours beginning at the statue of the charging bull
Among the attractions covered on this free tour: Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, Federal Hall, Wall Street, Trinity Church (where Alexander Hamilton is buried), the Brooklyn Bridge and many more. For more info, visit freetoursbyfoot.com.

Ongoing
Free Tours at Federal Hall National Memorial
Lower Manhattan's Federal Hall served as the first US Capitol Building, the site of George Washington's first inauguration and the place where the Bill of Rights was officially passed. Though the original building has since been demolished, the current structure—built as the US Customs House in 1842—today serves as a national memorial operated by the National Park Service. Brush up on your American History 101 at Federal Hall with a free tour (either on your own or with a guide); no reservations necessary. For more information, visit nps.gov.

Ongoing
Free Tours at the Federal Reserve
Reserve your spot a week in advance for this tour of the Fed, the largest and most influential all the banks in the Federal Reserve System. Get an overview of the bank's operations, gain admission to the bank's onsite museum and, best of all, enjoy a guided tour of the vault, 80 feet below street level, which contains around 7,000 tons of gold bullion. To paraphrase Gordon Gekko, that ain't exactly chump change. For more information, visit ny.frb.com.

Ongoing
Free Tours at Tweed Courthouse
Named for the infamous Boss Tweed—one of the most corrupt and, lamentably, most powerful figures to ever take up politics in NYC—Tweed Courthouse is one of the City's most impressive architectural landmarks. Explore the building, which today is the headquarters for the Department of Education, with the help of a seasoned guide who will provide enlightening insights into the building's grand courtrooms, soaring rotunda and intricate design details. For more info, visit nyc.gov.

Ongoing (Tuesdays)
Juilliard Artists at 180 Maiden Lane
Every Tuesday, select music students from the Juilliard School perform an hour of free music at this office building in the Financial District. For more info, visit nyc-arts.org.

Ongoing
Movie Screenings at 92Y Tribeca
Downtown culture spot 92YTribeca offers several screening series year round. Offerings include “Lunch and a Movie,” showcasing films about home and families, then serving up a meal and discussion after the credits roll. There’s also “Basic Cable Classics,” a cinematic throwback to the days of VHS tapes, complete with special guests and a trivia session. For more info, visit 92y.org.

Ongoing
Museum of American Finance
The Museum of American Finance celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of America in its financial capital. Combining historical artifacts with interactive displays, the museum takes visitors through the story of Wall Street from its youth through today. Both educational and interesting, the museum is a great place for kids and adults to learn about money, the economy markets.  Throughout the summer, MOAF will host a number of special events, including walking tours and informative talks. For more info, visit moaf.org.

Ongoing
National Museum of the American Indian
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in New York features year-round exhibitions, dance and music performances, children’s workshops, family and school programs, film festivals and video screenings that present the diversity of the Native people of the Americas and the strength of their cultures from the earliest times to the present. The museum is located in one of the most splendid Beaux-Arts buildings in the City, one of three national locations. For more info, visit americanindian.si.edu.

Ongoing
National September 11 Memorial & Museum
The 9/11 Memorial is a tribute to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 at the World Trade Center, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. The memorial includes two reflecting pools. Located within the footprints of the former Twin Towers, the pools are nearly an acre in size, feature the largest manmade waterfalls in North America and, when fully complete, will be surrounded by a grove of more than 400 oak trees. Admission to the memorial is free but requires the reservation of a visitor pass; reservations can be made at 911memorial.org. The 9/11 Memorial Museum will open in September 2012.

Ongoing
New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion
A gift from the Netherlands in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's arrival to what would become New York City, the New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion is an "outdoor living room," complete with ample shade and a visitor information booth, and is conveniently juxtaposed with transportation hub Peter Minuit Plaza. It's definitely worth stopping by and taking a look at the Pavilion's stunning space-age architecture. For more info, visit nyc.gov/parks.

Ongoing
Pajama Parties at New York Kids Club 
The Battery Park location hosts an assortment of pajama-themed parties for the young ones every Friday. Each week features a different theme, including “I Heart NY,” “Literary Locomotion” and “Carnival in Brazil.” For info, visit nykidsclub.com. 

Ongoing (Weekdays at 11am and 4pm)
Small Potatoes Animation Factory Tour
Take a behind-the-scenes tour of Little Airplane, the animation studio responsible for the popular kids’ television show Small Potatoes on Disney Junior. Along the way, tour guests can experience every step in the show’s creation by helping to animate characters and recording their own voices in an audio booth. Tours are $10 per person and limited to 10 people. Reservations are required. For more information, visit littleairplane.com.

Ongoing
South Street Seaport Museum
After a recent renovation, the South Street Seaport Museum has reopened, featuring 16 new galleries, housing historic artifacts, video, photographs and design objects. Artists featured include Fabiola Arias, Ted Muehling and Wes Gordon, along with an exhibition devoted to Occupy Wall Street and another based on Eric Sanderson’s Mannahatta, a book in which the author meticulously describes the pre-urban landscape of the now-densely populated borough. Bowne & Co., the stationary company, reopened along with the museum. The store offers authentic 19th-century letterpresses and printing methods, maps, business cards and postcards. For more information, visit seany.org.

Ongoing (Tuesdays and Fridays)
Staten Island Ferry Terminal Greenmarket
Every Tuesday and Friday year-round, local farmers sell fresh produce and other edible homemade goodies inside the Whitehall Ferry Terminal building. The market runs from 8am to 7pm. For more information, visit grownyc.org.

Ongoing
Tigers: Tracking a Legend at South Street Seaport
South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 is transformed into a lush Indian jungle with this exhibition, a high-tech introduction to the secret and intimate lives of Bengal tigers, an extremely endangered species. Visitors can watch an award-winning documentary on tiger tracking, scale a state-of-the-art climbing wall, learn about tiger anatomy and more. For more info, visit tigersnyc.com.

Ongoing
Walk NYC beginning at The Battery
Keep fit with guided downtown fitness walks on Tuesdays starting from The Battery. For more info, visit downtownny.com.

Ongoing
The Wall Street Experience
Explore world-famous financial landmarks such as the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Reserve and Wall Street guided by real Wall Street insiders. While meandering through the narrow, winding streets of Lower Manhattan, you will hear exclusive stories from "inside the trenches" that will entertain, inform and shock you. Tours have appeared in the news and on television globally. The Wall Street Experience aims to demystify and personify Wall Street through personal interaction and storytelling of firsthand experiences. Bring your camera and your questions. For more information, visit thewallstreetexperience.com.

Ongoing
Wall Street Walks
Be an industry insider with a walking tour of the world's financial capital. Wall Street Walks provides guided walking tours in Lower Manhattan, focusing on the financial and stock markets, as well as American and New York history. Tour guides all have real-life Wall Street experience and can separate truth from legend as they recount stories, explore architecture and teach the history of both Wall Street and New York City. For more information, visit wallstreetwalks.com.

Ongoing
Wine Classes at New York Vintners
Enjoy the weekly Wine 101 classes offered by this downtown wine shop. Seating is limited and fills up fast, so make sure to book in advance. For more info, visit newyorkvintners.com.