Native American Museum

Alas, my time in southern Manhattan is coming to a close.  My day gig will be moving to Midtown in a week :-(

Sure its a new adventure and well--Manhattan being Manhattan--is always amazing but the deep history here at the tip of the island won’t be replicated. Cobblestone streets, centuries old pubs and forts and of course the glorious New York harbor (the State of Liberty, Ellis Island, etc…) won’t be uptown!

One of the most interesting places here is the Native American Museum. I went back yesterday and was rewarded with a new exhibit on the Taino. Of course the shop was incredible as well— so many books… so many CDs... so many precious items! I finally did select an Atlas, a Dreamcatcher and a mini saying book and upon leaving was mesmerized with the cat…

Native American Museum - Store/ Gift Shop

Great Books Galore!

Hip Music in Abundance!

and yes... "The Cat!"

Taino Exhibit

Arawak Words

Bowling Green

When leaving the museum - you can catch a bit of the vibe of old New York...

Now

1850

Further Info

• The National Museum of the American Indian
• Bowling Green

Return to the Native American Museum

Lunch hour today was a return visit to the Smithsonian Native American Museum located in the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. What an amazing building! In addition to the Native American Museum, I discovered the National Archives as well an interactive exhibit on the lower level called imagiNATIONS Activity Center.  See earlier visit >

Native American Museum

1890 Map - Six Nations

One of  many displays in the rotunda detailing Native American participation in the Armed Forces

Upstairs 

Visiting the National Archives - marble magnificence!

The National Archives were up the stairs

Looking toward the Great Rotunda

Its a small exhibit but there's separate fully-equipped room for doing research.

Close Up

imagiNATIONS Activity Center

Amazing hands-on educational stuff focused on what various Native American cultures contributed to the world....

The importance of corn

Plants and Natural Medicines

Rope Bridges

Further Info

• Great video about the building
  The Custom House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. In 1979, New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission made the exterior and public interior spaces a city landmark.
  
• imagiNATIONS Activity Center

Lunch Hours - Lower Manhattan

Battery Park

It's always a pleasure... lunch hour walks in Lower Manhattan :-)

Friendly Critters!

 Trees!

Great Statues

 

Monument

Along the Waterfront...

Along the East River

Jazz Music on the Street!

Lunch Hour Battery Park and Castle Clinton

Animals and history keep this quick walk super interesting....

This little critter wasn't shy!

Castle Clinton Diorama showing the evolution of the area where Castle Clinton is from early 1800s to the 1940s.

It a fascinating place - be sure to check out the link below...

Further Info

• Castle Clinton (Wikipedia)
• Castle Clinton History & Culture (National Monument - U.S. National Park Service)

History all around: lunch hour treats...

The weather was incredible for this time of year — sunny and in the high 60s!  My lunch was a time to sniff out more history nearby!

Castle Clinton in Battery Park

2-21 - On the way to the Castle Clinton close by in Battery Park - this little critter was looking for a handout :-)

 -Castle Clinton-

Native American Museum

2-22- The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is just a short walk from my work and is located in the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House.

There was much to see and ponder and the building itself was magnificent.

Maps welcome you to the gift shop and normally I avoid these like a plague but the artifacts, books and music available was--needless to say-culturally enriching and more the worth the visit.

The routunda is flanked on three sides by the museum's main exhibition galleries. A large array of collections from various regions -- Northeast Woodlands, Plains, Northwest Coast, Meso-American, etc. fill the galleries. It is truly spectacular. I will be returning often as the exhibits change and the depth of materials is extensive.

Further Info:

• http://nmai.si.edu/visit/newyork/

Lunch Hour - Walking in Lower Manhattan

Same company but new job at a new location: lower Manhattan! I started in January and finally got out for a nice walk at lunchtime. There’s so much old building charm and history down here and actually much calmer than midtown. Needless to say… I am enjoying it!

Cobblestone streets, taverns from the 1800s, mammoth stone buildings that have so much grandeur compared to the ubiquitous modern glass-skinned skyscrapers — it’s Disney world for a history buff like me!

To top it off? A national park resource just a couple of blocks away! The Federal Hall is magnificent. Its a museum now full of many treasures from the birth of our country. To quote ARNOLD: “I’ll be back”!

Ooo yeah - maps!

Further Info

Federal Hall -National Memorial, New York

https://www.nps.gov/feha/learn/index.htm