What's Free or Cheap in NYC?
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What's Free or Cheap in NYC? |
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Index of Listings by Category and Location / Alphabetical Listings / Locations
Growing up in New York was like living in a magical world. I often wondered how my neighbors could live in the same city I did, and somehow not know its incredible museums, universities, libraries, cultural and historical attractions. I homeschooled my children here, from elementary through high school, delighting in the cultural candy store called the Big Apple. Homeschooling is a misnomer. In truth, the world is our classroom, and there is no more exciting place to learn than this great city. My sincere thanks to the members of NYCHEA who frequent the chialist (NYCHEA's email list), and all of my other email friends who, by freely sharing their tips and anecdotes, have added immeasurably to the contents herein. Please note: Everything listed here was correct at the time of publication, but is subject to change without notice. Please check when scheduling an activity. Thank you. This list, first printed in a much shorter form in the NYCHEA (New York City Home Educators' Alliance) Newsletter (July 2001) has been updated and expanded to include a wide variety of field trips and curriculum choices. Some low-cost choices are included because families consider them to be a bargain, either because of the price or because of the quality that is offered. Don't forget your local public library as a great resource. Many have free classes and activities for kids. Also check out NYPL's website HomeworkNYC.org for information on a bunch of subjects. Tip: Many schools and organizations offer a free "trial class." It never hurts to ask! Index of Listings by Category / Alphabetical ListingsResources are categorized as General Information, by subject, then listed by location, beginning with state-wide activities (NYS), then city-wide (NYC), Manhattan (MN) (downtown to uptown), Brooklyn (BK), Queens (QN), Bronx (BX), and Staten Island (SI). Tip: Using your MetroCard, you can get free or reduced admission to many events and attractions. See MetroCard Promotions. |
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Getting around New York Local Newspapers etc. Area Listings & Organizations (NYC, MN, BK, QN) |
Councils on the Arts Preschool Playgroups (NYC, MN) |
| Key to Abbreviations: | NYS = New York State | NYC = All boroughs | BX = Bronx | BK = Brooklyn | MN = Manhattan | QN = Queens | SI = Staten Island |
New York is a great city for walking or cycling. It also has a world-class mass transit system of subways, buses, etc.
Tip: Using your MetroCard, you can get free or reduced admission to many events and attractions. See MetroCard Promotions.
| Your local newspaper can serve as a daily textbook or curriculum guide. I used to joke to my kids that if they could understand everything in The New York Times they could teach at a college (and certainly get into one). But you don’t have to read the entire newspaper. There is something in the paper for everyone, and knowing what you are interested in makes it easy to choose. |
| — Laurie Block Spigel, from Education Uncensored |
Our area has a number of local publications that list events, etc. Some are free (look out for the boxes on street corners), many have websites. Here is a huge list of New York newspapers and news media.
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Many of these organizations hold events, encourage volunteers, and generally try to improve the quality of life in their specific area.
The various Councils on the Arts carry free listings of concerts and other events. Check out the calendars of events at the website for your borough:
The Alliance for the Arts produces NYCkidsARTS, a cultural calendar for teachers and parents.
Many libraries run special programs for young children. Search the NY Public Library's list of Events at the Local Branch Libraries for storytelling, arts and crafts, and more.
Throughout the city, Barnes & Nobel stores have children's’ rooms with free storytelling times. Inquire for details at any branch. They also have clean restrooms with changing tables.
Camp Geoffrey is a Summer Activity Program in all Toys"R"Us stores. It’s two hours of activities and free giveaways for boys & girls ages 3-8 on Saturdays from June 11 through July 16 (except July 2), from 1-3 p.m. Check with your local store, (find a store here), or call the Times Square hotline for events schedule at Broadway & 44th St: (646) 366-8855.
Holly Nedelka's Child's Play groups are highly recommended by many parents. She provides a safe family playgroup experience that attracts many homeschooled families, and is a valuable resource. East and west side locations. Contact Holly Nedelka, Director, (212) 879-2019 for details. Child's Play is the unique playgroup program for parents/grandparents only (no nannies) and their toddlers and babies. The playgroups are an hour and a half, in a comfortable nursery style playroom with a playgroup leader who facilitates the group activities; circle time with singing, instruments and puppets, simple art experiences, free play in the larger space and storytime. Children participate as they like and parents have time to make frienda and discuss parenting.Thelow cost fee is per family and includes all siblings. Scholarship funding available.
Additional programs include; Homeschoolers Workshops, Practical Parenting, La Leche and Mandarin Language Playgroups.
Hudson Park Library at 66 Leroy St., Manhattan, is a great place for toddlers and older, complete with rug, blocks, puzzles, slide, play kitchen, etc., and outside there’s a playground. There are little tables in the library where young children are allowed to eat their snacks. And sometimes they bring out the 'water table' and aprons to play. Story times are held regularly, call for info (212) 243-6876.
There is an indoor playground, for ages five and under, in the basement of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam at 112th St. It's not fancy but it's comfortable and warm in the winter months, open Mon-Thursday noon-3 p.m. They charge $5/child. Adults and babies are free. For more info, scroll to the bottom of the Adults and Children in Trust page or call (212) 316-7530.
| Note that because of budget cuts, some City swimming pools, historic sites, etc. may be closed or have shorter hours. Be sure to check before planning your visit. |
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Be Active NYS works to increase physical activity, and to inspire citizens of New York State to be physically active in their daily lives.
The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for the youth of Eastern New York between the ages of 5 and 19.
First Tee is an organization committed to:
Scholarships and opportunities to volunteer at major games available. Locations include Chelsea Piers in Manhattan and Moshulu Park in the Bronx.
Grab your skates and head to one of the City's six ice skating rinks listed below:
See also Big Onion Walking Tours, Battery Park City Walking Tours, Union Square Walking Tour , Gargoyle Walking Tours, Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club
There are "greenways" and bike paths throughout the five boroughs.
There is a free afterschool program in the NYC parks weekdays from 3-6, September - June, with a program combining athletics, art, and academics. Go to NY Parks Afterschool Program Information to find a recreation center in your borough or call (212) 360-3300.
A free citywide program of teen activities (sports, arts, academics) weekdays from 6-9 p.m. Check it out at Teens at Parks or contact the Director of Teens at Parks at (212) 360-3312 for more information.
In NYC Parks, for ages 8-13, baseball is offered free on Saturdays May through June, Call 311 or go to Sports Clinics. For a page of sports leagues and little leagues go to Youth Sports Leagues.
Free swimming lessons for toddlers ages 3 - 5, children ages 6 - 14, and adults, year-round. Registration is held at city pools two Saturday mornings in October, and again in January, from 9:30 - 12:30. Lines can be long, so go early. To find the pool nearest you, go to NYC Parks - Pools or call Parks Citywide Aquatics at (718) 699-4219. There is also a swim team with competitions for boys and girls 6-18. To join a Parks swim team you must be able to swim 25 yards or more in reasonably good form. Call 311 or Parks Citywide Aquatics for more info.
Don't neglect the beaches: Rockaway, Brighton Beach and Coney Island, are accessible by subway. Orchard Beach, a perfect crescent, can be reached by taking the #6 to its final stop in the Bronx, and changing to a local bus.
See also:
The Parks Department's flag football leagues (in all five boroughs) allow children to play football in an organized setting from September through November, with a citywide championship in November. Call (212) 360-3300 for more information.
Free soccer in the NYC Parks, from Sept. - Oct., is open to boys and girls ages 6 - 12. You can register on-site 30 minutes before each weekly clinic. Locations are:
For eight weeks, the (free) City Council Indoor Soccer League, held in early spring, demands up to two hours of weekly practice and 4-hour games on Saturdays, with a shot at the league championships. See NYC Parks - Athletic Leagues and Tournaments or call (212) 360-3300 for more info.
The New York Rowing Association has links to all its member clubs in the area. These include:
Learn to Play Basketball free on Saturdays in January and February, open to boys & girls ages 5 -10. Go to www.nycgovparks.org or call (212) 360-3300 for more information. Register on-site 30 minutes prior to the start. Check for updated times and locations:
The NYC Department of Parks & Recreations website offers a number of programs and activities for all ages.
Free bike rental program from Downtown Alliance. Register online, then pick up your bike, helmet, etc.
They are famous from appearances on PBS and have been called the best walking tours in the city. Their tour hotline is (212) 439-1090 and their schedule is listed at www.BigOnion.com. They charge $15 per person, but that is discounted to $10 if you are a member of the New-York Historical Society. There is a $4 extra charge for tours that include "noshing" ethnic foods. I have heard that there are some free drop-in tours run by Big Onion, but I did not see any listed on their website. All of the other tours highly recommend Big Onion, so I have included them here.
Self-guided walking tours of gargoyles featured in Manhattan architecture and at the Brooklyn Museum, available at Monster Walks.
Free walking tours at noon some Sundays, from May through October, of Battery Park City and lower Manhattan, meet at Robert F. Wagner Park. Includes tours of gardens and artists. Call (212) 267-9700 for schedule or visit www.bpcparks.org.
The New American Youth Ballet at 98 Battery Place was started by a mother and daughter team for homeschoolers. This is a place where any child can enjoy dancing ballet, and was designed to be free from the pressure of professional schools. For more info, call Elizabeth or Bonnie Fernandez at 212-945-2926. One parent's review: The price is by donation, (the suggested donation is 85/month). We are students, so she said whatever we could do is fine, she was very sweet and had tons of fun energy for the kids. I would recommend this to all.
Every Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Tour meets at Lincoln Statue near the Pavilion Building in Union Square Park. A free, 90-minute, guided walking tour that delves into Union Square's rich history and explores its transformation into Manhattan's favorite neighborhood. Did you know that Vaudeville first began in the opera houses along 14th Street? Or that Ladies Mile, which included the original Macy's, Tiffany's and Lord and Taylor, prospered in the Union Square area in the late nineteenth century? Hosted by charismatic historian and devout New Yorker, Karl Michael Emyrs, our tour offers the real stories of Union Square - the ones left out of the history books.
Fencing is available at the Peter Westbrook Foundation, The Fencing Club, at 119 W. 25th St., fifth floor, between 6th & 7th aves., in a fully equipped gym. Boys and girls, ages 10 - 18, are taught by Olympic coaches and Olympians every Saturday 9:00 a.m. to noon. Equipment is free. Your sole cost is a $25.00 annual class fee per student. Show up, register and take a class the same day. Academic tutoring, essay contests, educational field trips, are all offered to their students free. Those who qualify for the Olympic squad become eligible for college scholarships. Every Saturday at 10:30 there is an open house including a 15 minute tour and discussion. Call (212) 459-4538 or check out their website at www.peterwestbrook.org.
There is free ice skating on The Pond at Bryant Park, Sun-Thurs 8am-10pm, Fri-Sat 8am-midnight.
The famous School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center offers up to five years of ballet and gymnastic training free for boys, with continued scholarship opportunities. Parents of girls, however, must pay tuition fees that add up to thousands. Accepted by audition only, call (212) 769-6600 for September and May dates for 8- and 9-year-olds. From personal experience, I can tell you that taking this road is not an easy ride, although it is a privilege to study in the marble halls of Lincoln Center and be a member of this incredible school. Children are often cast in the lavish production of the Nutcracker in their first year, sometimes their first week, of study. Yet only a year or two later the child may be asked to leave because they do not show enough talent or lack the "right body type" to stay on the professional track. This is a school designed for the budding professional, and not just a dance school for a child who loves ballet!
Youth Indoor Wall Climbing (Ages 8 to 17) Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Central Park North Meadow Recreation Center (mid-Park at 97th Street). The wall includes a small roof, steep angles, and an arete. With I.D. card participants receive all equipment and free climbing. Youth who have successfully completed the climbing courses at North Meadow will be able to use the indoor climbing wall during youth open climbing hours. AGES 8 to 17. Fee $5. No registration required. Call (212) 348-4867 ext. 10 for information. Climb-On! A four session rock climbing course for $75 is offered Tuesdays, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10:00am to 11:30am.
Riverbank State Park, at Riverside Drive and 145th St., is open every day, even Thanksgiving, with all the facilities in action: swimming, roller-skating (summer), ice skating (winter), bring your own or rent skates, etc. (212) 694 3600 for details.
The NY Rugby Tournament is free to spectators, at Randall's Island and hosts nearly 100 International Rugby clubs. For information, contact the New York Sevens.
GrooveWithMe is a youth development organization using free dance classes and performance opportunities as a tool to instill in young women the leadership, pride, spirit of cooperation, creativity, joy and discipline needed to confront the adversity in their daily lives and throughout their future development. The studio is at 186 E. 123rd Street, 2nd Floor, (between Lexington & 3rd Avenues) New York, NY 10035. Phone: 212-987-5910.
Gowanus and Red Hook waterfront tours (reservations necessary), are available from the club. See their schedule at www.gowanuscanal.org or call (718) 243-0894.
See also Big Onion Walking Tours and Gargoyle Walking Tours.
Learn the principles of bicycle riding and racing in Star Track, a free eight-week track cycling program in Queens, September - November, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 4 to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday mornings 9 -11:30 a.m. Open to children ages 9-13 who are at least 53 inches tall. You can download the permission slip and the brochure from the Star Track website, but in order to register you will have to call the Queens Recreation office at (718) 520-5918.
The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, offers Teen Spot, a free after-school program in dance. The class combines different styles of dances including Modern, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Dunham, and African.Learn how to dance and gain an understanding of the origins of the moves and how they can be blended and choreographed. (Wed and Thurs 4 - 6 p.m.).
The New York Yankees (Yankee Stadium, 161st St. and River Avenue) have a special Kid's Club page that includes participatory events and activities.
Rocking the Boat gives kids hands-on experience in boat-building, starting with forestry management and seeing the whole process from tree to boat. The program is free for high school-age kids, who do not need to be in a school to join. Some paid apprenticeships are available.
The Bronx River On-Water Program is a daily after school and summer program that works with 16 high school students and five student Apprentices per semester, giving them the skills to become some of the primary caretakers of the River.
The Irish Cultural Center holds bi-monthly Irish Dance Lessons at the Alba House 2187 Victory Blvd. $5. Refreshments are provided courtesy of the Center. For additional information, please call (718) 667-8842
Don't neglect the beaches: Rockaway, Brighton Beach and Coney Island, are accessible by subway. Orchard Beach, a perfect crescent, can be reached by taking the #6 to its final stop in the Bronx, and changing to a local bus.
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Watch the annual NYC Triathlon at locations all over the NYC area, as over 100 elite athletes swim, bike and run. Go to NY Triathlon Club and click on events for their schedule.
Swimming in NYC public pools is free, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 11 - 7. To find the pool nearest you, go to NYC Parks - Pools or call Parks Citywide Aquatics at (718) 699-4219.
NYC Parks runs summer camp programs in recreation centers citywide from early July through late August for children ages 5-13 (age range varies at each site). Programs include arts & crafts, sports, computers, field trips and more! Please call the individual centers for specific information, listed at NYC Parks Summer Camps.
Summer of Soccer: boys and girls ages 8-19 participate in a six-on-six drop-in competitive league in locations in each borough. The program takes place in July and August. For more info call (212) 360-3300.
At CityParks Golf boys and girls ages 5 - 16 learn to play golf for free with free use of equipment. Held in several public parks and on citywide courses, golf is accessible to kids of all ability levels throughout NYC.
Ultimately kids can try out for the CityParks Junior Golf Academy, for dedicated junior golfers. Sessions for various ages and skill levels are held in July and August. Advance registration is required for CityParks Golf. Call (718) 760-6999 for more information or go to CityParks Golf to download an application.
Track and field program provides free coaching to boys and girls ages 5-16 starting in July for six weeks ending with an organized track meet. Learn hurdles, relay races, the long jump, shot put and javelin throw. Recently expanded to nine locations, participants can register at each park while the program is in session. For more information, call (718) 760-6999 or visit CityParks Track & Field .
Sponsored by the City Parks Foundation, CityParks Tennis is one of the largest municipal tennis programs in the country. CityParks Tennis provides free lessons to 10,000 children and seniors each year at 40 citywide parks. A variety of programs are offered for all skill levels. For more information, call CityParks Tennis at (718) 760-6999.
Free summer playground programs in 135 parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers in the five boroughs, providing structured recreation, sports, arts & crafts, board games, tournaments, water games, special events, and face painting, Tuesdays - Saturdays, June - September, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (times may vary) To find a site near you go to NYC Parks Dept. or call the recreation office in your borough:
Summer Junior Park Ranger youth programs in Brooklyn, northern Manhattan and the Bronx, include botany, ecology, fishing, canoeing, orienteering, conservation, and games: NYC Parks: Junior Rangers. Costs are $50 for 5 days. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $20 additional for an overnight camp-out, $10 additional per week for extended hours: 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Call 311 (or(212) NEW-YORK from outside New York City) and ask for the Urban Park Rangers or call the Director of the Junior Ranger Program at (212) 360-2774. Applications must be filled out and mailed to: Urban Park Rangers, Jr. Rangers Program, 1234 Fifth Avenue, First Floor New York, NY 10029.
Floating the Apple has community rowing and rowing for kids, as well as boatbuilding classes on Tuesdays.
On five occasions during the summer, NYC Parks creates an outdoor skating rink complete with music and a disco ball called Rock 'n Rollerblade. The season finale is at Union Square Park. Free skates and equipment are provided Riverside Skate Park in Manhattan, Mullaly Skate Park in the Bronx, Millennium Skate Park in Brooklyn, and Forest Park Skate Park in Queens offer an opportunity for individuals to perfect their skills on in-line skates, skateboards, and bikes. Riverside Skate Park has five ramps including half pipes, quarter pipes, and rails and is the site for Riverside Skate School. During the summer months the school offers a 4-level curriculum with beginner, intermediate, advanced and specialty level. Go to NYC Parks: Roller Hockey / In Line Skating for current info. See also Central Park: In-Line and Roller Skating and the Rollerblade Stopping Clinic.
In downtown Manhattan, at the Battery Parks, there are events all summer long. Check out BPCParks.org for the locations and current schedule. Preschool Play is M, T, W, 10 a.m. - noon and Preschool Family Play is Sundays 2 - 4 at Robt. F. Wagner Park; elementary school-age kids meet for games Wednesdays, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. also at Robt. F. Wagner Park.
Tai Chi is a 1,000-year-old Chinese system of health and self-defense
Yoga in Bryant Park is free every Tuessday from 10 - 11 a.m. and Thursday from 6 - 7 p.m., in the southwest corner of the lawn, for all ages and all levels. Check out the current schedule at bryantpark.org.
From April to November you can watch Petanque (also called Boules) for free at Bryant Park, 12:30 - 2:30 (days vary). Lessons may be available as well.
Basketball programs for youth in Central Park at the North Meadow Recreation Center, located mid-Park at 97th Street. Call (212) 348-4867x12 or email jking@centralparknyc.org. For more information, visit Central Park: Basketball.
Rollerblading is popular in Central Park and the Skate Patrol operates a Stopping Clinic on West 72nd Street, where Skate Patrollers give free lessons on how to use the heel brake. The clinic is just inside the West 72nd St. entrance to the Park, open from 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Sat. and Sun., mid-April to mid-October. For more information, visit Central Park: In-Line and Roller Skating.
From mid-April to mid-October, the best place to fish is at the Harlem Meer, located at the northeast corner of Central Park. The Meer is stocked with a wide variety of fish, including golden shiner, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill sunfish, carp, and chain pickerel. Bamboo fishing poles are available free of charge (upon presentation of valid picture I.D.) from mid-April to mid-October at The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, located on the north shore of the Harlem Meer at 110th Street between Lenox Avenue and Fifth Avenue. The poles are issued Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and must be returned by 4:00 p.m. Bait (corn kernels) is free with the poles. The use of bread dough or bread products is discouraged as it has been found to be harmful to both the wildlife and the waterbodies. Groups of up to 20 may reserve poles by calling the Dana Center at (212) 860-1370 at least two weeks in advance.
There are 12 handball courts available at the North Meadow Recreation Center (mid-Central Park at 97th Street) on a first come, first served basis, daily from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Handballs are supplied with a photo I.D.
Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center, all ages and levels dance party. (212) 875-5766 for schedule or go to lincolncenter.org: Midsummer Night Swing.
Call (212) 360-3333, the Recreation Hotline, for the schedule at Riverside Park at 101 Street, Manhattan, for free Soccer, Basketball, and Skate School.
See the Park Ranger Programs.
Free canoe tours and lessons and bicycle tours, as well as Gowanus and Red Hook waterfront tours (reservations necessary), are available from the club. See their schedule at www.gowanuscanal.org or call (718) 243-0894.
Friends of Gateway is dedicated to protecting, improving, and enhancing public awareness of, and access to the New York metropolitan area's unique Gateway National Recreation Area, which extends from Brooklyn to Staten Island and New Jersey.
Yoga in Socrates Sculpture Park (Long Island City) is free, all ages and levels welcome, Saturdays May - August, 11 - noon. Tai chi, also free, is on Sundays, 11 - noon. For more info call (718) 956-1819, ext. 10, or go to www.socratessculpturepark.org.
The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is a tournament worth watching, and is combined with a festival of stage entertainment and artists’ demonstrations, with a focus on China (other world cultures are also represented in the festival). Admission is free, on a weekend in mid-August from 9-5, rain or shine, in Flushing Meadow, Queens. For info go to H.K. Dragon Boat Festival.
See Rollerblading and the Park Ranger Programs.
Check out WebRangers, the National Park Service’s site for kids of all ages. If you love our National Parks, Monuments and Historic Sites, this site is for you. Also visit Sam Maslow's Junior Ranger Website.
See also Math Resources and Science Resources
The World Science Festival works to cultivate and sustain a general public informed by the content of science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future. Annual event in June.
The American Littoral Society offers information about our coastlines and also organizes beach cleanups, field trips, etc.
cSplash, NYU's spin-off of MIT's Splash festival of math and science for high school students happens in spring at New York University's Courant Institute, 251 Mercer St, between 3rd and 4th streets, one block west of Broadway.
The New York Academy of Sciences used to publish an awesome listing of city-wide educational science resources called "The Master Guide." Now you have to visit their website to get the info, with up-to-date listings in all five boroughs. You will find current programs, many free, and links to hundreds of educational math and science resources at their Science EduNet. You can search or browse for events and programs by interest, by age group, by season, and by type of event (for example: tutoring & mentoring, courses & workshops, field trips, classroom kits, etc). They also have a great list called Science & the City, which lists science events in the area and offers a free weekly email that gives you the best events of the week every Monday. NYAS is located at 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street, 40th floor, New York, NY 10007-2157. (212) 298-8600.
There are 10 NY Parks Nature Centers throughout the five boroughs, serving as in-park community centers for public education, recreational activities and environmental studies. They have exhibits highlighting the diversity of the landscape, and an abundance of informational written material like trail maps, nature center brochures, and a newsletter listing walks, tours, and special events.
These used to be free, and many offerings still are. Recent city cutbacks have forced them to charge $100 for their tours and school groups (up to 30 kids) which is still a good value if divided among several families. See the website for the Urban Park Rangers and their “Natural Classroom”. Here you will find a long list of offerings in natural history and cultural history that can be geared to any age group Reservations can be made and visits arranged by calling 311 (or (212) NEW-YORK if calling from outside NY). Check out their explorer programs for a current calendar of free activities in all five boroughs, or call their hotline (866) NYC-HAWK for special events. Learn how to use a compass, paddle a canoe down the Bronx River, plant flowers in Brooklyn, rock climb in Manhattan, or trap turtles in Staten Island. Popular tours: Indian caves and trails in Inwood Park, the little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge in Fort Washington Park (see Social Studies: NY Parks Park Ranger Tours), ornithology at the Belvedere Castle, (212) 772-0210, in Central Park. Take a walk through the Bramble at feeding time -- dusk or dawn -- and listen! In summer, fish in the Harlem Meer pond (it’s catch and release). Leave a valid ID at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, located near 110th St. in a gorgeous site on the shores of the pond, in exchange for poles and bait. Call (212) 860-1370 for information about fishing, nature workshops and changing exhibits.
The Ranger Conservation Corps in the Urban Park Rangers is an urban environmental internship for high school students. Students work on environmental restoration in Forever Wild sites located near six flagship nature centers. There are two sessions each year (fall and spring), each a total of 10 weeks, offered every school day afternoon from 4-6 p.m. Students attend one day a week. There are openings for 900 students, each year and all get Community Service Hours credit. Participants are given priority when applying for Parks Conservation Corps, a paid summer internship working outdoors. They also go on exciting field trips, including a trip to the Clearwater Sloop. Call 311 or (212) NEW-YORK if calling from outside NYC.
NYC Parks gives free computer instruction at 19 Computer Resource Centers citywide to all ages, with classes in word processing, graphic design, and Internet use. See a list of the centers or call (212) 255-3073 ext. 119, Renee Best, the supervisor of the Computer Center, and her ass’t. Mari Irizarry are both anxious to be helpful, so ask for them.
NYC Parks and CSI (Chess-in-the-Schools) have an annual Chess-in-the-Parks Rapid Open at Bethesda Fountain. Call Ed Feldman at (212)360-8261 who is in charge of the chess program and welcomes inquiries. Year-round after-school programs at Lost Battalion Hall in Queens, (718) 263-2263 or (718) 263-4121, Pelham Fritz in northern Manhattan at W. 122nd St., (212) 860-1380, and Jerome Ave. in the Bronx, (718) 822-4271. Go to NYC Parks: Chess for more info or contact the Director of Teens at Parks at (212) 360-3312 for more information on this and other teen activities. (212) 360-3333 is a NYC park activities hotline.
Community gardening projects are organized by the Green Guerillas (214 W. 29th St., fifth fl., (212) 402-1121), where they sponsor environmental internships for high school students and an art mural project for city youth.
A calendar with classes in art, crafts, environmental science, and other free events, can be found at Green Thumb NYC or call (212) 788-8070.
The New York Sportfishing Federation is dedicated to recreational angerls and has some kids' programs.
The Council on the Environment of NYC hosts year-round, citywide events on ecology and the local environment. Visit the website or call (212) 788-7900 for their schedule.
Study edible wild plants, nature and ecology with “Wildman” Steve Brill. Prescheduled tours in every borough cost $10/adult and $5/child under 12, but “Wildman” Steve’s flier offers a sliding scale and clearly states that no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Call (914) 835-2153 to reserve a space or visit www.wildmanstevebrill.com for a schedule and information. Be prompt, bring a shovel or large spoon and lots of small plastic bags. My son came home with enough wild edibles for two family-sized dinner salads!
The Amateur Astronomers Association of New York membership is $25 which allows free admission to all of their events, many of which are also free to the public including a series of night sky observations at NYC Park locations: Carl Schurz Park, Riverside Park and Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan; Cadman Plaza and Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn; Great Kills, Staten Island. You can find maps and schedules on their website. There is also an annual Urban Starfest, held in October in Central Park's Sheep Meadow. Members bring telescopes and binoculars through which anyone can look, and instruction on how to find objects in the night sky is provided.
Other AAA offerings include:
Free guided tours of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, Mon-Fri, every half hour from 8:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. include a video and interactive displays. Call (212) 656-5168 or (212) 656-5165 at least one month advance reservation for groups. Recommended for grades 4-college. Watch trading activities from the viewing gallery. For more about the NYSE go to www.nyse.com.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("the Fed") is located at 33 Liberty Street (between Nassau and William Streets). Walk-in visitors are welcome from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (except bank holidays). See their website for visitor information. Before you go, download the free teacher’s guides.
Until the ANS (American Numismatics Society, see below) hall opens, their major exhibition is on view here, including the Brasher doubloon, the 1804 dollar, the Confederate States half-dollar, and the world's most valuable coin - the 1933 Double Eagle . Free hour-long tours are Monday - Friday, every hour (except lunch time) 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For security screening there is a metal detector so plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early with valid photo I.D., and leave your cameras and briefcases behind Students must be at least 16 years old or juniors in high school. One adult must accompany each group of nine students. Reservations must be made at least five business days in advance, but a month or more is advised for groups. Call (212) 720-6130 or email frbnytours@ny.frb.org. To request a one-hour lecture about the Federal Reserve System, usually following or preceding a tour, you must be a group of at least 15 people. Email your request at least four weeks in advance to frbnytours@ny.frb.org and indicate the size and type of group. Also at their website, free downloadable (pdf format) teaching materials for projects that you can do at home and lists of student programs and competitions that you can apply for (a group from NYCHEA can usually qualify as a school group). Click on Education and then on the grade level. Free programs for adults too!
The American Numismatic Society (ANS), at 96 Fulton St. (corner of William) in lower Manhattan, has a free, self-guided tour of coins from around the world. Open Tues - Fri, 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., (212) 571-4470. They also have a library and coin research collection open Tuesday - Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed 12 noon-1 p.m. Calling ahead to set an appointment is appreciated. Call (212) 571-4470 x 1501 or email: Campbell@numismatics.org. Admission is free, but a letter of reference and valid ID is required.
The Museum of American Financial History was housed in the old Standard Oil building, with a gallery displaying some of the greatest and worst days of American financial history. It has now relocated to to the site of the former headquarters of the Bank of New York at 48 Wall Street, tel: (212)908-4110 . Open Tues-Sat, 10 am - 4 pm. Admission: Adults $8; Students/seniors $5; Museum members and kids 6 and under FREE
The Hudson River Project , on Pier 26, near N. Moore St., has self-guided tours in the field station where they conduct research, conservation projects, and hands-on education programs. Ask an intern for a guided tour and you will get one. Their marine biology internship program is popular with high school and college students, and they accept middle school students as well. An interview and a writing sample (could be a science report) are part of the application process, along with a $250 fee (usually for the summer or 50 hours). Scholarships are available. Call (212) 233-3030 and ask for the Director, Cathy Drew (email: cathy@riverproject.org).
The NYU Courant Institute, 251 Mercer Street, holds a one-day event each spring with free courses in those subjects for kids with a math level of 9th-12th grade. This is modeled on the event at MIT called "Splash." See information.
Eyebeam's After-School Digital Art Program offers free workshops every Thursday, 3-6 p.m. Workshops start at 4 p.m. Students can participate in a hands-on workshop, focusing on audio mixing and editing, video production, video game design, or other software based activities. Students who drop-in will then continue to work on skills learned, or other computer-based projects on following Thursdays.
Participating students will have full supervised use of Eyebeam’s Mac lab, which includes: Apple Intel G5 computers loaded with software including Adobe’s Creative Suite, Final-Cut Pro, and more.
Home schooled students are welcome to participate in the youth drop-in program as long as they are between the ages of 13–18. All students are strongly encouraged to RSVP via email or phone to: stephanie@eyebeam.org, 212-937-6580 x247
Location: Eyebeam is located on 540 W 21st Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, New York, NY 10011. Subway directions:Take the local C or E trains to 23rd Street and 8th Avenue
The Sony Wonder Technology Lab, at Madison Ave. & 56th St., is a free, hands-on, computer/technology funhouse. Interactive films and exhibits can provide an exhaustive day of free fun. For info call (212) 833-8100 or go to Plan a Visit. Great rainy day activity for K-6. It can get crowded, especially in summer and on school holidays, but you are not limited to same-day tickets. Reservations can be made one week to three months prior to your visit by calling (212) 833-5414 Tues. - Fri. between 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. Free teachers workshops too, call (212) 833-7858, and check out their post-visit resources online.
Central Park is a great place for bird-watching. You'll find almost 200 different species of birds during the year, residents and migratory visitors. See Bird-Watching on our Activities & Crafts page for tips and info.
Central Park Zoo, Fifth Avenue and 64th Street in Central Park, is open 365 days a year. Admission: Adults: $6.00; Children (3-12): $1.00. There is a number of education programs for kids.
The Falconry Extravaganza is on a Saturday in mid- October, on the Great Lawn in Central Park. Witness falcons, hawks, and eagles in the largest live bird-of-prey demonstration in New York City and learn about the Ranger Wildlife Management program. (866) NYC-HAWK.
The American Museum of Natural History has free science classes and internship opportunities for high school students in fields such as marine biology, astrophysics, and anthropology. Classes are offered weekday afternoons from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., in 5-week sessions, throughout the year. Attending summer orientations allow students to get their first choice of subject. For info email hssrp@amnh.org or call (212) 769-5906. Also, free with the price of admission (suggested donation), there are hands-on activities for kids (such as their Discovery Room full of games and activities for ages 4-12), and gallery talks. Visit their education page to download free educational materials (click on resources for learning) for their exhibits. Call (212) 769-5100 for current exhibitions, (212) 769-5304 for their education department; the main number is (212) 769-5200.
Free science courses for tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders, Saturday mornings throughout the school year, in this highly selective program taught by research scientists at Columbia University. For information go to their website.
The Inwood Astronomy Project works to encourage local interest in astronomy and star-gazing.
See also Amateur Astronomers Assoc.
The Brooklyn Bird Club offers info on bird-watching in Prospect Park, including a park map. And the Audubon Center in Prospect Park, at the Boathouse, offers kids the use of telescopes for bird-watching. The website has lists of birds and bird puzzles.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue Brooklyn, (718) 735-4400, admission $4 per person. Closed Mondays and Tuesday afternoons. Special hours for kids under 5. Natural science, plants and animals. Virtual collectins online.
The various branches of the Brooklyn Public Library run a number of programs for Kids, Teens, and Parents. All programs are FREE.
The Urban Divers hosts annual family events about local ecology and marine science. Gowanus Canal (Brooklyn) cleanup celebrations every Earth Day in April and Oktoberfest in October have free marine activities, education, boating, refreshments. Volunteer and internship opportunities. For more info email urbandivers@planetmail.com or call (718) 802-9874.
Macy’s Annual Fishing Contest is in mid-July, held at the lakeside of Wollman Center in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, for kids 14 and under. Call (718) 965-6975, the special events office in Prospect Park.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has ongoing family workshops called Discovery Programs designed for the pre-K-4 level, ages 3 - 10, Tuesday afternoons 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. and other days as well. Check out their schedule. Free with the price of admission. Call (718) 623-7324 for info. Also self-guided tours, and internships or volunteer positions for high school and college-age students. (718) 623-7200 is their main number.
Prospect Park Zoo, 450 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, (718) 399-7339.. Open 365 days a year. Adults: $5.00; Children (3-12): $1.00; Children under 3 years: free. Includes a Discovery Center, a hands-on space includes numerous activity areas. All visits include a live animal encounter and 30 minute exploration of the center. Visits to the Discovery Center must be booked in advance and spaces are limited. Call (718) 399-7327 or email ppzeducation@wcs.org to register.
Friday and Saturday nights in July and August, Family Camping in Alley Pond Park in Queens with the Urban Park Rangers is a wonderful get-away without actually being away. One parent's comments: I learned more about nature and the park in one camping trip than I did in my all years of going to the park everyday when I used to live right across the street from it. We saw all kinds of plants, and wildlife including raccoons, crayfish, and bats, went into a fort that was built for the War of 1812, walked the same trail that George Washington traveled, learned about how schist rock supports our skyscraper city because it's the hardest rock in the world, and about how the oldest structure in the park was built without mortar, yet still needs less maintenance than all other structures in the park, and etc., etc... Plus, we had a lot of fun!
The Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge has over 9,000 acres of diverse habitats, including salt marsh, upland field and woods, fresh and brackish water ponds, and an open expanse of bay and islands. It is a prime birding spot where thousands of water, land and shorebirds stop during migration. During the spring and late summer, it's possible to see over a hundred types of birds, including the wonderfully named Lesser Yellowlegs. Animals sighted here include: raptors, opossum, bats, jackrabbits, muskrats (the last mink was sighted in 1974), chipmunk, reptiles, turtles, snakes. -- a great place to observe wildlife. Stop at the visitor center to get your free visitor’s permit and find maps, guides, trail brochures, and a display room, also interpretive talks and nature walks year-round. Educational programs can be designed for your group, free or at a reasonable cost. Call (718) 318-4340 or visit their website .
The NY Hall of Science in Queens has science kits for only $5 for museum members (their membership gets you into other museums around the country). The Hall of Science lab area is a great place where you can plunk down for an hour and do experiments.
The Queens Botanical Garden has free self-guided tours. Call (718) 886-3800 for info, ask for Terice Anthony.
Queens Zoo, 53-51 111th St. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, (718) 271-1500. Open 365 days a year.Adults: $5.00; Children (3-12): $1.00; Children under 3 years free. Theater program, guided tours, and more.
the New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. (718) 699-0005. Closed Monday, Tuesday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. (free 2 - 5 p.m.), Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (free Sunday 10 - 11 a.m.). Adults: (age 18 & over) $11, Children: (2 - 17, college w/ID) $8, Senior Citizens: (age 62 & over) $8. Science Playground fee: $3 per person, $2 for groups, plus general Hall admission fee (free to Family Plus Members and higher). The Science Playground is open to children of all ages with adult supervision, March - December, weather permitting.
The Bronx River Alliance serves as a coordinated voice for the river and works in harmonious partnership to protect, improve and restore the Bronx River corridor and greenway so that they can be healthy ecological, recreational, educational and economic resources for the communities through which the river flows.
The Bronx Zoo (free or “suggested donation” on Wednesdays) has school tours and workshops that are free with admission. Call (718) 367-1010 or visit their website or that of the The Wildlife Conservation Society.
The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx has family gardening workshops, in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, that attract a host of local homeschoolers in the summer. They charge what many consider affordable rates, and encourage those in need to request scholarships. Call (718) 817-8700 or visit their website. For scholarship info, or to enroll in their free training program for adult volunteers, call (718) 817-8126. Call (718) 817-8181 about Family Garden Adventures.
Wave Hill in Riverdale (the Bronx) has a popular summer dance performance program and lots of hands-on nature activities for kids. They charge for these attractions, but offer free self-guided tours. Call (718) 549-3200, ext. 230, Courteny White, to find out about educational programs for Pre-K - 12, or visit their website.
Wave Hill also offers teen internships for the summer, some of which include college credits. You might learn how to prune trees or tend the Wave Hill gardens. See details and application forms.
See Amateur Astronomers Assoc.
Clay Pit Ponds Preserve, a 250 acre natural area on the southwest shore of Staten Island, offers free year-round nature-related programs, including guided and self-guided nature walks, pond ecology, bird watching, tree and wildflower identification, and nature-related arts and crafts. School programs are available for ages 3 - adult and on such subjects as, "Tuning In" to the natural environment; Plant and Animal Adaptations; Geological Processes that created the clays and sands of the area; Discovery of Life and more. For info call (718) 967-1976 or visit their website.
Blue Heron Park in Staten Island sponsors a bird-banding program run by Howie Fisher that meets weekends throughout NYC. Call (718) 967-5815. The Friends of Blue Heron Park also have a schedule of programs.
Observations at the Astrophysical Observatory at the College of Staten Island are free to the public ($3 suggested donation). See the schedule on their website, where seasonal highlights are noted.
The Greenbelt Nature Center is open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, April through December. Located at the intersection of Brielle and Rockland avenues, the center, which is free and open to all, offers access to the hiking trail system, and a variety of programs and educational opportunities.
The Staten Island Botanic Garden is part of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center at 1000 Richmond Terrace, which was a 19th century home for retired seamen and is now a regional arts center housing myriad museum and arts programs as well as an active Artist-in-Residence program. There are several beautiful gardens all serving different purposes for the community.(718) 448-2500
(Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences.) The Staten Island Museum is two blocks from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at 75 Stuyvesant Place, (718) 727-1135. Tues - Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission Adults: $2.00; Children: $1.00. They offer some great workshops and programs.
The Staten Island Children's Museum is at 1000 Richmond Terrace, on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center. (718) 273-2060. Open Sat - Sun 10 am. - 5 p.m.; Tues - Fri 12noon - 5 p.m. Admission $5. Programs free unless otherwise noted.
The Staten Island Zoo 614 Broadway, (718) 442-3100. Open daily 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Admission: $7.00 for adults; $4.00 for children (3-14); free for children under 3. Exhibits include African Savannah, aquarium, tropical forest, and Children's Center with farm animals.
See also Social Studies Resources and the various local Councils on the Arts. Also check out Walk New York (in Phys. Ed.) and the other opportunities listed for learning more about New York's fascinating neighborhoods.
Search the census on the Place Matters website for the hidden historical treasures in your own neighborhood, or create your own walking tour in any of the five boroughs.
Each borough has a District Attorney’s Office that offers free educational workshops and tours. Some focus more on drug prevention and others more on the criminal justice system. Many offer tours of the courts, mock trials for middle school age groups, and internships for teens. Call your local office and find out what is available.
You can contact a courthouse directly to arrange for a free tour, a chance to witness the judicial process and observe a trial in progress, and an opportunity for students to speak with a judge. I contacted the clerk’s office of the Chief Criminal Court Justice in the Bronx and arranged such an opportunity for my son (when he took the required high school course in American Government), but since then I have discovered these contacts (as well as the following listing): in Queens, Officer Thomas Flynn, (718) 298-3908; in Brooklyn, Captain Coyne, (718) 643-5674; in Staten Island, Patricia Soper, (718) 390-5359. Also worth checking out: the free public events calendar in the NYC courts.
Contact the Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration, 270 Broadway, (718) 643-8983. The Court Tours Program offers free guided tours, for groups only, of the criminal and civil courts for students, seniors citizens and civic or religious groups. The tours are available in every borough and in counties outside the City. Some tours even offer the opportunity for students to participate in a mock trial.
International street fairs are a way to explore the ethnic diversity of the city. See a schedule of fairs or call (212) 809-4900.
(note: Ellis Island is included here because the departure point is in lower Manhattan.)
The Ellis Island Immigration Museum offers a free guided tour for school groups that focuses on the wave of immigration from 1892-1954. Call (212) 363-3200, ext. 134, to reserve for a group (at least 3 weeks in advance). Ellis Island is free (parking is also free) but there is a fee for the ferry. For ticket rates and ferry schedule information, call (212) 269-5755 or visit Circle Line.
A new historical park with a sculpture garden exhibit and a calendar of events. Ferry and admission are free. See the websites from the National Park Service and the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC).
The Skyscraper Museum, at 39 Battery Place (back of Ritz Carlton Hotel) $2.50/student. Includes models of Woolworth Building and #1 Chase Manhattan. They have Family Programs and free workshops. Contact Lesley Doyel, Museum Educator, at education@skyscraper.org or (212) 945 6324.
Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl Street, charges a fee for admission ($4/adults and $3/children 6-18), with additional fees for guided tours, but has a free self-guided tour. The first Saturday of every month is Family Saturday with hands-on activities reflecting 18th-century life, free with admission. This is the only surviving public house of colonial New York and the site of George Washington’s farewell address to his officers (Revolutionary War history). For info call (212) 425-1778 or visit www.sonsoftherevolution.org.
One parent’s review: "When we visited the Fraunces Tavern Museum we also stopped by the printing shop (Bowne & Co) at South Street Seaport. The curator at Fraunces Tavern couldn't have been nicer: she saw us come in, and instantly brought out the basket of faux artifacts. Then, despite the fact that she was on her lunch break, she stuck around to answer questions, show us how the flint box worked, and talk about the flags in the flag room. The Bowne & Co guy was fabulous, too. We asked questions about the presses, and he came over and talked to my kids for at least 20 minutes. Each child got to print a copy of a piece about Walt Whitman."
The South Street Seaport Museum, on South St, near Fulton St, on the shore of the East River, is in a neighborhood of restored 18th- & 19th-century buildings. There is a collection of historical vessels that you can board; an old-fashioned stationers (Bowne & Co. (see review above), several galleries, and a Museum Shop. They have an extensive list of programs for grades K-12 including mapping, archeology, and the living harbor laboratory. A fee is charged, but there are free seasonal events on Fridays. Hours: April-Oct. Tue-Sun 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., in winter Fri-Mon. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., with the ships and Water St. galleries closed on Mondays. Admission: $8/adults, $6/students, $4/children 5-12, Mondays $5/adults, $3/students, $1/children 5-12. Check out their events calendar or call (212) 748-8753. Internships are available to high school students, offering community service credits. For information and to schedule an interview, call the museum's Volunteer Office at (212) 748-8766.
New York Unearthed is the South St. Seaport’s museum of Urban Archeology, located at 17 State Street (opposite Battery Park between Pearl and Whitehall Streets). They are open Mon-Fri by appointment only. To schedule a visit call (212) 748-8753, and explore 6,000 years of history through dioramas and artifacts excavated from New York City's archaeological sites, with a three-dimensional cross-section of an actual archeological site. See the website calendar for their school programs and fees.
Castle Clinton National Monument, south of Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan alongside the Hudson River, was built in 1811 as a fortress against invaders. Stand within its storied walls and consider its rich history as you wait to purchase tickets for Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Open daily 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., admission free.
The Irish Hunger Memorial, part of Battery Park, is free admission. Located at Vesey Street and North End Ave., the Memorial represents a rural Irish landscape with an abandoned stone cottage, stone walls, fallow potato fields and the flora on the north Connacht wetlands. It is both a metaphor for the Great Irish Famine and a reminder that hunger today is often the result of lack of access to land.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage at 36 Battery Place in Battery Park is a Memorial to the Holocaust, honoring the Jewish heritage and spirit as it existed long before the Holocaust with original documentaries, artifacts, documents, photographs, and films. Step out the back door to the Battery Park waterfront, and the view of Lady Liberty takes on an even broader meaning. Open Sun-Tues and Thurs 10 a.m. -5:45 p.m., Wed 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fri and eve of Jewish holidays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., adults $10, students $5, children under 12 free, free admission every Wednesday from 4 - 8 p.m. For more info call (646) 437-4200.
Trinity Church, at Broadway and Wall St., has gravestones dating back to New Amsterdam. The churchyard, which marks a fierce battle of the Revolutionary War, is open daily 7 a.m. - 4 p.m., and includes the graves of Alexander Hamilton, Robert Fulton, John James Audubon, Alfred Tennyson Dickens, John Jacob Astor. Each Christmas, New Yorkers participate in a candlelight ceremony at the grave of Clement Clarke Moore, son of one of Trinity's past rectors and author of the beloved poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" which begins “ 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Tours are daily at 2 p.m. and Sunday following the 11:15 service. For groups of 5 or more, call (212) 602-0872. Admission is free. Museum hours: M-F 9 a.m. - 11:45 a.m., 1 p.m. - 3:45 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., Sun. 1 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. For more info: (212) 602-0800.
St. Paul's Chapel, near Broadway and Fulton St., is a tiny stone church still standing from the days of New Amsterdam. Located directly across from the site of the World Trade Center, it miraculously withstood the attack of 9/11. Visit the chapel's interactive exhibit, "Unwavering Spirit" and see the stump of the sycamore tree that saved the Chapel on 9/11 (the subject of a bronze sculpture now being created by artist Steve Tobin). Open Mon-Sat 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., the churchyard is open until 4 p.m. in the winter, and until 5:30 p.m. in the spring, after daylight savings time changes. Admission is free. For more info call (212) 233-4164.
Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center, at 1 Bowling Green in lower Manhattan, is a free museum that offers educational tours and workshops in Native American history, art and lore, to school groups, or groups of ten or more, by reservation. Call Ada Torres at (212) 514-3705 to arrange for an hour-long program geared for any group K-12. Visit their website to download a reservation request or call (202) 633-6644 or (888) 618-0572 or email: NMAI-GroupReservations@si.edu to make a reservation. Check out their family programs on their website for free activities and storytelling events. Download their free family guide, or pick one up at the entrance. They also offer hands-on workshops that may have a materials fee. For info on workshops call (212) 514-3714.
Federal Hall, across the street from the New York Stock Exchange (see entry under Science & Math), has a larger-than-life George Washington, who was inaugurated here as President on April 30, 1789, standing on the steps at 26 Wall Street. When they complete renovations (planned in winter 2005) you can visit the first home of our nation's Federal Government, the U.S. Treasury, and New York's original City Hall. M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., admission free.
Free guided tours of City Hall (Broadway & Chambers St.) can be arranged for groups of “school kids”, grades 3-12. The 30-45 minute tour includes local history and a visit to the Public Hearing and Committee Rooms. Contact Doris Robin-Witz at (212) 788-2170. Tours are available on weekdays and are offered free of charge. To make a reservation, please call 311 (or (212) NEW-YORK from outside New York City). also tours of the old NY County Tweed Courthouse.
The African Burial Ground at 290 Broadway (between Duane and Elk Sts.) was discovered during the construction of a federal office building in 1991. Workers discovered the remains of more than 400 Africans stacked in wooden boxes just 16 to 28 feet below street level. Construction halted immediately, and an archeological investigation unearthed the remnants of a five- to six-acre African burial ground used throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, created in the early 1700’s, when Trinity Church banned all Africans from its cemetery. For more info call (212) 337-2001.
Walk through Chinatown and see the herb shops selling ancient remedies, clothing shops with oriental dresses and tai chi slippers, all things Chinese. The Museum of Chinese in America is relocating to 215 Centre Street (btw Howard & Grand Sts; one block north of Canal St). Their previous home at 70 Mulberry St., 2nd Floor, is being retained and transformed as an archival centre and serve as a research centre open to anyone with a desire to learn or research Chinese American history. The musuemoffers a unique perspective on the Chinese immigrants who arrived in America possessing only their dreams and their honor, but who left a legacy in American history. Open Monday, 11 am.-5 pm; Thursday, 11 am-9 pm; Friday, 11 am.-5 pm; Saturday & Sunday, 10 am-5 pm. The Museum is closed to the public on Tuesday & Wednesday, except for prescheduled tours.
General Admission: $7; Seniors (65+ w/ID) and Students (w/school ID): $4; children under 12 in groups less than 8: free
MOCA Members: free. For info call (212) 619-4785.
The website Explore Chinatown offers maps, information, events, etc. and also details of discounts.
The Eldridge Street Synagogue, at 12 Eldridge St. between Canal and Division Sts., was completed in 1887 and is the first house of worship built in America. They provide educational and cultural programs year-round for adults and children. Open Sunday and Tues. - Thurs. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. with hourly tours from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., reservations required for groups of 10 or more. Tours: adults $5, children under 13 $3, all persons without a tour guide are $1.00. For more info call (212) 219-0888.
The NYC Fire Museum, 278 Spring Street between Varick and Hudson Streets in Manhattan’s Soho district. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed every Monday and major holidays (New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). Admission Prices: Adults $5, Seniors/Students $2, Children under 12 $1. Fire related art and artifacts from the late 18th century to the present.
The Ukrainian Museum at 222 E. 6th St. (bet. 2nd and 3rd Aves.) is open Wed. - Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with Ukrainian folk art, clothing, stamps &ammp; coins, and more. For info (212) 228-0110 or e-mail: info@UkrainianMuseum.org.
Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace, a national historic site at 28 E. 20th St. (between Broadway and Park Avenue South), offers free guided tours for “school groups”. Call (212) 260-1616 for info. The site is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday. Guided tours are given on the hour with the last tour at 4:00 p.m. A $3 entrance fee is charged for adults; children age 16 and under are free. Reservations are required for groups of ten or more. Educational programs are offered by reservation only, at least two weeks in advance. For information about programs, tours, and special events, call (212) 260-1616, or visit the website.
Children's Galleries for Jewish Culture, 515 West 20th St (212) 924-4500. Exhibits, workshops, and programs. Open to the public for Sunday Arts and Crafts, Special Holiday Programs, and on weekdays during select School Vacations. Admission: $5.00
The Pierpont Morgan Library, 29 East 36th Street, is a research library as well as a museum of Renaissance art and literature, with changing exhibits. It is currently closed for renovations, but they are offering on-site educational programs for free. For more information, visit their website, call the Education department at (212) 590-0331, or e-mail schools@morganlibrary.org. When the museum reopens, they will probably return to their practice of free educational tours and workshops for student groups (10 or more) grades 4-12. Contact Rebecca Gantwerk at (212) 590-0331.
Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave. (between 37th and 38th St.), has The Heimbold Family Children’s Learning Center, open to the public free of charge on Saturday, 12:00 noon – 5:00 p.m. (but to members only on weekdays), where ages 3 - 10 (and their caregivers) can learn about the history and culture of Scandinavia. Saturday Morning Storytelling with the Hans Christian Andersen Storytellers is also free for children ages 5+ and adults, Additional family events, such as celebrations of Scandinavian children's literature and theater for kids have a fee. Check their website for a current calendar and info or call (212) 847-9740 or (212) 879-9779.
The recently refurbished Grand Central Terminal (at 42nd St. and Lexington Ave.) offers a virtual tour online, a self-guided walking tour, and free guided tours Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m., call (212) 935-3960, and Fridays at 12:30 p.m., call (212) 883-2420. Grand Central also hosts some interesing events.
The NY Transit Museum Gallery annex, located in the Grand Central Terminal (at 42nd St. and Lexington Ave.) in the shuttle passage next to the Station Master’s Office has a popular holiday train show from Thanksgiving to mid-January (closed holidays). Hours: M-F, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sat-Sun 10-6, For info call (212) 878-0106. Admission is free.
Times Square is known as the crossroads of the world. It is especially noted for it's New Year's Eve ceremony, but at any time it's a great place to watch people from all over the world.
Witness a live broadcast! Free tickets to FOX’s new daytime show at 1211 Avenue of the Americas (bet. 47th and 48th Sts.), M-F, 1 - 2 p.m. Call 877-FOX-TKTS (877-369-8587) or visit their website and fill out their request form (don’t do both). DaySide , a news and variety talk show, airs live Monday-Friday from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Arrive by 11:30 a.m. at the station where tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests under 18 admitted only with a FOX News Network consent form signed by parent or legal guardian.
The Alliance Francaise, a French school and cultural center, hosts a free Bastille Day Party every mid-July on Sunday from noon to six, for three blocks on 60th St. between 5th & Lexington Aves. Music, face painting, book vendors, waiters’ races, dancing, food vendors, and children’s races (entry fee is a $5 donation). For details visit the website or call (212) 269-6500.
Located at 421 East 61st Street between First and York Avenues, the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden offers a fascinating glimpse into life in the 1820s. Open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (arrive no later than 3:30 to leave enough time for last tour) and from 6 until 9 p.m. on Tuesday evenings in June and July for “Summer Garden Evenings” $8 adults, $7 students and seniors, free for Museum Members and children under 12
The New-York Historical Society 177 Central Park West at 77th St., is adjacent to the American Museum of Natural History. Admission is $10/adults, $5 for students and teachers (try using your NYCHEA I.D. or proof of homeschooling), and free for kids under 12 with an adult, open Tues-Sat 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.; free admission on Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Audioguides and transcripts can be borrowed for free, and ask about their scavenger hunts. They offer many educational programs for no charge. On the website you can submit a visit request form for a group program or tour, and read a list of programs by grade level with contact information. Or call Stacy Gilinson, Supervisor of Family Programs, at (212) 873-3400 ext. 264, or ask for ext. 283 for elementary school programs that examine primary sources and make history come to life.
The High School Internship Program
This internship program is open to students in grades 10, 11, and 12. Interns will work on several projects throughout the year, including creating teen tours of the museum and materials for school programs, and will assist departmental staff on a variety of education projects. This is a competetive program, and all interested students must complete an application and provide two letters of reference.
The Saturday Academy at the N-YHS
The Saturday Academy at the N-YHS is a tuition-free enrichment program offered to students in grades 9, 10 & 11. An interest in American studies is the only prerequisite! The program takes place over seven Saturday mornings, and students may enroll in one or two classes a semester. Our policy is No homework - no tests. Course dates for Fall 2008 are October 18th and 25th, November 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd, and December 6th. Two sessions of classes are offered each day. Session I will be from 9:00-10:15; Session II will be from 10:30-12:00. Students may enroll in one or two courses. Students attending all sessions will receive a certificate of participation and will have a unique learning experience to add to their college application. For a listing of Fall '08 classes, and for an application please visit www.nyhistory.org/education. Course information is available now; applications will be available and accepted beginning September 24th, 2008.
If you would like more information or have any questions about these programs for high school students, please contact Kim Sekel, Manager of High School Programs, at 212-485-9276 or ksekel@nyhistory.org.
The N-YHS also offers part-time internships during the fall and spring semesters. Internships are offered in both our museum and library divisions. Interns are required to work 10-12 hours a week for 8-10 weeks. Those selected to participate in this rewarding yet demanding experience will be awarded a $500 stipend. Internships can also be done for course credit depending on school requirements. Visit their website for updated information on all internships.
For more information about classes etc. and to apply (all applications must be filled out online) please visit NYHS Education website.
The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) at 81st and CPW has an admission that’s pay-what-you-wish. Here you will find a wonderful variety of social studies activities for all ages. My children have, at various stages in their lives, sorted hats as an exercise in classifications and a study of a melting pot culture, opened a box marked Japan which held all sorts of things native to a Japanese child but foreign to mine (activities in the Discovery Room), attended lectures, gallery talks, dramatizations, and treasure hunts that led them to explore the history and culture of many lands around the world. As a high school student, my son currently takes free courses in anthropology in preparation for a possible internship. Don’t forget to browse their website for free educational materials.
Gracie Mansion, the official home of New York City’s mayor, located at 89th Street and East End Ave., has tours on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., from late March - mid-November, by reservation only; $7/adults, $4/seniors, but all students are free. Call (212) 570-4751.
The Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd St. (212) 534-1672. Museum Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Mondays. Open on Monday holidays including Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. Ramp access is available at the 104th Street entrance. Suggested Admission: Adults $7, Seniors, students $5, Family $15 (max. 2 adults). Exhibits, events (many free). Voluntary internships available for teens.
El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th St., (212) 831-7272. Open Wed-Sun, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission $6 adults, kids under 12 free. A Latino museum dedicated to Puerto Rican, Caribbean and Latin American art.
El Taller Latino, the Latin American workshop. is at 2710 Broadway, 3rd floor (corner of 104th St.), (212)665-9460. Visual arts gallery, music, Latin American culture.
Hands-on workshops on the Middle Ages, for ages 4 and up, are held on Saturdays 10 a.m. - noon at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Amsterdam and 114th St. at the bargain price of $5.00 per child with accompanying adult, considering the art materials used. The workshop includes weaving, brass rubbing, clay gargoyles, copying medieval illuminated letters, cutting out for stained glass effect, and chiseling on a limestone block. The kids have fun and are allowed to take their work home (well, not the limestone block). No reservations are needed, but you can call ahead to reserve a space, probably wise during holiday times, to find out about other family workshops, or to be added to their mailing list: (212) 932-7347.
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is a gem in the spectrum of our New York Public Library system nypl.org. Located in Harlem (515 Malcolm X Blvd. at 135th St.) it is really worth a visit. Free tours can be arranged for any age group and, like any library, personalized assistance is always available. Here you can find an archives full of original documents, primary source material, telling the story of Black history in America, along with changing exhibitions and programs. Call (212) 491-2207 for information, (212) 491-2051 to arrange a group guided tour. Due to ongoing renovations, you must enter through the landmark building that is their temporary entrance: 103 W. 135th Street.
The Schomburg Library not only has a calendar of changing exhibits, events, films, and performances (some with a fee); they also sponsor a Junior Scholars Program, a Saturday program for young people ages 11-17, designed to empower local black youth. This program uses the museum’s collections, visiting speakers (often leading authorities in African-American studies and living legends in black culture), film screenings, cultural performances, NYC field trips; and has workshops in music, theater, dance, video production, magazine publishing, photography, visual arts, spoken word, and web design. Children learn about the histories and cultures of people throughout the African Diaspora. This intensive 26-week series of Saturday sessions, from 10 a.m. - 3p.m., aims to prepare young people for intellectual and entrepreneurial careers. To apply for this program a student needs to be nominated by an educator, teacher, youth organizations, church, as well as selected civic and cultural institutions and organizations. The nominated youth must complete an application (including a written statement indicating the applicant’s interest in the program) and an interview. Prospective participants will be selected based on their compatibility with the program and on their ability to take full advantage of it. To join the mailing list to receive updates and application information call (212) 491-2234 or e-mail: dhollman@nypl.org or write to The New York Life/Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Program, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037.
The Hispanic Society of America, on Broadway between 155th and 156th Sts., is a free museum and reference library for the study of the arts and cultures of Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. (212) 926-2234 Hours: Sun 1 - 4 p.m., Tue-Sat 10 a.m. - 4;30 p.m., North Building Galleries (XIX Century Paintings and Ceramics), T-F 1:30 - 3 p.m. and Sat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.. To arrange a group visit, download the group visit application and fax it to (212) 690-0743. Reservations can also be made over the phone at (212) 926-2234, ext. 209.
Cuéntame un cuadro (Tell me a painting) is a new Spanish-language educational program at The Hispanic Society of America for children between the ages of three and seven. The second Saturday of each month, children and their families will have fun as they listen to stories, draw and explore the works of our collection. This program is free and is offered in Spanish.
12 p.m. The second Saturday of each month.
More information and to reserve a space, please contact the museum's education department. (212) 926-2234 ext. 209 or education@hispanicsociety.org
Presenta su nuevo programa educativo: Cuéntame un Cuadro
Cuéntame un cuadro es un nuevo programa educativo de la Hispanic Society of America para niños de tres a siete años de edad. El segundo sábado de cada mes, los niños y sus familias se divertirán escuchando cuentos, dibujando y explorando las obras de nuestra colección. Este programa es gratuito y se ofrece en español.
12 p.m. El segundo sábado de cada mes.
Para más información y para confirmar su asistencia, por favor comuníquese con el departamento de educación de la Hispanic Society. (212) 926- 2234 ext. 209 o education@hispanicsociety.org
The Morris-Jumel Mansion in Roger Morris Park, 65 Jumel Terrace, at 160th Street, east of St. Nicholas Avenue, is open to the public Wednesday - Sunday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.; Mon. & Tues. open to groups by reservation only. For more info, call (212) 923-8008. This is Manhattan's oldest surviving house. Check out the online schedule for their seasonal events.
On NYC Parks Park Ranger Tours (see also Summer Phys. Ed.: Park Ranger Programs and Science & Math: Urban Park Ranger Tours), guides talk about local Revolutionary War history and Native American history. Although they used to be free, city cutbacks in funding resulted in fees of $100 for some tours. The cost divided among ten or twenty kids still makes the tours a bargain. Call (212) 304-2365 to arrange a tour or inquire about scheduled tours of Little Red Lighthouse from spring to fall. Tours include:.
The free annual Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park (in front of the Cloisters Museum) is usually held on the first Sunday in October, noon - 6 p.m. Call (212) 795-1600 or visit the website for details on last year's event. There are always armorers in residence. You can see how armor is made, heft a helmet, and ask questions to your heart's content. Jugglers, jousting, falconry, medieval music and costumes and more!
To honor the Battle of Fort Washington, every year on a Sunday in mid-November from noon to 3 p.m., a Revolutionary War campsite is reenacted in Fort Tryon Park on the Café Lawn. Costumed re-enactors explain what a soldier's life was like. See how the soldiers lived and explore their tents. See a colonial spinner, a real blacksmith, and a live musket demonstrations. Colonial arts and crafts for children. Organized by the Parks Dept., this event is usually as close as possible to the actual day of the battle, Nov. 16th. In the fall you can check the events calendar for the exact date.
The Cloisters Museum is part of the Metropolitan Museum (admission is pay-what-you-wish). This is a place rich in medieval history, with free (with the price of admission) gallery and garden talks, and chamber music on the weekends. Family programs include hands-on workshops for ages 4 - 12, on the first Sat. of every month from 1 -2 p.m. For info or to arrange a group visit call (212) 650-2280.
On the corner of Broadway and 204th St. is the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, a restored 18th-century farmhouse, open Wed- Sat 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sun. 12 noon - 4 p.m. They offer free educational tours and workshops, “back porch crafts” all summer. For info call (212) 304-9422.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue Brooklyn, (718) 735-4400, admission $4 per person. Closed Mondays and Tuesday afternoons. Special hours for kids under 5. People, places, history. Virtual collectins online.
The Brooklyn Historical Society offers a current calendar of events, some are free with admission. Call the BHS staff at (718) 222-4111 to learn more. On the bottom of their publications page you can download PDF files with free educational materials about the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
The City Reliquary, corner of Havermeyer and Grand Sts., Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A free window museum that displays relics of the city and "community collections" - exhibitions of the collections of ordinary people. Events, community projects.
Perform community service, learn about the law, and get paid to do it! Ages 14-18 can volunteer to participate in Greenpoint Youth Court, Brooklyn. Read details (pdf format), download the 2010 Application (pdf format, deadline 6 April), or contact the Program Coordinator of the Greenpoint Youth Court, Jessica Stein, at 646-460-1764.
The magnificent magnolia tree at the Magnolia Tree Earth Center was the first "living landmark" in NYC. 677 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, (718)387-2116. Read about its history. The center runs workshops for teens to impart technical skills to care for gardens and city trees.
New York Aquarium, Surf Avenue & West 8th St, Brooklyn, (718) 265-FISH. Open 10 a.m. daily, closing hours vary by season. Adults $13, kids 2-12 $9, seniors $10. Members and kids under two are free. Admission on Fridays from 3:00 p.m. until closing is pay-what-you-wish.
The New York Transit Museum, located at the corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn St. in Brooklyn Heights, is in a real 1930s subway station, with exhibits on the history of the transit system including trolleys, buses, and a history of the fare as well. For pre- and post- activities online go to their Education Station. Hours: Tues. – Fri. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat-Sun noon - 5 p.m. Admission: adults $5, children 3 – 17 and seniors $3. For group reservations for guided tours call (718) 694-1873, Mon-Fri 10:00 - 4:00. Group reservations are only confirmed when a signed agreement has been received by the museum. For more info call (718) 694-1600. See the MTA's Calendar of Events (.pdf format), which includes some special MetroCard deals.
In the Park Slope / Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn is the Old Stone House Historic Interpretive Center, a replica of a Dutch stone farmhouse with a very rich history, open Saturdays & Sundays, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., on Third Street between Fourth & Fifth Aves. For info call (718) 768-3195.
The Brooklyn Central Library has microfilm and microfiche collections that include the first Brooklyn City Directory and the earliest newspapers of the borough -- a marvelous social studies lesson completely free!
Lefferts Historic House, in Prospect Park, at the intersection of Flatbush and Ocean Avenues and Empire Blvd., is one of the few surviving Dutch Colonial farmhouses in Brooklyn. Open April through October, and Sept. - Nov., Thursday-Sunday & Holidays: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., July-Labor Day: same days 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. For more info, call (718) 789-2822.
The Brooklyn Museum (see Art: Brooklyn Museum) has period rooms filled with local history, including a room with children’s toys laid out in a Christmas scene.
Wyckoff House, in Brooklyn at 5816 Clarendon Ave. near Ralph Ave., was built in 1652. Walk-in tours are given at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., Tues-Sat. Visitors arriving at other times will be asked to wait, and groups of six or more must call to make a reservation. They also have seasonal colonial activities including educational programs that explore the lives of Dutch settlers, Irish farmers, and people of African descent. Many events are free. Call (718) 629-5400 for their schedule, or visit the website.
In Brooklyn, the Harbor Defense Museum at the Fort Hamilton Army Base (101st St. & Fort Hamilton Pkwy) hosts a series of monthly discussions and films called Military History through Film. Free, but seating is limited, so call (718) 630-4349 or 4306 to reserve.
The Queens Council on the Arts organizes free folk festivals, concerts, readings, art exhibits, and all kinds of activities. Check out their website for a current calendar or call (718) 647-3377. The New International Express is a free guide, in PDF format. Queens is the most ethnically diverse county in the world. If there are 57 different nationalities living in NYC, then there are 57 in Queens. This PDF file is a self-guided tour of the Number 7 International Express subway line that links many of these ethnic communities. Historically, immigrant populations have been linked to subway lines. For example, Brooklyn’s Chinatown is a direct-line subway ride away from Manhattan’s over-full Chinatown. Explore the diverse international neighborhoods of Queens and learn about how immigrants settled in this borough. At the end of the guide is a list of summer festivals including: Colombian Independence Day, Ecuadorian Independence Day, Peruvian Independence day, the Hong-Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Korean Harvest and Folklore Festival, all in Queens.
Named after the acclaimed African-American poet, the Langston Hughes Library and Culture Center, 100-01 Northern Boulevard in Corona, has the largest circulating Black Heritage collection in New York. It hosts cultural programs such as independent Black film festivals, a Kwanzaa celebration and a Langston Hughes Day. It also hosts art exhibitions, open mic nights, a music series, and a literature program in which the authors read from their works. Programs feature both established and emerging artists whose work reflects the African American experience. Main phone number: (718) 651-1100; Black Heritage Reference Center (718) 651-7116; Information & Referral Service (718) 672-8313; Homework Assistance Program: (718) 672-2710.
Guided tours for groups can be arranged at the King Manor Museum, 150th Street & Jamaica Ave. in Jamaica, Queens, or you can go alone on their free self-guided tour. The museum was the home of Rufys King, 1755-1827, a signer of the Constitution who was antislavery. Open Sat. & Sun., 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Thurs. & Fri., 12 noon - 2 p.m., and by appointment. Groups of 10 or more require a reservation. King Manor is closed during the month of January. Call (718) 206-0545 for information.
Kingsland Homestead, at 143-35 37th Ave. in Flushing, Queens, is a late 18th-century house that houses the collection of the Queens Historical Society. It is located steps away from the 17th-century Bowne House, where Quakers were first permitted to meet in New Amsterdam. Hours: Tues., Sat. & Sun., 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., tours for groups available by appointment. For more info call (718) 939-0647.
Can you believe that there is still a working farm in New York City? The Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park, Queens, dates back to 1697. Admission is free except for special events (there are many of these so check their calendar at their website). It is open weekdays 9-5, with free guided tours on weekends 10-5. You can purchase animal feed and feed the animals, and hayrides are available from April - Oct. for $2/person. There is a fee for class trips. Free events include: the Apple Festival the first Sunday in October, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. (learn about apples, watch cider pressings, and see the nation's largest apple cobbler baked on site); October pumpkin picking, with free admission to the pumpkin patch (and a charge for the pumpkins); Holiday “open house” for the two days following Xmas, from noon - 4 p.m., with craft activities, mulled cider, and free tours; the Strawberry festival on the third Sunday in June with hayrides, children's games, and more. Call (718) 347-FARM ((718) 347-3276) or go to the website.
John F. Kennedy International Airport, Control Tower, 5th Floor, Jamaica, NY 11430, (718) 244 4182. For groups of 15 or more only, ages 8 and up (bring proof of age), at least one adult for every seven children. The tour begins in the lobby of the Control Tower with the viewing of a video, "A Visit to JFK." The walking tour then focuses on the 11-block-long International Arrivals Building and various aspects of international travel. Children travel on moving sidewalks, pass through the metal detector, visit the Customs and Immigration Hall, and receive a "make believe" passport. They may also get to meet a member of the Department of Agriculture's Beagle Brigade. These dogs demonstrate how they sniff out food that people sometimes try to smuggle into the country. This opportunity depends upon the dogs' busy schedules. Tours are oriented to the age level of the group and last about 90 minutes. Weekdays at 10 and 11:30 a.m.; weekend and holiday tours depend upon availability of guides.
The Nitchen Children's Museum of Native America fosters intercultural understanding between Native peoples and non-natives by providing accurate historical, cultural and contemporary programming to children, parents and teachers. 550 West 155th St, New York NY 10032 (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue). Phone: (212) 694-2240
is an elegant mansion and the oldest county seat in the country. Located in Pelham Bay Park at 895 Shore Rd., just south of the border of New Rochelle, bird watchers walk this road at dusk looking for the owls that live here. The gardens are open year-round Tues - Sun 8:30-4:30, the mansion is open Wed., Sat. & Sun. noon-4 p.m. closed in August. The restored 1840’s stone carriage house is open April-October. For more info http://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/, for group tours call (718) 885-1461, Ext. 102. There is no charge for NYC public school groups (Tues-Thurs mornings Sept-June), but a $30 charge to other groups, so offer proof of NYC residency and Board of Ed. supervision by showing your letter of receipt for your IHIP or LOI and perhaps they will honor NYC homeschoolers as they do public school students. Reservations for groups must be made at least two weeks in advance.
The Poe Cottage, 2460 Grand Concourse and East Kingsbridge Rd., the last home of the poet and author Edgar Allen Poe, is set in a small park. Open Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., sun 1:00 p.m. - 5 p.m. Reservations required for tours for ten or more, call (718) 881-8900.
The Bronx Historical Society, at 3309 Bainbridge Ave., has a vast research library which is open to the public from 9:30 to 4:30, Monday to Friday. Please call (718) 881-8900 for all research requests and appointments.
The Valentine-Varian House, at 3266 Bainbridge Ave. and E. 208th St., built in 1758, is the second oldest house in the borough. It is open Sat. 10-4, Sun. 1-5. Reservations required for tours for ten or more, call (718) 881-8900.
In Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx you can visit the historic Van Cortlandt House at Broadway and 246th St. Open Tues-Fri 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., call to confirm at (718) 543-3344. Admission: adults $5, seniors and students $3, children 12 and under free, free general admission every Wednesday. School tours, arranged at least 2 weeks in advance, are 45 minutes and average $1.00 per child (based on a group of 18, chaperones are free). Two-hour interactive school programs are $3.00/child. Choose from “The Life of a Child in the 18th Century” and “The Compleat Soldier” about the life of a Revolutionary War Soldier. Their new workshop, making a Delft tile, costs $6/child. Contact the Education Director, Michael Grillo, at (718) 543-3513. workshops are described at . If you have a good-sized group, they recommend booking concurrent appointments at the Urban Forest Ecology Center with the local (Bronx) Urban Park Rangers: (718) 548-0912 or (718) 430-1832.
The annual Native Harvest Festival with Native American dancers, drummers, foods & crafts, is usually the last Sunday in September, noon - 4 p.m. For more info on events in Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, call (718) 430-1800 or 430-1890.
The Judaica Museum of the Hebrew Home for the Aged , 5961 Palisade Avenue, Riverdale, (718) 548-1006 or 549-8700 ext. 294. Overlooking the Hudson River, the collection features artifacts reflecting the customs and ceremonies of European and Oriental Jewry over the last three centuries. Visitors can also enjoy temporary exhibitions featuring local artists and collections. There are holiday programs and family workshops -- a calendar can be obtained by writing or calling. School Groups can enjoy a choice of three interactive tours: Let's Trace Our Roots, about genealogy and family history; The Joy of Giving "Tzedakah" (charity); and Jewish Lifestyles: Cultures and Customs. Each tour is followed by a hands-on Crafts Workshop where students create an object related to the exhibit. Groups may consist of up to 25 people. Hours: Monday thru Thursday 1 - 4:30 p.m., Sunday 1 - 5 p.m.. Admission is free. Group Tours (including schools) cost $50.00. Rates may vary depending on level of crafts workshop. Reservations: At least 4 weeks in advance.
The Alice Austen House, at 2 Hylan Blvd. was the home of photographer Alice Austen. The house dates back to the 1690s and the Victorian garden has been replanted according to Austen’s photographs. Open March - December, Thurs- Sun, noon - 5 p.m.. For more info call (718) 816-4506 or go to the website.
The Andrew E. Zimmer Fish and Game Association introduces adults and youths on Staten Island to the conservation and enjoyment of the outdoors.
The Conference House, at 7455 Hylan Blvd., is a 17th-century stone manor with an important place in local Revolutionary War history. Open April 15 - Nov. 15, Friday - Sunday 1 -4. Call to confirm, (718) 984-6046.
Historic Richmond Town, in the middle of Staten Island, is a living history village and museum. Open Sept - June, Wed-Sun 1 - 5 p.m., July & Aug Wed-Fri 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat & Sun 1 - 5 p.m.. Reservations required for groups. Call (718) 351-1611. See also NYC Parkks Dept: Historic Richmond Town.
Seguine Mansion in Lemon Creek Park, at 440 SeguineAve., on the southern shore, is a Greek Revival mansion built in 1838. Open from the end of March to mid-Nov., tours on Wednesdays by reservation only. Call (718) 570-4751.
The Annual Pumpkin Festival at Willowbrook Park in Staten Island occurs on a weekend in mid-October, noon - 4 p.m. Decorate a pumpkin, hike in fall foliage, enjoy a petting zoo, music and art projects. Organized by the Greenbelt Conservancy.
Check out NYCkidsARTS, a cultural calendar for teachers and parents. See also What's Free or Cheap in NYC - Phys. Ed. for walking tours that look at the architecture of New York, Art Resources and Architecture Resources.
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Art Education Program offers free Saturday art classes taught by artist-teachers for students 8-18 years, in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in Soho and the Upper West Side. For details and an application you can download, go to JMF Art Education Program. All materials are supplied. The deadline for applications is September 25th.
Middle School and High School students can get tickets (up to two each) to shows, concerts, dances, theater, exhibits, for $5.00 or less and all they need is school ID or proof of age (13-18). Monday-Thursday they can get two tickets for $5 (at least one must be used by the student but the other may be used by an adult), weekends it’s one ticket for $5, purchasable at least one day in advance. Five teens buying tickets together get a free sixth ticket. Museum exhibition tickets are often free. For current listings, check out the High5tix website or call their hotline at (212) Hi5-TKTS ((212) 445-8587). Listings are also published and distributed around town. Pick up a copy at the NYPL, Ticketmaster, or subscribe online.
Art Galleries in NYC display an enormous variety of fine art from all around the world. Most galleries are free and open to the public, with catalogues lying out for all to see, and educated individuals available to answer questions and describe the works of art. It’s easy to create self-guided tours by browsing the catalogues and asking a few questions. When you don’t know what to do for that next field trip, try visiting a group of galleries. Although there are galleries in every borough, and in more neighborhoods than I can count, the best areas are downtown Manhattan in Soho and Chelsea, and uptown Manhattan on Madison Avenue and on 57th Street where there are hi-rise buildings that have a gallery on every floor!
From a parent: I think subway art is the perfect marriage of art and life. What better place to appreciate a colorful or evocative scene than while you are waiting in a drab underground tunnel for a train--just livens it up and lets the mind and heart soar. Add to that a lonely musician playing a soulful tune reverberating between the roar and screeching of trains and it's pretty wonderful.
When I was a kid there was little or no art in the subways, besides graffiti, (which has since been recognized as fine art and removed from subways and into museums!). My favorites were the 1904 beavers at Astor Place--in honor of John Jacob Astor, who made a fortune in the beaver pelt trade.
But now art has blossomed everywhere in the subways and it's so creative and fun to see different artist's visions.
I poked around for images of the subway art that I have been seeing and discovered this great website, which has all kinds of cool stuff related to mass transit: Subway Art Guide
The Big Draw is an annual event in Battery Park City's Teardrop Park.
The Asian American Arts Centre, 26 Bowery, offers free self-guided tours. Its mission is to promote the preservation and creative vitality of Asian American cultural growth through the arts, and its historical and aesthetic linkage to other communities. The Arts Centre accomplishes this by presenting and interpreting the ongoing synthesis of contemporary American and Asian art forms, utilizing performance, exhibition, and public education. Call (212) 233-2154 for info.
The New Museum is at 235 Bowery, NYC 10002, (212) 219-1222 and is devoted exclusively to contemporary art. Free to 18 and under, general admission $12.
The Drawing Center at 35 Wooster St. between Broome and Grand, is a nonprofit museum of drawings, with free educational tours and workshops for school groups. For scheduling and questions, please contact the Education Coordinator, Dina Weiss, at (212) 219-2166, ext. 119 or dweiss@drawingcenter.org. There is also a free all-day family “drop-in” event in June called “Draw On-Site.”
Children's Museum of the Arts, 182 Lafayette Street, Info: (212) 941-9198, Offices: (212) 274-0986. Admission: $8/person (1 to 65 years), Pay as You Wish: Thursday 4 - 6 p.m. They offer a variety of Public Programs, free with admissio unless otherwise noted.
Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, Manhattan. (212) 683-0023. Gallery, exhibitions, more.
The Ukrainian Museum, 222 East 6th Street (bet. 2nd and 3rd Aves.) (212) 228-0110, is open Wed. thru Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission; $8.00 adults; $6.00 students (with valid ID); children under 12 - free. They have a folk arts collection and a fine arts collection featuring prominent Ukrainian artists. They also offer workshops.
The Forbes Galleries is a small museum in Greenwich Village, 62 5th Ave. bet. 12th & 13th St., with a rare and unusual collection of tin soldiers and Russian Fabergée; eggs. Free admission, Tues. - Sat 10-4, with Thursdays reserved for group tours. Call (212) 206-5548 for general info, ( 212) 206-5549 for group tours.
The Rubin Museum of Art is dedicated to the art of the Himalayas and surrounding regions. 150 W 17 St at 7th Ave., (212) 620-5000. Open Mon & Thurs 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sat & Sun 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day. Admission: Adults $10.00, Seniors/Students/Artists with ID $7, Neighbors (zip codes 10011 & 10001 with ID) $7, Children (under 12) Free. Gallery admission is free to all Fridays 7 - 10 p.m. Saturdays at 2 p.m., family workshops in art, storytelling, etc., free with museum admission.
The Annual Knit-Out & Crochet, in Union Sq. Park (17 St.) is the first Sunday in October, noon-5, rain or shine. Free knitting & crocheting lessons, demos and fun for kids. See their website for schedule.
Eyebeam's After-School Digital Art Program offers free workshops every Thursday, 3-6 p.m. Workshops start at 4 p.m. Students can participate in a hands-on workshop, focusing on audio mixing and editing, video production, video game design, or other software based activities. Students who drop-in will then continue to work on skills learned, or other computer-based projects on following Thursdays.
Participating students will have full supervised use of Eyebeam’s Mac lab, which includes: Apple Intel G5 computers loaded with software including Adobe’s Creative Suite, Final-Cut Pro, and more.
Home schooled students are welcome to participate in the youth drop-in program as long as they are between the ages of 13–18. All students are strongly encouraged to RSVP via email or phone to: stephanie@eyebeam.org, 212-937-6580 x247
Location: Eyebeam is located on 540 W 21st Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, New York, NY 10011. Subway directions:Take the local C or E trains to 23rd Street and 8th Avenue
The New Museum of Contemporary Art, 556 West 22nd Street (at 11th Avenue). (212) 219-1222. Open Tuesday - Saturday: noon — 6 p.m., Thursday: noon — 8 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Admission $6 general; $3 students and seniors, free for members and for visitors 18 and under. *Thursdays $3 admission 6 - 8 p.m. Internship programs available.
HiArt, at 601 W. 26th St. in Chelsea, (212) 362-8190, is an arts summer camp and after-school program for ages 2-12, popular with homeschoolers, offering group classes in all the fine arts including dance, musicals, opera, film-making, manga, robotics -- you name it. They can be expensive, but encourage applications for partial scholarships by emailing the Director: Cyndie Bellen-Berthézène at hiart@earthlink.net.
The International Center for Photography (ICP), 1114 Ave. of the Americas (6th Ave.) at 43rd Street, is both a museum and a school of photography, with a full offering of expensive adult courses. They recommend applying for scholarships to their summer and year-round courses in color and black & white photography for teens, although lab and registrations fees will still apply. Download applications on their website for this and financial aid forms for the teen academy internship which allows 17 highly motivated teens to prepare themselves for a possible career in photography. Also, group tours and polaroid workshops are available for school groups, free to NYC public school groups.
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, (212) 832-1155. Open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.. The gallery is closed on all Mondays and major holidays. General admission $12; students & seniors $10; children under 16 free. Exhibits and programs displaying all facets of Japanese culture.
Formerly the American Crafts Museum, the Museum of Arts & Design, 40 West 53rd Street New York, (212) 956-3535, holds "Well-Crafted Weekends" for kids, every Sunday, 2-4pm (unless otherwise noted). All ages 6 and up welcome. All materials provided. No reservations required, but space is limited. $7 program fee per individual or family unit. For more information, call (212) 956.3535 x159 or e-mail aliza.boyer@madmuseum.org. They also have demonstrations, lectures, and Summer Open Studios.
The Museum of Modern Art is at 11 W. 53rd St. between 5th and 6th Aves. with entrances from 53rd and 54th Sts. Call them at (212) 708-9400. Admission, one of the priciest in town ($20/adults, children 16 and under free), is free Friday evenings from 4-8 p.m. Film tickets, free with the price of admission, can be obtained Friday evenings after 4 p.m. for same-evening showings (be prepared for a line).
They also have family activity guides, free museum audio guides, and programs for children with special needs.
The Folk Art Museum, (212) 265-1040, at 45 West 53rd St., has a hefty admission price of adults/$9, seniors and students $7, while children under 12 are free. But Fridays after 5:30 p.m., general admission is free for everyone. Regular hours are Tues-Sun 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Family Art Workshops designed to introduce families to the galleries are on Sundays 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., are $5 per family (free to members). For reservations, please call (212) 265-1040, ext. 160, or email Madelaine Gill, family programs coordinator: mkgill@aol.com. You will receive a reply only if the workshop is full. Prices for year-round school programs are preK-1 $3.00/child for a 30-min. tour & 30-min. workshop; $3.00/student for 1-hour tour (grades 2–12); $5.00 per student for 45-minute tour and 45-minute workshop (grades 2–12). Tour Reservations call (212) 265-1040, ext. 381 or email grouptours@folkartmuseum.org.
The Dahesh Museum of Art at 580 Madison Ave. bet. 56th & 57th Sts., exhibits 19th-century European art and sculpture. Open Tues. - Sun 11-6, normally admission is $10 for adults, $6 for students and free for those under twelve, but the museum is free to the public on the first Thursday evening of every month from 6-9 p.m. Educational school tours (usually one hour long and limited to 20 or 30 kids) are also free. Their phone is (212) 759-0606, but to book a tour call Laura McGowan, Education and Programs Dept., LMcgowan@daheshmuseum.org, (212) 759-0606 x 249.
Tour topics include: “Tours for Tots: Story Time” for ages 3-4; “Exhibition Highlights” for grades 4-12 with writing and drawing activities; “Learning to Look” for first-time visitors grades K-12; “Write Your Way through Art” for grades 3-12, a writing-intensive tour that allows students to reflect on works of art in their own poetry and prose; “Art Academy Tour” for grades 1-12, students will reflect on the art they have examined through a hands-on art activity (45-minute tour; 45-minute workshop with a $5 material fee per student); and programs for groups with special needs.
When visiting the museum, ask at the admissions desk for the free family guide with interactive activities to help children explore the galleries, or ask for The Drawing Tour Kit, a hands-on activity bag for ages 6-12 with drawing tools and activities to be used in the galleries. They also have monthly family programs, free with admission.
The Art Students League at 215 W. 57th St. bet. 7th & B’way, offers 3-1/2-hour children’s art classes Sept-June on Saturdays or Sundays for $60.00/month, and has a similarly priced summer program. It works out to just over $4.00/hr. which is considered fairly cheap for an established art school. Call (212) 247-4510 for a catalog or check out their courses on the web (go to Classes then Children's Weekend).
The Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators, at 128 East 63rd St, is open Tuesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Wed - Fri 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sat noon - 4 p.m. (212) 838-2560.
The Asia Society 725 Park Ave (between 70 and 71 Sts), (212) 288-6400. Tuesday - Sunday, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., with extended evening hours Fridays until 9:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays and major holidays. Admission: $10; $7 for seniors and students with ID; free for members and persons under 16; and free to all on Fridays, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. The collection includes masterworks from South, Southeast, and East Asia, dating from 2000 B.C.E. to the 19th century, reflecting the great achievements and wide diversity of Asian arts and cultures.
The Frick Collection is at 1 East 70th Street (between Madison and Fifth Avenues). Phone: (212) 288-0700. They have a reference library and also offer programs for students. After-school and weekend programs for middle and high school students with an exceptional interest in the arts. Classes are free, but online registration is required.
Art auction houses offer a free art education to any browser willing to check out the viewings and peruse their catalogues filled with photos and details on each work of art. Sotheby’s and Chistie’s are the two largest art auction houses in NYC, with branches all over the world. Their exhibitions are like fine museum collections, but here, if you ask nicely, you can handle anything no matter how rare. Check out their online calendars and catalogues to find the viewing that interests you. Return for the auction if you like and see what it’s like for buyers from around the world (including those invisible buyers on the telephone) to bid for highly valuable art objects.
The Whitney Museum is at 945 Madison Ave. at 75th St. (212) 570-7745. It normally charges $12/adult (students or seniors $9.50, children under 12 free), but on Fridays from 6 - 9 p.m. they are pay-what-you-wish. All exhibits are open and they sometimes provide free musical entertainment. Family activity guides and family audio guides can be borrowed free (with the price of admission). The last Saturday of October is free Family Fun Day for ages 4-11 and their adult caregivers, with refreshments and fun activities on every floor and gift bag with art supplies to take home. Register in advance for this annual event at their website.
Museum activities free with admission include:
The following programs are $8 per family for nonmembers ($6 for members). All children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration for all programs is required; call (212) 671-5300.
For teenagers: Teen Party Night, tours given by teens for teens, and the Artist-Youth Dialogue series at the Whitney are all free, for registration and info call (212) 570-7745. This museum gives free admission to NYC public school students with ID. A city-issued metro card should suffice.
Free with the cost of admission (suggested donation), the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 82nd St. and Fifth Ave., (212) 535-7710, (open Tues-Sun 9:30-5:15, 9:30-8:45 Fri. and Sat.) has sketching in the galleries and family films every weekend, Friday eves, and weekdays during summers and vacation periods, drop-in programs for ages 5-12 and Start for Art for ages 3-7. Call (212) 570-3961 for schedule and information for school groups. Pick up MuseumKids guides and family guides free at the information desk.
Free art classes for middle and high school students! You only need to register in advance. For high school classes call (212) 650-2832, or send an email to students@metmuseum.org. For middle school classes call (212) 396-5121. Provide child’s name, school, grade, telephone number, and the choice of classes. There are also gallery talks and art history lectures for all ages daily, all free with admission.
The Children's Museum of Manhattan, The Tisch Building, 212 West 83rd St, between Broadway and Amsterdam. (212) 721-1234. Open Wednesday - Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays for School and Outreach Programs. Admission for adults and kids is $8, kids under 1 free. Exhibits, programs, internships available.
Goddard Riverside Community Center, 593 Columbus Ave (88 St), Manhattan. (212) 873-6600 offers Artworks!, a free non-graded program in painting or sculpture on Saturday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., for 7th grade and up. Sponsored by the Joan Mitchell Foundation, there is no charge for classes or materials. For information, call Susan Peters, (212) 799-9400.
The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Museum of Design, on 91st St. off 5th Ave., (212) 849-8400, offers free and low-cost design courses called Design Directions for high school students year-round and summers. Courses include industrial design, city planning and urban design, portfolio classes, career opportunities in design, and more. Call (212) 849-8385 for info and reservations.
Creative Arts is a Multi-Arts Summer Program sponsored by the Convent of the Sacred Heart on 91st St. between 5th and Madison, for ages 6-15. Although sponsored by a Catholic church, this is in no way a religious program. The Director is Suzanne Clifton Walsh, (212) 722-4745 ext. 856. Kids have five periods a day and choose from over 50 classes to make up their own schedule. Choices include acting, painting, dancing, puppets, robots, animation, tech theater, guitar, yoga, pottery, and sports, to name a few. Kids select their own program, and it is so popular that parents start to reserve space in December! Scholarships are available, so ask!
At The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street, Manhattan, (212) 423.3200. September 18-October 9, 2007, Tuesdays, 4:00-5:30 pm --Painting Impressions: Exploring Pissarro. Discover the world of Impressionist painting inspired by the exhibition Camille Pissarro: Impressions of City and Country. And learn about the art of plein-air painting (painting out-of-doors) through trips to Central Park. For ages 11 to 14. This series is free with museum admission, but there is limited availability and participants must register in advance by contacting the Scheduling Coordinator at (212) 423.3225 or schedulingcoordinator@thejm.org.
Hands-on workshops on the Middle Ages, for ages 4 and up, are held on Saturdays 10 a.m. - noon at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Amsterdam and 114th St. at the bargain price of $5.00 per child with accompanying adult, considering the art materials used. The workshop includes weaving, brass rubbing, clay gargoyles, copying medieval illuminated letters, cutting out for stained glass effect, and chiseling on a limestone block. The kids have fun and are allowed to take their work home (well, not the limestone block). No reservations are needed, but you can call ahead to reserve a space, probably wise during holiday times, to find out about other family workshops, or to be added to their mailing list: (212) 932-7347.
The Studio Museum in Harlem is a contemporary art museum that focuses on the work of artists of African descent locally, nationally and globally. It is located at 125th Street (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd) between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd (7th Ave). Hours are Wed - Friday noon - 6:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Sunday noon - 6:00 p.m. Admission is by suggested donation and free for children under 12. They offer guided tours (by appointment), workshops, readings, concerts, and lectures -- see their website for info. Family programs for families with children ages 5-10 years old are free but pre-registration is required: call (212) 864-4500 x264 to RSVP or if you have questions. Someone will get back to you within three business days. For info on high school internships email internships@studiomuseum.org.
The Cloisters, the medieval branch of the Metropolitan Museum, located in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, has family workshops and gallery and garden tours free with admission. Call (212) 650-2280 for info and group visits.
The Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, (718) 638-5000, TTY: (718) 399-8440, has a world-class collection that rivals the Metropolitan, especially in Egyptian art, a real art school on the premises, and tons of activities for kids and families. Admission is $8/adults, $4/students and children under twelve free.
Programs for teens include:
To become a BCAP (Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program) summer camp counselor (at other locations as well as this museum) contact info@heartofbrooklyn.org or call (718) 638-7700.
Arty Facts is a 90-minute weekend program, Sat. and Sun. at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., free with admission, only for ages 4-7 and adult companions, to explore the galleries and make their own art.
While visiting the museum, check out their free family guides, scavenger hunts, gallery activities, art-oriented computer and muti-media resource room open Saturdays 12-4:40 p.m. (8:30 p.m. on first Saturdays) and Sundays 1-6 p.m.
Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP) Summer Camp is an innovative 2-week day camp for youth ages 7 through 12. Call (718) 638-7700 for scholarship information.
Kentler International Drawing Space, 353 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn, (718) 875-2098. Exhibits drawings and work on paper by New York-based artists as well as artists nationally. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12 - 5 p.m., free. See website for info on exibitions.
The Alliance of Queens Artists, 99-10 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills, NY 11375, (718) 520-9842, is dedicated to the creation and presentation of the visual arts.
The Museum for African Art, 36-01 43rd Avenue at 36th St, Long Island City. (718) 784-7700 Open Monday, Thursday, Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission: $6 for adults $3 for seniors, children, and students. Free for Members and children under 6 years FREE from 10-11am, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Exhibitions, programs, and workshops.
The Museum of the Moving Image, 35 Avenue at 36 Street, Astoria, (718) 784-0077. Admission: Adults: $10.00, Children (5-18): $5.00 ,under 5: Free. Admission to galleries is free on Fridays, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Film screenings not included.) The collection covers motion pictures, television programs, video art, and computer games.
Socrates Sculpture Park, at 32-01 Vernon Blvd. and Broadway in Long Island City, is open year-round with no admission. An outdoor museum, they exhibit large-scale outdoor sculpture and sponsor free concerts, performances, classes, art workshops and special family events. See their schedule online or call to reserve for a group (718) 956-1819.
The Queens Art Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park is so far afield that it’s almost always empty. They have the Panorama of NYC, a scale model of all five boroughs, which truly charms young children, and related pre- and post-visit materials to download on their website (also for free).
Sunday afternoon free drop-in art workshops for ages 5-12 with an adult companion. Call (718) 592-9700 x 137 for additional information. Call (718) 592-9700 x136 for additional information for children with special needs. For info on free high school portfolio workshops for public school students call (718) 647-3377 x18.
To apply for a high school internship call (718) 592-9700 x132 (or visit the website). Museum admission is by suggested donation. Open W-F 10-5 (12-5 in summer), Sat and Sun 12-5. Main phone is (718) 592-9700.
Exhibitions at Flushing Town Hall in Queens are free or a bargain. Check out their website for more info: art exhibits for gallery exhibit free to children under age 16. (Adults are $5, members are free.)
The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, offers Teen Spot, free after-school programs in visual mixed media (Mon and Tues, 4 - 6 p.m.) and Architecture (Wed and Thurs 4 - 6 p.m.).
The Bronx River Art Center, 1087 East Tremont Ave, phone: Monica Bravo at (718) 589-5819. Open Monday-Friday 3:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Saturday Noon - 5:00 p.m. Exhibitions, events. Their classes and workshops in the areas of Painting, Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Ceramics, and Digital Media are not free, but fee waivers and scholarships are available.
Summer art programs at the Bronx River Art Center (BRAC), include a free intensive art program for teens. All classes are limited in size. Students work in professional studios with high-quality materials and practicing artist-instructors. Dates: July 6-August 5, 2010. Fees: Fees for courses for ages 8-13 range from $50-$100.
Art and Environmental Studies Teen Institute for ages 14-18. Free. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 2 - 5 pm. Class meets three times a week for 15 sessions. The BRAC is offering an intensive multi-media Art and Environmental Studies Institute for teens.This free program is available only by application for a maximum of 20 students. Interested students need to apply by June 18th to partake in this collaborative program that will integrate the disciplines of ceramics, digital media, cartooning, and bookbinding to produce site-specific public “green” art. The program will culminate with a final summer exhibit and reception at Drew Gardens across the street from BRAC. See attachment for application instructions.
The Point, 940 Garrison Ave., (718) 542-4139. Local arts center with classes, exhibits, and programs.
The Victorian home of noted photographer Alice Austen, 2 Hylan Boulevard , (718) 816-4506.
The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, 338 Lighthouse Ave., (718) 987-3500, is open Wed - Sun, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Admission: Adults - $5; Students - $3; Children 12 and under - $2. The collection is housed in two buildings designed to resemble a Himalayan mountain temple. There are terraced meditation gardens and a lotus and fish pond.
The Snug Harbor Cultural Center at 1000 Richmond Terrace was a 19th century home for retired seamen and is now a regional arts center housing myriad museum and arts programs as well as an active Artist-in-Residence program. (718) 448-2500
"Two-fers" are discounts that allow you to purchase half-price tickets at the box office (or a similar deal). Anyone can get them by sending a SASE to School Theater Ticket Program, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1113, New York, NY 10036, with a written request telling them how many you want (why not ask for a dozen) and to which type of events -- such as Broadway plays or the New York City Opera.
See also NYCkidsARTS, a cultural calendar for teachers and parents. For participatory dance information, see Phys. Ed. and Summer Phys. Ed.
Please remember Etiquette for Live Performances.
Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is free, and takes place in recital halls, libraries, schools, and stages in neighborhoods all over the city (Nov. and Dec. 2005 venues were in Brooklyn and Manhattan and the Bronx). For info see the website or contact the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall at (212) 903-9670 or e-mail neighborhoodconcerts@weillmusicinstitute.org.
Middle School and High School students can get tickets (up to two each) to shows, concerts, dances, theater, exhibits, for $5.00 or less and all they need is school ID or proof of age (13-18). Monday-Thursday they can get two tickets for $5 (at least one must be used by the student but the other may be used by an adult), weekends it’s one ticket for $5, purchasable at least one day in advance. Five teens buying tickets together get a free sixth ticket. Museum exhibition tickets are often free. For current listings, check out the High5tix website or call their hotline at (212) Hi5-TKTS ((212) 445-8587). Listings are also published and distributed around town. Pick up a copy at the NYPL, Ticketmaster, or subscribe online.
NYC Coalition of Community Schools of the Arts Search this website for a list of music schools in your area. All of the city’s community arts schools, like Greenwich House, Bloomingdale, and the Brooklyn Conservatory, offer regular recitals by students, which young children tend to find inspiring. Recitals are free.
The Theatre Development Fund (TDF) is dedicated to encouraging and enabling diverse audiences to attend live theatre and dance in all their venues. They offer low-cost admission to many performances around town. They run the popular TKTS booth in Times Square. For cheap live performances, starting from free and $5 and up, see their expanded listings
In addition, they have special programs Talking Hands and Audio Describe! -- Arts-in-Education programs for elementary and secondary school students with hearing or vision loss in the tri-State area. Talking Hands provides access to the theatre for these mostly first-time theatergoers with hearing loss by simultaneously providing sign language interpretation and open captioning at performances of Broadway productions. Audio Describe! offers a similar opportunity for students who are blind or low vision by giving them access to audio described performances of Broadway shows.
They are happy to include homeschoolers. Proof of disability is requested (hearing/vision test results, doctor’s note etc.). They require a student/teacher ratio of one teacher to at least three students. Their next performances will be in fall 2008 and we will post information as it becomes available.
The InterSchool Orchestra of NY offers a variety of events at venues around the city, including concerts, auditing master classes, and illustrated lectures. Many are free, some require a fee or donation.
The NYU Children’s Chorus, located on the NYU campus in lower Manhattan, is free, and attracts a lot of homeschoolers. This choir meets on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Loewe Theater (35 W. 4th St.), accessed through the Education Building near the southeast corner of Washington Square Park. There are no auditions, open to ages 5-13 who are willing to work hard and have a desire to sing. The program includes a December recital. For info email the director, Professor Elaine Gates, at eg23@nyu.edu or call (212) 998-5539.
Acoustic series of international rhythm and sounds in the colonnade of the Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W 17 St at 7th Ave., (212) 620-5000. Sat and Sun afternoons, free.
The Children's Aid Society (main office at 105 East 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010, (212) 949-4800) operates a non-profit chorus. The Children's Aid Society Chorus is comprised of 350 children, ages 5-18, in fourteen vocal ensembles and two instrumental groups, open to all children who love to sing. No formal voice training or musical experience is required. For more information or to schedule an audition, call (212) 533-1675. Training is located in neighborhoods from Greenwich Village to Washington Hts. and the Bronx.
The Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st St, (212) 757-3318, offers events, concerts, and classes in traditional Irish music and dance, some of them free.
Carnegie Hall, at 57th St. and 7th Ave., has weekend afternoon family concerts at a fee of $9 per person. The McGraw-Hill Companies CarnegieKids concerts are perfect for kids ages four to six (in pre-k and kindergarten). Children enter into the "Sound Playground" with engaging, imaginative host-musicians Mark Stewart and Rob Schwimmer of Polygraph Lounge, exploring the question "What is a sound maker?" Kids sing, create original music, and experience a variety of inventive instruments during these 45-minute concerts held in Carnegie Hall's intimate Kaplan Space.
Concerts begin at 10 AM and 11:30 AM on Sun, Oct 26--Thurs, Oct 30 and in Spring 2009 on Tues, Mar 24--Fri, Apr 3. Only $6 per ticket!
Tickets are offered by mail order at CarnegieKids or ccall CarnegieCharge at (212) 247-7800, or visit the Box Office at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue. Carnegie Hall also sponsors free neighborhood concertsfree neighborhood concerts.
Not only can your child get free vocal training from a world-class opera company, but they can also get paid for it! The Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus , located in Lincoln Center, accepts youngsters ages 6-10 or 11. Children are accepted by audition, and receive free 90- minute to two-hour classes weekly. When roles come up, they audition for those (usually after at least a year of training). Those roles require long rehearsals and performances (both are paid, perhaps $25/performance). To try out for the Chorus, you must make a reservation for your child's audition by calling the Director of the Children's Chorus, Anthony Piccolo, at 212-799-3100 ext. 2919. The audition song has traditionally been "Happy Birthday" — to see if the child can hold that high note.
One parent's review: "The chance to work at the Met is first of all WORK--lots of it and demanding. But it is an amazing place where the greats of the opera world work with and alongside the kids. It is recommended that children who love opera begin at six or soon thereafter — but slightly older kids may audition at the discretion of the director--mine did. They will not be babied--they are working professionals and are expected to perform as such."
Tuition-free jazz instruction for middle school students at Lincoln Center. For info and eligibility requirements go to the website or call 212-258-9789. The contact for this program is Asata Viteri, at aviteri@jalc.org or (212) 258-9879.
The New York City Opera Company functions similarly to the Metropolitan Children’s Chorus, although parents say this director is a gentler sort. Joining a professional children's chorus is a serious commitment and may include performing at other venues as well. This is an ideal activity for homeschoolers who don't have to deal with a school's resentment when a child misses classes, perhaps for several weeks in a row. Boys and girls ages 7-13 may audition by singing "Happy Birthday" in low, medium, and high keys. They are looking for a clear voice that can carry a tune. Children who are selected receive free training in “classical singing technique, operatic style, foreign languages, stagecraft, and the skills to work safely and efficiently in an otherwise adult community.” The study of opera also teaches mythology and classic literature such as Shakespeare, as well as the skills needed to take direction and work as a member of a team. Classes are held on Monday afternoons in the basement of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. For more info contact Anthony Piccolo, Director of NYCO Children's Chorus, at (212) 870-4045.
New York City Opera Learning Center, New York State Theater, Lincoln Center, (212) 870-5570. Kids ages 6 to 12 interact with City Opera singers, musicians, and staff to learn about the opera world in these inexpensive hourlong family workshops, which include: The Girl of the Golden West, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, and Cinderella. $5.
New York Philharmonic, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, (212) 875-5030. Four Saturdays a year, the orchestra has Young Peoples Concerts, which focus on one section of the orchestra at a time. Before each concert, kids can play with instruments, make their own, and meet musicians in a program called Kidzone. Young Peoples concerts are $5–$23. Their Music for All Ages program includes concerts for preschoolers.
You can also attend the NYPhil morning rehearsals. Open Rehearsals usually begin at 9:45 a.m. in Avery Fisher, and end about 12:30 p.m. (sometimes 1 p.m., at the discretion of the conductor). Watch the New York Philharmonic at work, and see how a piece of music is shaped and polished by the conductor and the musicians. Tickets are $15. Order online or by phone for an extra $2 per ticket or buy them at the Avery Fisher Hall Box Office.
Phil Teens offers $10 tickets to Inside the Music and Hear & Now concerts -- two great ways to introduce teens to classical music. One guest of any age can attend at the same price with the purchase of each Phil Teen ticket.
Also check out New York Philharmonic Kidzone. Information on various instruments, musicians, and composers, plus make your own instrument, and more.
The Juilliard School, on Lincoln Center’s upper level walkway (W. 65th St. between Broadway and Amsterdam) has an annual schedule of concerts. Tickets are mostly free or $15.00. Performances are given by graduating Julliard students whose work is every bit as good as top-notch professionals.
New York City Ballet, Samuel B. and David Rose Building, Lincoln Center, (212) 870-4074. Family Insights is a 45-minute pre-performance program for kids 6 and up, in which dancers, musicians, and other artists answer questions in the rehearsal studios. Ballet Fundamentals has dancers and musicians covering ballet history, choreography, technique, and production. There’s also Family Fanfare and Ballet for Young People. Tickets are $5 to $12.
Musica Bella is an orchestra of professional musicians who perform classical and chamber music concerts with operatic and instrumental solos by leading artists. All fees are by donation (suggested $10 donation). The majority of concerts take place at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 152 W. 71st Street (between Broadway and Columbus Aves.), in Manhattan. See the website for their current schedule.
Symphony Space, Broadway at 93rd St, has a bunch of family programs including their Just Kidding series.
Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave (122 St), (212) 749-2802, has an extensive calendar of events that includes Cafe Jazz, jazz in a candlelight setting showcasing Manhattan School of Music student jazz combos. Free and open to the public. Complimentary snacks and beverages offered. Mitzi Newhouse Pavilion - 7:30 p.m., various dates.
MOSA free concert series at the Lutheran Church at 189th and Bennett Avenue in upper Manhattan, easily accessible by the 1 train and the A train.
Opus 118 is a nonprofit community music school serving the students of the Harlem area by providing low-cost, high-quality instruction in violin, viola, cello, guitar, and piano... accepting all students regardless of age, financial situation, or previous musical experience. Our goal is to transform the lives of our students and we do this with a faculty of dedicated, talented musicians who help students be their very best—both on stage and in life. Tel 212 831 4455 Location: 103 East 125th Street, 7th Fl., NYC (near #4,5 train).
One parent's comment: "A year ago, my two sons began violin lessons at Harlem's School of Music Opus 118. We have been honored and delighted with the whole experience. Our sons' teacher, Lynelle Smith, has been fun, patient, and demanding. It's been a good discipline for the kids to practice 15 minutes daily, and for us parents a relaxing, enjoyable listen as we hear them make gradual progress. The children are given the finest music training as well as supplemental recitals and surprise performances and workshops by world-class musicians. If you've seen the movie "Music of the Heart" then you will know the inspiring story of how Opus 118 came to be through the incredible efforts of the school's Director, Roberta Guaspari, and her associates."BAM's Dancing into the Future is an after-school program for high school students interested in dance and choreography. This unique program focuses on various dance-making techniques, developing tools for movement analysis, and creating original choreography. Students will participate in master classes with professional dancers and choreographers presenting a wide range of techniques and styles. The program will culminate in an informal performance of the original work created by the participants. Students will also attend live dance performances at BAM as well as at other dance venues.
BargeMusic, concerts held on a retired barge at Fulton Ferry Landing near the Brooklyn Bridge. (718) 624.2083. Once a month, they have a free concert.
The Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Ave, Brooklyn, (866)gowanus (469-2687), presents KidBrunchRunaround, Saturdays, 10 a.m. Bagels, muffins, hot-dogs, hamburgers, juice, hot chocolate - and music. Admission $5 some weeks, others free.
The Brooklyn Youth Chorus, 179 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201-6213, is open to girls in grades 2 through 11 and boys (with unchanged voices) in grades 2 through 8. Auditions are scheduled throughout the year. The student will perform simple pitch-matching exercises, sing scales, and sing the familiar song "Happy Birthday." A student's acceptance is based on age, vocal ability, musical experience, a love of singing, and enthusiasm for music. All chorus members are reevaluated annually to assess their progress and determine their placement. To schedule an auditon complete the form at their website. Contact the Chorus Manager at (718) 243-9447, ext 223, or email info@brooklynyouthchorus.org for current rates. Over 40% of members are awarded financial aid or scholarships.
The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor, Ethical Culture Society, 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, ( 718 ) 768-2972, presents folk music on Friday evenings.
Performances at Flushing Town Hall in Queens are free or a bargain. Check out their website for more info. Performances for students, Tickets: $6.50 (members, $5/adults and $1/child).
The Bronx Arts Ensemble is a not-for-profit organization enriching the cultural environment of the Bronx with a year-round schedule of concerts, special programs for families and a full music and arts-in-education program for schools. Check out their free events.
The Bronx Symphony Orchestra performs concerts throughout the year, in changing locations (mostly colleges and high schools) throughout the Bronx. For more info call (718) 601-9151 or visit the website for their schedule, and to join their mailing list. Admission is free, donations welcome.
The Point, 940 Garrison Ave., (718) 542-4139. Local arts center with performances and free or low cost music instruction for kids over seven and teens who are South Bronx residents.
Staten Island Ballet performs at several venues on Staten Island and also runs a ballet school.
Wagner College, One Campus Road, (718) 390-3313, offers many concerts throughout the year by the renowned Wagner Choir, the Concert Band, the Jazz Band, the Guitar and Lute Ensemble, as well as other ensembles and recitals by faculty and students. All events are free. See the schedule of events .
In the summertime, NYC is the capital of free festivals. Here's a brief rundown. More will be added as people announce their schedules. Please remember Etiquette for Live Performances.
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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presents free performances in all five boroughs in August.
See NYC Parks - Upcoming Events. Jazz in Battery Park, lower Manhattan, at lunchtime, Metropolitan Opera performances on the Great Lawn in Central Park, (212)362-6000 or (212)360-3333.
Arts in the Parks, citywide, weekday mornings: puppet shows, music, live entertainment, for ages 5-9. Call (212) 360-8290 for schedule and locations.
The NY Philharmonic offers free concerts in various parks. Call (212) 875-5709 for citywide schedule.
The River to River Festival includes a river-front concert series through August. Call (212)528-2733 for info.
South Street Seaport runs a variety of free concerts during the summer. See their Calendar of Events or call (212) SEAPORT - (212) 732-7678.
A variety of free music events at Hudson River Park.
ABC's Good Morning America offers a free concert series with top-name artists, Fridays from May to August, 7 - 9 a.m. (yes, in the morning!), at Bryant Park. (212) 512-5700 or check gma.abcnews.com for the latest schedule. (And free movies there on Monday evenings at five, but go early)
Toyota Concerts offer top acts for free in Rockefeller Center on Friday morningsat 7:00 a.m.
SummerStage runs through mid-Sept., music from around the world at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. Most events are free, weekend evenings at 7 p.m., rain or shine, some midweek concert dates too. No tickets, seating is first-come-first-serve. Doors open 90 minutes early weekends, 60 min. early weekdays. Enter Central Park at 69th & 5th Ave; the Playfield is near 5th & 72nd St.
The Harlem Jazz & Music Festival brings world-class artists to the area. (212)862-8477 for schedule.
Celebrate Brooklyn presents a variety of free concerts.
The Bronx Arts Ensemble has a schedule of Free Community Events, including free outdoor summer concerts on Sundays and holidays in Van Cortlandt Park and other locations in the Bronx. Check out their schedule at (718)601-7399.
More will be added as people announce their schedules. Please remember Etiquette for Live Performances.
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Theater Playground Productions in NYC Parks (for kids and families). Life on a Desert Island, based on Robinson Crusoe. Riverside and Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. CHeck their website for dates and locations.
Gorilla Rep performs in in Fort Tryon Park. This summer they are showing:
July 9-Aug 2: Joan of Arc
August: Peer Gynt
September: Julius Caeser
Free Shakespeare in the Parking Lot (at Ludlow and Broome Streets) presented by the drilling compaNY.
Free movies on Fridays in July - August, at Hudson River Park (click on RiverFlicks for Kids to see the schedule). On Pier 45 at Christopher St. .
The HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival (behind the 42nd St. NYPL) runs mid-June through August, Monday nights (Tuesday night, raindate). The lawn opens at 5 p.m. for blankets and picnics, films start at dusk (8 or 9). Folks get there at midday to stake out their spots. You can sit in the chairs among the trees, on the side, but watch out -- one side is for smokers (if they haven't outlawed this completely). In the bandshell they have live Broadway performances, musical numbers from current shows, every Thursday in July and August, 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. Hotline: (212) 512-5700 for their schedule.
The current season of the New York Classical Theatre offers free plays in Central Park and in Battery Park at Castle Clinton. Read about Shakespeare on the Run 
Shakespeare in the Park is a free series that runs Tuesday to Sunday, late July through August in Central Park at the Delacorte Theater.
A free production of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors is offered Saturdays and Sundays, mid-June to mid-July at 2 pm in Central Park (enter at CPW and 69th St.) by the Boomerang Theatre Company.
The free Central Park Film Festival usually happens in late August.
Dubbed "The Other Free Shakespeare in the Park, Hudson Warehouse presents Shakespeare Thursdays to Sundays, June – August, 6:30 pm at the North Patio of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Riverside Park (West 89th and Riverside Drive). This summer they are doing The Tempest, Hamlet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Every June, Moose Hall Theater Company offfers free Shakespeare in Inwood (with other plays and festivals in July and August.
Free film and theater presentations in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The Old Stone House in Brooklyn at Washington Park (5th Avenue btween 3rd and 4th Streets in Park Slope) hosts free film and theater events , including productions of Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, and Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
A free production of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors is offered in Queens July 25th at 4pm in the Fort Totten Park gazebo, Bayside, Queens by the Boomerang Theatre Company.
Free movies in Socrates Sculpture Park, on Wednesdays in July and August.
The NYPL has a great site, TumbleBookLibrary, with tons of kid's e-books that are displayed on your screen. Your child can either read them, or have them read aloud by the computer. Great graphics, fast loading, super fun. And see also Summer Reading 2008, another NYPL project.
"Two-fers" are discounts that allow you to purchase half-price tickets at the box office (or a similar deal). Anyone can get them by sending a SASE to School Theater Ticket Program, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1113, New York, NY 10036, with a written request telling them how many you want (why not ask for a dozen) and to which type of events -- such as Broadway plays or the New York City Opera.
See also:
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Girls Write Now provides mentors for young [female] writers.
The Shakespeare Project gives free performances in parks and public spaces throughout the city.
Look around you on the bus or subway and you may see cards bearing poems. The "Poetry in Motion" program is a joint project of the Metroplitan Transit Authority and the Poetry Society of America.
The Public Theater was founded by Joseph Papp as the Shakespeare Workshop and is now one of the nation's preeminent cultural institutions, dedicated to embracing the complexities of contemporary society and nurturing both artists and audiences, as it continues Joseph Papp's legacy of creating a place of inclusion and a forum for ideas. It is the producer of Shakespeare in the Park.
The NYC Parks Department offers city-wide Afterschool Programs (from 3-6 p.m.) and the Teens at Parks (TAP) program (from 6-9 p.m.), with classes in the arts as well as cultural and recreational sport opportunities for kids. Auditions for the City-wide Talent Show are held in April and May with a possible performance in June. Call for dates and locations at the NYC hotline number: 311. Manhattan (212) 408-0246; Brooklyn (718) 965-8938; Queens (718) 520-5918; Bronx (718) 430-1825; Staten Island: (718) 390-8020. Check the website for details.
Auditions, often advertised as open calls, offer opportunities for free educational experiences. It’s not just about getting the part. An audition by itself can be regarded as a free class. Try out a dance step, sing a song in front of a stranger, practice a monologue and get some feedback. Auditions also help your child to learn that rejection is a part of every ambitious life and not to take it personally. There is always plenty to learn along the way! Try getting a copy of Backstage, a newspaper that comes out every Thursday and lists theatrical and film auditions for everything from major motion picture and Broadway casting calls to NYU student films. Check them out online or at any newsstand.
Each month the New York Public Library puts out a pamphlet of activities for children, and another for young adults and adults. As my kids grew up they learned computer skills, saw movies & puppet shows, took classes in magic tricks, origami, jewelry-making, visited history exhibits, all free at various branches of the NYPL. Pick up a free pamphlet at any branch and find a city-wide listing of activities. Be sure to check the bulletin boards of your branch for local events and schedule changes.
The main children’s branch is the Donnell Library Center at 20 West 53rd St. (between 5th and 6th Aves.), (212) 930-0800 (main switchboard), (212) 621-0618 (Donnell Center). Special features of the Donnell branch include a noncirculating collection of 18th- and 19th-century children's books available by appointment, a range of materials for adults about children's literature, and programs such as films, story hours, and guest appearances by authors and illustrators. The original Winnie-the-Pooh toys (owned by the real Christopher Robin), Mary Poppins's umbrella, and other unique items are on permanent display. For teens, the Donnell boasts the largest collection of magazines, hardcover, paperback and recorded books for seventh through twelfth grades, and the largest circulating collections of popular music CDs and popular films on DVD and VHS. [All of these can be reserved online and delivered to your local branch in Bronx, Manhattan, or Staten Island (Brooklyn and Queens have a sepearate system).] The Donnell’s surround sound stereo system allows playing music from their collection. A quiet study room is available for teens who don't want to work with music in the background. There are two groupings of comfortable lounge chairs--one near a 36-inch TV. Highlights of the collection include circulating books in Chinese and Spanish, a growing collection of graphic novels, and manga and popular anime series on DVD.
Services include Internet access reserved for teens, exhibit space for student artwork and afterschool programs. Bryant Park, behind the main 42nd St. branch, has an open air library in the summer, M-F, 11-5.
The Theatre Development Fund (TDF) is dedicated to encouraging and enabling diverse audiences to attend live theatre and dance in all their venues. They offer low-cost admission to many performances around town. They run the popular TKTS booth in Times Square. For cheap live performances, starting from free and $5 and up, see their expanded listings
In addition, they have special programs Talking Hands and Audio Describe! -- Arts-in-Education programs for elementary and secondary school students with hearing or vision loss in the tri-State area. Talking Hands provides access to the theatre for these mostly first-time theatergoers with hearing loss by simultaneously providing sign language interpretation and open captioning at performances of Broadway productions. Audio Describe! offers a similar opportunity for students who are blind or low vision by giving them access to audio described performances of Broadway shows.
They are happy to include homeschoolers. Proof of disability is requested (hearing/vision test results, doctor’s note etc.). They require a student/teacher ratio of one teacher to at least three students. Their next performances will be in fall 2008 and we will post information as it becomes available.
Middle School and High School students can get tickets (up to two each) to shows, concerts, dances, theater, exhibits, for $5.00 or less and all they need is school ID or proof of age (13-18). Monday-Thursday they can get two tickets for $5 (at least one must be used by the student but the other may be used by an adult), weekends it’s one ticket for $5, purchasable at least one day in advance. Five teens buying tickets together get a free sixth ticket. Museum exhibition tickets are often free. For current listings, check out the High5tix website or call their hotline at (212) Hi5-TKTS ((212) 445-8587). Listings are also published and distributed around town. Pick up a copy at the NYPL, Ticketmaster, or subscribe online.
TRaC offers selected junior and senior high school students the chance to attend and review free High 5 events and learn from artists and critics. For application, email sengels@high5tix.org with your mailing address and phone number.
Play by Play is a theater guide written by and for teens, sponsored by the Theater Development Fund (TDF), the half-price Broadway ticket outfit. If you are interested in writing for Play by Play, , email a writing sample with a cover letter to playbyplay@tdf.org. Be sure to include your phone number, email address, your high school (or the fact that you are home-schooled), and current grade. Applications accepted year-round. They cannot accept all students who apply.
Play by Play magazine has an extensive list of theater internships for high school students. Learn theater tech or get a job clerking for a musical theater company. Great for college resumes. They have lots of listings online with loads of Manhattan theaters (and a few in Brooklyn and Queens) that will take teen volunteers and give them valuable experience. After checking out their internship listings, look at the Writing Opportunities that include Playwriting, Journalism, and Spoken Word and Hip-Hop Poetry. You can read reviews here from kids who took advantage of some of these experiences.
Every Monday at 11:30AM there is a free weekly story time at the Housing Works Bookstore Café at 126 Crosby Street, for kids four and under. Readings, sing-alongs and half-priced cappuccinos for parents and care givers.
A great resource for children's plays, the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (in the same building as the Borough of Manhattan Community College) in Lower Manhattan on Chambers St. near the West Side Hwy. They offer lots of plays and other types of performances for kids and they are VERY homeschooling friendly. Tickets for these weekday performances are about $5 each and the "teacher" (you) is free. (The same performance goes for $25 on weekends.) Make sure to mention you're a homeschooler when you call for tickets. You can also order on-line.
Poets House, 10 River Terrace (western end of Chambers Street). (212) 431-7920. Home to a 40,000 volume poetry collection. Free and open to the public, the library includes books, journals, chapbooks, audio tapes, videos and electronic media. Open Tuesdays through Fridays 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Each Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., the Children’s Room at Poets House welcomes young readers (ages 4-10) and their adults. The Children’s Room offers a gigantic magnetic poetry board, a one-of-a-kind canopy of 1,000 origami cranes, and a wide selection of the best poetry for children, old and new.
Upcoming free events for kids:
Saturday, April 17, 11:00am–3:00pm
Grand Opening of the Constance Laibe Hays Children's Room at Poets HouseJoin us for a celebration of our new children's room! Festivities begin at 11:00am with U.S. Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman and teacher Linda Winston sharing poems from their anthology, The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination. The revelry continues with giveaways, creative writing exercises and other surprises
Saturday, May 1, 11:00am
"How Does a Bird Imagine? What Does a Tree Know?" with Richard Lewis This performance, art and writing workshop led by children's poet extraordinaire Richard Lewis features a parade in spring-time imagining hats.
Saturday, May 15, 11:00am
My Life as a Blue Elephant with Calef BrownAuthor and illustrator of prize-winning children's books, Calef Brown reads from his most popular works and reveals how he creates his illustrations and madcap poems. One parent's comment: "Calef Brown's poetry books for kids are such fun to read aloud. I highly recommend them for giggles and for inspiration to write your own poem (and illustrate it). Enjoy!"
Saturday, May 29, 11:00am
River of Words with Robert HassPulitzer Prize–winning poet Robert Hass
shares his own poems of the natural world as well as those by children
across the country. A discussion about connecting watersheds and
imaginations through poetry and art will follow.
Located near Astor Place in the heart of the East Village, Shakespeare Lab Jr. is an intensive summer workshop program for highly motivated young people entering grades 9 - 12 . Participants spend five action-packed days inside the world-famous Public Theater working with our energetic staff of professional teaching artists to engage in a unique and exciting exploration of history’s’ most famous playwright--William Shakespeare.
At McNally Robinson Bookstore, 50 Prince St., between Lafayette and Mulberry, (212) 274-1160. Practice your Spanish with Javier Molea, resident Spanish language literature expert. Javier used to own a bookstore in Montevideo, Uruguay, and people gathered on Saturdays to discuss books. Now he's bringing that tradition to New York. No preparatory reading is required; Borges, Cortazar, Fuentes, and all of the greatest Spanish writers are frequently discussed. Every Saturday at 12 p.m.
Early childhood literacy program for kids 3-5 at the Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W 17 St at 7th Ave., (212) 620-5000. Monday, 11 a.m. - noon. Kids free, adults pay museum admission $10.
The MCC Theater Company has a Playwriting Unit that offers free weekly playwriting workshops for teens on Wednesdays at 4:30-6:30 p.m., and free acting labs for teens on Tuesdays 4:30-6:30 p.m. Classes are at the NYU campus starting fall 2006. For info, mailing list, or to set up an interview in the fall, go to the education page on the website, the youth company, or contact Katharine Ward at (212) 727-7722.
Urban Word has free, uncensored creative writing workshops, poetry slams, and other celebrations of the written and spoken word, for teens ages 13-19, at 242 W. 27th St. Suite 3B and other locations all over the city. Check out the website, choose your workshop and location, and sign up online.
CAT Youth Theatre members include young people (in grades 6-12) from throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Members participate free of charge, and there is no audition for entrance.
The Youth Theater is for high school students, and the Junior Youth Theatre is for middle school students, ages 10-14.
CAT Junior Youth Theatre Free Summer Intensive August 23-28, 2010 No audition necessary Enroll Today- Spaces are Limited!!!! Application. Further information: (212) 652-2828
Through games, activities and improvisation, we will explore creating original theatre. By the end of the week you will have an opportunity to invite your friends and family to share some of your work. All participants are guaranteed a place in the Junior Youth Theatre which meets weekly from September to May. Enrollment is FREE OF CHARGE, but participation and commitment are essential.
Organized by the City University of New York's Creative Arts Team.
Young Playwrights, 431 Fifth Ave., 6th fl., between 38th and 39th Sts., was created by Stephen Sondheim in order to encourage and support the next generation of playwrights. Their advanced playwriting workshops are free to qualified high school students in the tri-state area. This is a year-long course, scheduled on the NYC public school calendar. In 2005-6 students met every Tuesday afternoon from 4:30 - 7 p.m. to study with master working artists and explore the art of playwriting with other young dramatists. Participants are also invited to attend Broadway and Off-Broadway performances during the school year. Students are selected on the basis of writing samples (one creative and one expository) and a recommendation from a teacher or mentor (they will accept a letter from a parent/teacher). Selected students must then come in for a personal interview before they are enrolled in the program. One homeschooled student who attended felt that their professionalism was a bit unyielding, so they expect you to take this opportunity seriously.
YPI also offers annual playwriting contests for three different age ranges: elementary, middle school, and high school. There is one national contest and one for NYC, with separate deadlines (in 2006 the NYC deadline is March 20th). Another distinction between the two contests is the age requirement. The national contest accepts only age 18 or younger, while the NYC contest has no age limit for high school students. Every single entry receives a written evaluation by a professional playwright and an invitation to their awards ceremony! Winning entries are awarded a cash prize and a brief excerpt of the plays are performed at the awards ceremony. (For details, go to their website and click on competitions.) At no charge, the staged performances of the YPI contest winners are well worth the viewing. All you need is a reservation to watch some of the finest new plays written by top local talent, but be careful, they may not all be suitable for young children.
See Contests, Competitions, and Quizzes for more competitions.
Camp Broadway is a theatre arts education company dedicated to helping students and families experience theatre in creative and meaningful ways. While they mainly work with schools, they have produced StageNOTES®: A Field Guide for Teachers, that give a a behind-the-scenes look at Broadway shows.
Attend a Broadway show, write articles and take workshops with renowned arts journalists. Free for NYC public high school students and homeschoolers with proof of NYC paperwork. Students will receive professional coaching and attend meetings at Columbia University, to learn how to conduct interviews and research, and learn how to write entertainment reviews and feature stories. For more info, call (212) 575-2929 or visit www.studentpressreview.com, click on Camp Broadway Stringers Program and download an application, due by April 11, or call (212) 854-9400 to request one sent to you. Applications that stand out will get a follow-up telephone interview; 20-30 students are accepted each year. This year, 2006, Stringers Program students will meet on April 30 and June 4, to receive assignments and direction. In between those dates they will see a show and then conduct an interview. The folks at Camp Broadway are hoping that homeschooled students will apply.
New Victory Theater, 209 West 42nd Street, (646) 223-3020. For kids and families. Tickets start at $7.
The Word for Word Series runs in the Bryant Park Reading Room (behind the NYPL at 42nd St.).
The Manhattan Theater Club, at 311 West 43rd St., 8th fl. (bet. 8th & 9th Aves.), has an outstanding Family Matinee Program. High school students and the adult of their choice are welcome to attend this free series of events. (Note: Although they say this is for high school students, you only need to be over 13 years old, and each teen is allowed only one adult companion.) Call (212) 399-3000, ext. 253, and ask to be put on their mailing list, or reserve a space in their next matinee program. This event includes a free continental breakfast, a class that includes acting, directing, improvisation, and playwriting, (a brief lunch break) and free tickets to a matinee performance of a Broadway play, with a chance to question the cast after the production. Absolutely free, but you must make reservations because space is limited.
The 52nd Street Project (acting and playwriting) , (212) 333-5252, at 500 W. 52nd St., 2nd fl., between 10th and 11th Aves., only accepts local residential children (required by their grant funding to do so). I think their boundaries are 40th - 60th Sts., 8th - 12th Aves. This incredibly creative group takes neighborhood kids from ages 9-18, teaches them to write and perform original plays by working with professional directors and well-known actors in a professional setting. This can be a major event in a child’s life, at no cost whatsoever. Free tutoring in all subjects is offered to kids enrolled in this project. For more info contact the directors, Gus Rogerson or Carol Oaks, at (212) 333-5252. They also accept applications for interns city-wide, ages 18+. Performances are free and open to the public. Call to be put on their mailing list.
The Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St., near Sixth Ave. (212) 621-6800. Families come here to browse through thousands of classic children’s radio and TV programs. The Re-Creating Radio Workshop allows kids to produce their own old-fashioned radio dramas— and offers them take-home copies of their broadcasts, to boot. Adults $10, kids 13 and under $5.
The Dahesh Museum of Art at 580 Madison Ave. bet. 56th & 57th Sts., offers “Write Your Way through Art” for grades 3-12, a writing-intensive tour that allows students to reflect on works of art in their own poetry and prose. Call Laura McGowan, Education and Programs Dept., LMcgowan@daheshmuseum.org, (212) 759-0606 x 249.
Children’s PressLine (writing and journalism), at 122 Amsterdam Ave. (between 65th and 66th Streets), rm. 143, (mailing address: 163 Amsterdam Ave. PMB #149, New York, NY 10023) at the Urban Assembly Media High School at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Bldg. Phone: (212) 501-1118. Children's PressLine (CPL) is a youth journalism program that gives kids the opportunity to represent themselves in the media. They work with kids (ages 10-18) and train them to be reporters (ages 10-13) and editors (ages 14 to 18) who work collaboratively to develop, research, report and write news articles that are published with CPL's professional media partners, including The New York Daily News, Metro NY and The New York Amsterdam News. SIgn up for the e-newsletter to find out when the next training session starts or contact Youth Coordinator Amanda Thieroff at athieroff @ gmail.com or (917) 439-6723.
The Lucy Moses School has a hugely popular music theater summer program, attracting a large number of upper-west-side residents. The summer day camp is fully booked by Feb., and many graduates return to work as interns. Contact Director Sean Hartley, at (212) 501-3366, to apply for summer internships for high school students ages 16-18 Choose to work as a drama intern (working as a camp counselor and helping the kids to rehearse) or as a design intern (working on costumes or set or props). Interns are paid a stipend, given travel expenses, and a letter of community service. They also get to perform in their own mid-summer intern talent show for the campers, parents & staff, and end up with a nice addition to their college resume.
The Walter Reade Theater, located on the upper level of the 65th St. walkway at Lincoln Center, is known for its international film festivals. In summer they have a children’s festival with a different theme each year. Tickets are $2.00, weekend matinees. Year-round they host a series called Reel to Real which combines film clips with live performances and encourages audience interaction. For example, at a tribute to Louis Armstrong children were invited to bring their horns on stage and play a note with Wynton Marsalis and New Orleans jazz musicians. $15/ticket. Call for group rates and subscription info. See schedules online.
WritopiaLab is a NYC-based national community of young writers. In Brooklyn ( Starting Artists at 221 Smith Street and at Freebird Books & Goods Bookstore at 123 Columbia Street) and in Manhattan (155 W. 81st St., Suite A, (212) 222-4088). Award-winning creative writing workshops for kids 8 to 18. Writopia Lab is a community-funded organization. The workshops are not free, but they do offer a sliding scale: 40% of students pay reduced fees and 10% pay nothing at all. Full details are at Pricing Menu.
Free tutoring for children with IEPs. The Hunter College Learning Lab offers free twice-weekly tutoring in the 2008-09 school year for children with learning differences in grades 1-6 who have IEPs. Contact David Connor at 212-772-4746.
The BAC International Film and Video Festival (filmmaking and screening), at 421 5th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215, (718) 625-0080, screens films free of charge at various locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, such as the Brooklyn Museum, Ocularis at Galapagos Art Space in Williamsburg, and Sony Wonder Technology Lab in Manhattan. BAC showcases the highest scoring films and videos in the College Student category in a screening hosted by Long Island University's Media Arts Department in the Spike Lee Screening Room. The festival screens both short- and feature-length films made by youth (K-12), college, and independent filmmakers in various genres, and is the longest running event of its kind in Brooklyn. The BAC 39th International Film and Video Festival took place from April – June 2005. It is offered through the Brooklyn Arts Council, and details and schedule information can be found on their website.
See also the BAC International Film and Video Festival
826NYC, 372 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215, (718) 499-9884, is a non-profit group offering FREE writing workshops, Scrabble® tournaments, tutoring, a summer camp where kids create a magazine (Lit Mag Boot Camp, see below), and more, serving kids age 6-18.
Apply by 30 April for the Summer Lit Mag Boot Camp in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Work with a select group of writers on a collection of articles, short stories, and essays destined for publication.
Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Film Screenings are designed to introduce students to important films, instruct them on how to analyze cinema as an art form, and engage them in stimulating discussions on the issues raised. Each film in this series is chosen for its artistic excellence, the significance of its theme, and its curricular connections. Pre-screening preparation workshops and post-screening discussions with distinguished writers, artists, community leaders, and critics help to place the films and related works of literature in their social, artistic, and historical contexts. Admission around $6.
Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Young Critics Institute selects twenty high school juniors and seniors, ages 16 and 17, every year. (The director told me that occasionally a highly motivated sophomore has been accepted.) They hone critical writing skills, review BAM performances, meet critics and artists. Students met at BAM Mondays from 4-6 p.m., March to May, and review everything from Shakespeare to modern live music to visual arts. Applications, available on the website for fall and spring after the new year, are followed up by an interview. For more info call (718) 636-4130, press 2, or email education@bam.org.
Brooklyn Arts Council, (718) 625-0080, 55 Washington St., suite 218, DUMBO (under the Manhattan Bridge) has an extensive directory of local arts groups on their website. Many offer free performances and discounted eduational opportunites.
Brooklyn Arts Exchange (theatre classes and workshops) at 421 Fifth Ave., www.bax.org, (718) 832-0018, formerly known as Gowanus Arts Exchange. They offer classes in theatre (as well as dance, music, and movement) 6 days a week during the school year for students ages 18 months to 18 years. They also offer summer arts programs and classes for the whole family. 22% of their student body receives financial assistance.
The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens has a free monthly children’s story hour for ages 5 and up, every third Saturday from 11 a.m.- noon. Enter through the visitor center. Call (718) 623-7272 for info.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, 334 Furman Street, Brooklyn, (718) 802-0603, presents free theater and dance events at the Tobacco Warehouse in Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park every season. The park itself, which is an ongoing project, will stretch 1.3 miles along the East River from north of the Manhattan Bridge to Atlantic Avenue. It includes Piers 1 - 6, each approximately the size of Bryant Park, and their uplands. Brooklyn Bridge Park will transform this underused and inaccessible stretch into a magnificent public space filled with lawns, recreation, beaches, coves, restored habitats, playgrounds and beautifully landscaped areas.
The Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts has international artists giving live performances for $4/ticket advance sales ($5 same day). Check out their website for a current calendar or call (718) 951-4600, ext. 25 to order tickets.
Brooklyn College has an excellent theater department and hosts many live performances on their campus. Contact their College Now Program for possible theater activities for high school juniors and seniors as part of this scholarship program.
The Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Ave, Brooklyn, (866)gowanus (469-2687), presents a short films festival, Sundays at 7 p.m., $10.
WritopiaLab is a NYC-based national community of young writers. In Brooklyn ( Starting Artists at 221 Smith Street and at Freebird Books & Goods Bookstore at 123 Columbia Street) and in Manhattan (155 W. 81st St., Suite A, (212) 222-4088). Award-winning creative writing workshops for kids 8 to 18. Writopia Lab is a community-funded organization. The workshops are not free, but they do offer a sliding scale: 40% of students pay reduced fees and 10% pay nothing at all. Full details are at Pricing Menu.
Queens Council on the Arts, (718) 647-3377, has an extensive list of local events in all the arts, including many free and cheap performances. Download their free Queens art map and neighborhood guides.
Queens Theatre in the Park, (718) 760-0064. Click on the link for kids and family. Tix are $12 each or $9 each if you buy for three or more shows.
The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, offers Teen Spot, a free after-school program in Poetry, Lyrics, Creative Writing,Monologues, Drama, and Improvisation group and inividual exercises. (Mon and Tues, 4 - 6 p.m.).
The City Island Theatre Group has its performances at Grace Episcopal Church Hall, 104 City Island Ave, City Island, NY (mailing address: PO Box 45, Bronx, NY, 10464-0045), (718) 885-3066. Tickets are $12 /general admission, $10/students. They usually have a kids’ show in June with open auditions, and other plays during the year also have parts for kids.
The CenterStage Community Playhouse has performances at Foster Hall, 2474 Westchester Ave., Bronx, NY, 10461 (mailing address: PO Box 138, Westchester Square Station, Bronx, NY, 10461), www.centerstageplayhouse.org, (718) 823-6434. tickets are $14/students, $16/general admission. For $15 ($20 for adults) a student age 16 or older can become a “member”, which entitles you to first audition notices, and free admission to play readings, special events (open mikes) and workshops, for a period of one year (Sept 1 – Aug 31). “Subscribers” can get a discounted season ticket (good for 1 ticket to each show in the 3-show season) for $38.
Bronx Council on the Arts, at 1738 Hone Ave., Bronx, NY, 10461, (718) 931-9500. For info on children’s classes and commuity theaters contact Americo Casiano at americo@bronxarts.org or at ext. 19 at the number above.
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, 250 Bedford Park Blvd. W., at Paul Ave., the Bronx, (718) 960-8833. The Family Fun series—shows like Jack and the Beanstalk and Peter Pan—is $5 for children, $10 for adults. Community Celebrations (acts like the Peking acrobats), $10.
The Harlequin Players, based at the YMHA, 5625 Arlington Ave., in Riverdale (call (718) 548-8200, extension 229 and ask for Sue Rose) is a theatre group for youth and adults. They offer opportunities for students both onstage and off, as house managers or backstage crew for lighting and set construction. Sue Rose says they use a professional staff and offer professional guidance for the young people with whom they work. The Y also has theater programs geared towards kids: The Junior Rising Stars (ages 10-12) and the Rising Stars (ages 12-17). For more info on these programs, contact Laurie Walton at (718) 543-8958 or (347) 623-5827.
Lehman College in the Bronx has a new summer theater program offered to high school juniors and seniors for college credit through their College Now Program. Eligibility is based on SAT scores or Regents Exams (see details under Precollege Programs). For summer 2002 they put on a one-act by Moliere. This course includes acting, costume, set, lighting, the works. For more info, call the College Now Office onthe Lehman Campus at (718) 960-6792.
Council on the Arts and Humanities for Staten Island has a year-round events calendar with family activities in all subject areas, including free or cheap live performances at local theaters.
See also Ongoing Education - Step 10 of the Ten Steps to Successful Homeschooling and About College.
CUNY has a scholarship program called “College Now” geared for junior and senior high school students, although 9th and 10th graders may also be eligible for certain workshops. Each borough has a community college campus as well as a senior college campus and other branches as well, comprising a total of seventeen colleges in NYC participating in this program. See the list of colleges and the contact info at each campus.
Entry into the CUNY precollege program requires either a grade of 75 on the English and Math Regents or a 480 on the English and math portions of the SAT or a 50 on the PSAT; an ACT score may be acceptable also. Lower scores might stillmake a student eligible for community colleges. Non-credit preparatory courses and workshops are offered to help students become eligible for the program. Private school students are not eligible, so current Board of Ed. paperwork stating the student’s grade level and proving the student is legally homeschooled under the NYC Board of Ed. regulations is necessary.
When my oldest son attended this program five years ago we paid no fees whatsoever, and were given an additional $75.00 book allowance at the bookstore. My son lacked an SAT score, so he took a free CUNY entrance exam, their version of the ACT exam. My son was encouraged to meet with department heads to inquire about courses. By visiting these offices he received permission to take courses beyond the introductory level. He ended up taking 2nd and 3rd-year-level college courses while a high school junior and senior. My son also enjoyed using the arts facilities and attending college performances on campus. It gave him confidence to experience campus life while still homeschooling.
CUNY includes Hunter College, Baruch College (business), John Jay College (criminal justice), Brooklyn College, etc., all offering a huge variety of courses.
Columbia University, an Ivy League campus on the upper west side, allows any high school student to take a course that is not offered at his or her school. For homeschoolers that means everything! But you have to qualify for Columbia’s high standards, and the courses are expensive. Their high school science honors program, however, is free. Classes, for 10th, 11th and 12th grade honors students, Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., September - May, offer everything from neurobiology to quantum theory. A Columbia U. entrance exam is necessary.
For information about applying as a homeschooler, contact Professor Allan Blaer at the Science Honors Program at (212) 854-3354.
In Brooklyn, Polytechnic University offers a precollege science and engineering program for high school students at the Center for Youth in Engineering and Science (YES). Courses require only a registration fee. Applications for fall are due by the first week of September, for spring are due by mid-January. Their campus is open to visitors M-F, 9-5, and they will waive their in-person application fee if you visit. In the past they have encouraged homeschoolers to apply for credit-earning courses and to seek scholarships. For more info you can contact Beverly Johnson in their Center for Youth in Engineering and Science at (718) 260-3033.
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Eyebeam's After-School Digital Art Program offers free workshops every Thursday, 3-6 p.m. Workshops start at 4 p.m. Students can participate in a hands-on workshop, focusing on audio mixing and editing, video production, video game design, or other software based activities. Students who drop-in will then continue to work on skills learned, or other computer-based projects on following Thursdays.
Participating students will have full supervised use of Eyebeam’s Mac lab, which includes: Apple Intel G5 computers loaded with software including Adobe’s Creative Suite, Final-Cut Pro, and more.
Home schooled students are welcome to participate in the youth drop-in program as long as they are between the ages of 13–18. All students are strongly encouraged to RSVP via email or phone to: stephanie@eyebeam.org, 212-937-6580 x247
Location: Eyebeam is located on 540 W 21st Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, New York, NY 10011. Subway directions:Take the local C or E trains to 23rd Street and 8th Avenue
One homeschooling parent's comment: "Eyebeam has a rolling and open admission. Each month they focus on a different thing, but will do whatever the kid wants. They also work on long term projects with the individual. This is a great program that my son highly recommends! He has learned so many different programs that we don't have in our home, including: how to make a website, a blog, beginning programming and developing games. It is totally free! You can drop in without reserving a spot each week, so it's very easy to attend. Meet up and hang out with other home schooled kids and learn some great new technology! "
The New York Public Library offers free computer classes.
Here's a list of Free online computer classes