Must-Visit Museums in the Financial District

The Guggenheim, the Met, the Museum of Natural History; New York City has a wealth of world-class museums and galleries. Alongside the big hitters, however, there are also some exceptional smaller offerings, and the Financial District is home to many of these. Here’s our pick of the best museums right on the doorstep of your downtown condo.

Museum of American Finance
It’s only right that the Financial District is home to the Museum of American Finance, where you’ll find a literal treasure trove of exhibits documenting the history of money. Marvel at stocks and bonds worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from the likes of the United States Steel Corporation and Ford Motor Company; ticker tape and newspapers recording the crash of 1929; bills dating back to 1775; and a blank check signed by John F. Kennedy during his fateful trip to Dallas. After you’ve seen the exhibits, spend some of your own cash at the excellent gift shop.

Museum of Jewish Heritage
While the history and impact of the Jewish people is immense, the Museum of Jewish Heritage manages to successfully document much of it. A rotating collection of 25,000 pieces explores Jewish life a century ago, the rise of fascism and the persecution of Jews in Europe, and finally the process of rebuilding after the Second World War. Photos, textiles, Judaica, toys, and musical instruments bring heart-wrenching stories to life, as do thousands of audio and video testimonials from Holocaust survivors. An essential museum.

The Skyscraper Museum
One Financial District museum you’ll certainly want to visit if you’re living in a luxury downtown condo is The Skyscraper Museum. This is the place to gen up on how New York City got its iconic skyline, as well as how the buildings here compare to other towering giants around the world. The current exhibition at the museum through the end of October, Top Tens, hones in on a group of the world’s tallest buildings that reach 100 stories and higher in a display that compares and contrasts their features. Marvel at man-made wonders such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong, and (of course) the Empire State Building. Everyone will love this museum – even those who don’t have a head for heights!

The New York City Police Museum
The world’s largest and most famous police service, the New York Police Department has been in action since 1845. Learn all about “New York’s Finest” and some of the pivotal moments in the force’s history (such as the Draft Riots of 1863) through a permanent exhibition that includes uniforms, an old patrol wagon and radio car, and a gun that belonged to Al Capone. Currently fundraising in order to reopen at its location just off Wall Street, the museum is well on its way to hitting its target.