Historic sites in New York City

If you’re seeking to discover historic sites in New York City then you can explore our interactive map above or navigate further by using the links below. There’s a fantastic selection of historical places in New York City and you can plan some great things to see on your travels.

A thriving city that is a popular tourist hub, New York has a rich history and boasts a number of important and interesting historical landmarks.

The area around what is today New York City was occupied by Native American cultures for hundreds of years before the Dutch purchased the land to use as a trading post and colony in 1626. At this time the city was known as New Amsterdam and would remain so until its capture by the English in 1664, who renamed it New York. The British occupied the city during the American War of Independence and it was used as the British command center during the conflict. After the war the city briefly served as the capital of the United States.

In modern times, New York has been a symbol of American success and is one of the most prominent and best known US cities. Tragically, in 2001, New York was targeted by terrorists who flew planes into the World Trade Center, killing 2,800 people.

Today the World Trade Center site is a place of remembrance as well as regeneration, with new construction underway. Alongside this site, there are many other fascinating historical sites in New York for visitors to explore, including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Once you’ve explored the historic sites in New York City you can use our itinerary planner tool to plan out your trip and then print off a free pocket guidebook. Remember, if you know of other historic sites in New York City, you can always add them to Historvius now by visiting our upload page.

Historical sites in New York City : Site Index

Ellis Island
Ellis Island is a famous island off New York City which served as an immigration centre from 1892 to 1954.
Photo by tiseb (cc)
Federal Hall
Federal Hall was the site of George Washington’s inauguration as president and the ratification of the Bill of Rights.
Photo by krispdk (cc)
Fort Hamilton
Fort Hamilton is a Third System Fort, a US military base and home to the Harbor Defense Museum.
Fraunces Tavern
Fraunces Tavern is a museum of colonial, revolutionary and early Republic US history.
Photo by luisvilla (cc)
General Grant National Memorial
The General Grant National Memorial in New York is the tomb of Ulysses S. Grant.
Photo by shinya (cc)
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum tells the story of the building at 97 Orchard Street and the thousands of immigrants who lived there.
Photo by flickr4jazz (cc)
National Museum of the American Indian - New York
The National Museum of the American Indian is dedicated to exploring the history and culture of Native Americans.
New York African Burial Ground
The New York African Burial Ground is a memorial to the tens of thousands of Africans once buried there.
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is the oldest city hall in the US still in continuous use.
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a 19th century Romanesque monument which has become an icon of freedom and is a World Heritage site.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a world renowned museum exhibiting works spanning eight thousand years.
World Trade Centre
The World Trade Centre site was a location of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Photo by Chor Ip (cc)