Queens, New York

1. MoMA PS1

MoMA PS1 is one of the largest art museums in the country exclusively devoted to contemporary art, and one of the top attractions in Queens. Established in 1971 as the Institute for Art and Urban Resources, Inc., the museum is housed in a Romanesque Revival public school building dating from 1892.

The building was extensively renovated in 1997, and the 125,000 square feet facility houses a two-story project space, a large entrance, and an outdoor gallery. Inside the facility, there are eight spaces devoted to the solo exhibitions of International and National Project artists. Other exhibits combine the works of several or many artists from various countries.

22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101, 718-784-2084

2. Queens Botanical Garden

Located on Main Street, the 39-acre Queens Botanical Garden began as part of the 1939 New York World’s Fair and, after the fair ended, it was expanded to encompass a larger part of the Flushing Meadows Park. Later, during the construction of the 1964 World’s Fair, the botanical garden relocated to an area along Kissena Creek across from its Flushing Meadows Park location.

The botanical garden is known for several of its gardens including the bee garden, the herb garden, the perennial garden, and the rose garden. The new Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center opened in 2007. The garden offers many programs, hosts several different events, and is one of the best things to do in Queens, New York.

43-50 Main Street, Flushing, NY 11355, 718-886-3800

3. New York Hall of Science

Located on 111th Street in the Flushing Meadows Park, the New York Hall of Science is a science museum also known as NYSCI. Established as part of the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the museum deteriorated until it was renovated and reopened in 1986; further renovations occurred in 1999, 2003, and 2004. If you are wondering what to do in Queens NY with kids, this is a great place to visit.

Today with its 400 exhibits, it is New York City’s only hands-on science and technology museum with a focus on biology, chemistry, and physics. The museum is dedicated to educating children who have little or no experience with science. Some of the museum’s many permanent exhibits include Connections: The Nature of Networks, Realm of the Atom, and Rocket Park.

47-01 111th Street, Corona, NY 11368, 718-699-0005

4. The Noguchi Museum

The Noguchi Museum, located on 33rd Road near the Socrates Sculpture Park in the Long Island City section of Queens, is a museum that focuses on the works of the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Opened in 1985 in what was originally a gas station and a photogravure plant, the museum displays the artist’s architectural models, drawings, furniture designs, sculptures, and much more.

The structure was renovated in 2004, and today it contains 12 galleries and a gift shop in a 24,000 square foot two story building. There are several education programs presented at the museum including Art for Families, and Art for Tots.

9-01 33rd Road, 718-204-7088

5. Flushing Meadows

Flushing Meadows is the fourth largest public park in New York City. Created in 1939 as the site for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, it is an 879-acre park that contains an amazing array of facilities and venues such as Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets baseball team; the USTA National Tennis Center; the New York Hall of Science; the New York State Pavilion; the Queens Zoo; the Queens Museum of Art; and the Queens Theatre in the Park. Interestingly, the park also hosted the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Grand Central Parkway, Whitestone Expressway between 111 Street and College Point Boulevard, Park Drive East, 718-760-6565

6. Queens Museum

The Queens Museum, located in the Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, is an art museum formerly known as the Queens Museum of Art. It is housed in the New York City Building, which was constructed for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Later, it hosted the United National General Assembly. Founded in 1972, the museum has a permanent collection of 10,000 objects, many of which are related to the 1939 and 1964 New York World’s Fairs.

The most famous object in the collection is the Panorama of the City of New York, a 9,335 square foot model containing nearly 900,000 individual buildings. The museum offers education programs and also hosts special events.

New York City Building Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Perimeter Rd, 718-592-9700

7. Gantry Plaza State Park

Located on 47th Road, Gantry Plaza State Park, also known simply as Gantry Park, sits along the East River in the Hunters Point area of Long Island City. Opened in 1998 and expanded in 2009, it is a 10-acre park with a playground, playing fields, picnic tables, and a riverside walk that offers great, unobstructed views of the midtown Manhattan skyline as well as the United Nations Building.

The park is popular with photographers who enjoy capturing images during the day, at sunset, and at night. There are also many bars and restaurants within the park, and people go there to enjoy the views, the food, and the summer hammocks.

4-09 47th Road, Long Island City, NY 11101, 718-786-6385R

8. Citi Field

Citi Field is a stadium located on Roosevelt Avenue in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The stadium is home of the Major League Baseball team the New York Mets. It was built in 2009 and replaced Shea Stadium, which was built in 1964. Citi Field can seat 41,922 spectators, and the outside of the stadium resembles Ebbets Field, a former stadium in Brooklyn.

The front entrance to the stadium is the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, named after the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers player, and there is an eight-foot high statue of Robinson in the rotunda. Other features of the stadium include the Taste of the City food court, a family entertainment area called FanFest, video game kiosks, and much more.

123-01 Roosevelt Avenue, New York, NY 11368, 718-507-8499

9. USTA National Tennis Center

Located in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, the USTA National Tennis Center is a stadium complex that is the home of the annual US Open Grand Slam tennis tournament, which has been held here since 1978. Situated on over 45 acres of land, the complex features 22 courts in the main facility and an additional 11 in an adjoining park.

All the courts use “DecoTurf” as the court surface. Within the complex there are three tennis stadiums that are some of the largest stadiums in the world. Of these three, the Arthur Ashe Stadium is the largest tennis stadium in the world with a seating capacity of 23,200 people.

Flushing Meadow - Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368, 718-760-6200

10. Louis Armstrong House Museum

The Louis Armstrong House, located on 107th Street in Corona, Queens, is the former home of Louis Armstrong and his wife Lucille Wilson. Today, it is a museum devoted to the great musician’s life. Armstrong and his wife lived in the brick house from 1943 until he passed away in 1971.

His wife gave the house to the city of New York so that a museum could be created. The house was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976 and a New York City Landmark in 1988. The museum’s archives contain books, memorabilia, recordings, and writings. The museum also hosts musical performances, and it offers educational programs.

34-56 107th Street, Corona, NY 11368, 718-478-8274