Sure, New York City’s cultural destinations are heralded throughout the world. But we have our own institutions right here. And, while they may not be as well known, sometimes they’re more historic, bigger, and, in most cases, less expensive. Here, we take five of our favorite local attractions and put them side-by-side with their City counterparts.
Most Beloved Beachside Amusement Park |
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Playland | Coney Island | |
Year Opened | 1928, as a way of attracting families back to an area that was becoming known for bawdy hotels and rowdy crowds. | 1895, as “Sea Lion Park.” Many amusement parks have opened and operated on that site, including Steeplechase Park (1897), Luna Park (1903), Dreamland (1904), Astroland (1962), and, now, a new Luna Park. |
Storied Wooden Roller Coaster | The Dragon Coaster, which debuted in 1929, has a maximum speed of 45 mph and a maximum height of 80 feet. The Dragon Coaster is one of seven pre-1930 rides still in operation. | The Cyclone, which debuted in 1927, has a maximum speed of 60 mph and a maximum height of 85 feet. It costs $8 for just one ride on the Cyclone—$5 if you choose to stay on and take a second spin. |
Current Ownership | Westchester County—and its taxpayers—own Playland, making it the only government-owned and -operated amusement park in the country. | Zamperla, which has received criticism for shutting down longtime Coney Island establishments like Ruby’s Bar & Grill and, well, Shoot the Freak. |
Most Famous Park |
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Ward Pound Ridge Reservation | Central Park | |
No. of Acres | 4,700, making it the largest park of the 50 in the Westchester County Parks System. | 843, making it the fifth-largest park in NYC. (The largest is Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx with 2,765 acres.) |
History | The park was originally settled by Connecticut farmers, who named it after the local Indians, who used the area as a pound for game. The county bought the property in 1938. | In 1863, the City seized the irregular, rocky, and swampy terrain that is the park today (displacing the residents who lived there). Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, Central Park became the first landscaped park in the country. |
Attractions | The Delaware Indian Research Center, Gallery in the Park, Trailside Nature Museum, WPA Gallery | The Central Park Zoo, the Delacorte Theater, Loeb Boathouse, Strawberry Fields, Wollman Rink |
Camping Allowed | Yes (and horseback riding, too). | No. The park officially closes to the public at 1 am. |
Old Music Hall |
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The Tarrytown Music Hall | Carnegie Hall | |
Year Opened | 1885 | 1891 |
No. of Seats | 843 | 2,804 (across two halls and one auditorium) |
Architects | Theodore DeLemos and August Cordes, who also built Macy’s in Herald Square. The façade of the building is notable for its Queen Anne-style brickwork. | William Burnet Tuthill, et al. The structure was built using all masonry with no steel frame—which is said to be good for acoustics. |
Recent Performers | The Drive-By Truckers, Randy Newman, Mavis Staples & Billy Bragg, Jackie Mason | The Philadelphia Orchestra, Mitsuko Uchida, Jeremy Denk, The New York Pops, James Taylor |
Most Historic House |
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Philipsburg Manor | The Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House | |
Location | Sleepy Hollow | East Flatbush, Brooklyn |
Year Built | The oldest part of the original manor house was built around 1680. | 1652, making it the oldest structure in NYC |
Family History | Founded by Frederick Philipse, a successful businessman from one of the wealthiest New York families. | Pieter Claesen Wyckoff was an illiterate laborer who came to New York from the Netherlands as an indentured servant. He eventually bought the land and ran a successful grain farm. It is said that all Americans today with the last name “Wyckoff” are descendants of Pieter Claesen Wyckoff. |
Biggest Museum |
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The Neuberger Museum of Art | The Museum of Modern Art | |
Admission | $3 (students), $3 (seniors), $5 (adults) | $12 (students), $16 (seniors), $20 (adults) |
Collection Size | 6,000 works from a variety of holdings | 300,000 books and periodicals, 150,000 works of fine art, 22,000 films and film-related works, 2,500 linear feet of historical documentation, and tens of thousands of photographs |
Museum Building | The 78,000-square-foot building was designed by world-famous architect Philip Johnson. | The 125,000-square-foot museum was renovated and reopened in 2004 in a Yoshio Taniguchi-designed building. |