Skyscraper Museum
The Skyscraper Museum is dedicated to the history and design of tall buildings from around the world
A true New York original, the Skyscraper Museum has been the only museum in the world dedicated solely to the architecture of the high-rise since it opened in 1997. Exhibits in the collection focus on the artistic design, technology, construction, influence on real estate values and human inhabitancy of tall buildings worldwide.
The museum interior features mirror polished stainless steel floors and ceilings creating the illusion of an infinitely vertical space and has been met with critical acclaim in architectural and interior design community.
The Skyline Museum houses two galleries, one dedicated to the Manhattan skyline and a special exhibitions hall. The permanent collection includes two hand-carved, highly detailed models of Midtown and Downtown, informative displays on the world's tallest buildings and a visual history of the buildings of Lower Manhattan. In 2006, an exhibit was added to commemorate the architecture and history of the World Trade Center and the construction of the Freedom Tower.
A full calendar of lectures, exhibitions and guided walking tours organised by museum staff are available on the website. On Saturday mornings, museum educators host a family program to introduce children to engineering, architecture and urban development through hands-on activities.
Nearby attractions include Battery Park, Staten Island Ferry, Financial District, Trinity Church, St. Paul's Chapel and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Yes. See the official website for details.Skyscraper Museum Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Address: 39 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10280, USA
Phone: (212) 968-1961
Official Website: Skyscraper Museum
Skyscraper Museum Reviews
Rated out of 5
I’m glad I had stopped here to get a peek while exploring the financial district. The museum itself was quite small, however there were much more information than I thought by looking at the museum’s size. Impressive. Very informative and detailed explanations of the history of skyscrapers throughout the world, plus it’s free to visit this museum. Friendly staff, clean place, and has restrooms. Overall, I had a great experience here and would recommend to anyone who’s visiting the area.
Levent - 2 weeks ago
A modest museum by the waterside with fairly crafted model skyscrapers. There is care put into each tree decoration and interior lightning.
Many buildings are somewhat plain and would like to see an improvement on par with the nicer ones
Andrew Lam - 6 months ago
Small museum but had great displays. There’s no cost, so really if you’re in the area and need a break indoors it’s a good stop. Clean washrooms, as well.
William Marsh - a week ago
Really charming, and free, museum right across the street from where you board to ferry to the statue of liberty. If you have about 30 min to spend I would recommend stopping in. You do need to reserve a ticket ahead of time from their website but I did this 15 minutes before the time I selected and had no issue getting a ticket (only 5 people including myself were there for that timeslot). There are some gems here such as architectural elements salvaged from historic skyscrapers and the proposal model for the twin towers.
Spencer Owen - a year ago
Very informative. It’s a small museum and the skyscraper are mostly NY buildings. There is an exhibition showing other iconic buildings around the world but most information is about NY.
The bookstore is very lovely.
I will say most of it is informative and there are a few things actually see, it is mainly reading but I enjoyed it very much!
FYI it is like a decent room of items so not a lot of things to look at, I will say you can finish examining all the exhibits within an hour.
Adati Tarfa - a year ago
Directions
| Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or 5 | Bowling Green | 6 minutes |
| 1 or R | Rector Street | 8 minutes |
How to get to Skyscraper Museum by Subway
Take the 4 or 5 train to Bowling Green, head west towards the river on Battery Place continuing to the entrance on your right or take the 1 or R train to Rector Street and walk south on either Greenwich Street or Trinity Place to Battery Place and go right. The entrance is on the right-hand side of the road directly across from the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
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Photo Gallery
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The Skyscraper Museum features many fascinating models, photos, videos and books cc licensed photo by shinya
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