Buried Treasure on Governors Island

Recently, while reading the Battery Park Broadsheet, their Events Calendar section continually made me say “Oooh! That sounds fun!” I soon realized that many of these ooh-worthy items took place on Governors Island. Located half of a mile from the tip of Manhattan, Governors Island is truly one of New York’s hidden treasures. Open this season until October 11 from Friday to Sunday, the island is accessible by the (free) Governors Island Ferry at the Battery Maritime Building, just east of the Staten Island ferry terminal. (There are also ferries from Brooklyn on Saturdays and Sundays: information is listed in the link above.)

Activities on this neighboring isle cover a number of different interests. Touch the history of Governors Island with an amazing archaeological site, open to the public daily through Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. The island is the oldest European settlement in New York (it is recognized as the birthplace of the state) and was inhabited even earlier by American Indians, so you could wind up finding something quite remarkable. Admission is free.

If you’re more interested in the natural world, try birding on Governors Island every Saturday at 11:30 a.m. convening at Fort Jay. Learn the foundations of birding and how you can apply this new skill at home. A limited supply of binoculars will be available to borrow or you can use your own. Children can even earn an official Governors Island Junior Ranger Badge upon completion! (Please note that this program is based on the availability of the volunteer so do call the park at 212-825-3045 or ask a Park Ranger if the program will be offered on the day of your visit.) This program is also free.

But if culture and the arts are more up your alley, and you just can’t get enough of museums, you may want to check out the Children's Museum of the Arts. Every weekend through October, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Museum teaching artists will lead workshops in painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, installation and much more! Each weekend has a different theme, new projects, and new experiences. Other CMA programs on Governors Island include Dress Up Theater, Art Kit Rentals (which are filled with watercolors, brushes, colored pencils, Craypas, and other art materials which visitors can borrow and take around the island for a couple hours), Music Time (musician Tom Burnett will lead participants in drumming, stories, and singing), and more. Admission is (can you guess by now?) free.

For a complete list of events on Governors Island, visit their website here. Of course, while you are downtown visiting Governors Island, please note that the Museum of Jewish Heritage is just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Maritime Building. Make a whole day of it!