Culture On A Budget

By Clint Brownfield

New York is the undisputed cultural capital of the world and, here’s the good news--you can see lots of things around town for little cost or totally free if you do a little planning.

Can’t find or afford a ticket to Hamilton? Well, you can visit his nifty little mansion—Hamilton Grange in St. Nicolas Park—for free. It’s one of 10 national parks and historical sites in the city, and all of them are free, except for, technically, the Statue of Liberty. There’s no admission charge, but you do have to pay to get there. Go to nps.gov for more information. And remember, the National Park Service is celebrating its centennial this year. Enjoy!

Continue your Hamilton exploration by visiting the Museum of the City of New York and the New York Historical Society—lots of Hamilton, and more, at those gems.

More Hamilton, at no charge, waits at the very beginning of Wall Street, way downtown, where tours are offered free at Trinity Church and its cemetery where Hamilton and his wife Elizabeth are laid to rest. Hamilton died on July 12, 1804, in a house on Greenwich Street, one day after his unsuccessful duel with U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr in Weehawken, NJ. Elizabeth lived until November 9, 1854, and is credited with founding New York City’s first orphanage. For tour times and information go to trinitywallstreet.org.

Moving on uptown, and into to the Gilded Age, you can get an eye-opening glimpse of how the one percent lived at the turn of the last century. Visit The Morgan Library, The Frick Collection and the Cooper-Hewitt where JP Morgan, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Carnegie hung their hats and lived amidst their spectacular collections of art, objects, books and manuscripts. All can be viewed free of charge or on a pay-as-you-wish basis during certain times of the week.

Today, New York continues to add to its cavalcade of culture. Example: The High Line, the amazing elevated park that runs from 34th Street on the north end, down to Gansevoort St., on the south end. There is no charge to walk the High Line—but you may want to get off once in a while to get a closer look at what’s below. Stroll down 10th Ave. past the Clement Clarke Moore Park at West 22nd Street. Moore is widely credited with penning the poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The little park/playground is located on a former farm purchased by Clement’s grandfather, Captain Thomas Clarke, in 1750. A retired officer of the British Army, Captain Clarke named his property “Chelsea” in reference to London’s Royal Chelsea Hospital for old soldiers. His daughter and son-in-law extended the acreage to what is now formed by West 19th St., Eighth Avenue, West 24th St., and the Hudson River. And that’s how the area got its name. One of Moore’s ancestors was rector of Trinity Church. On July 12, 1804, he was called in to administer the final rites to a man who was dying from wounds received as the result of a duel the day before. The dying man was Alexander Hamilton.

The High Line ends (or begins) at Gansevoort Street in the West Village’s Meatpacking District, where you’ll find the spectacular Whitney Museum of American Art—the Renzo Piano-designed masterpiece that opened in May 2015; it’s considered the new home of this longtime staple on the American art scene. Friday evenings are pay-as-you-wish. The Whitney’s former building at West 75th Street and Madison Avenue is now home to the Met Breuer.

As you plan your cultural budget for this coming fall, do remember, that even ‘big box’ museums such as The Met, the American Museum of Natural History and the Brooklyn Museum, which are all pay-as-you-wish, need all the funding they can get. So be as generous as possible. Consider becoming a member to receive additional cost-cutting benefits. For example, members of the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens not only get to enter free but they also get to attend a phenomenal amount of movies at no additional charge. Check it out.

In all cases, contribute as much as you can, so New York City can remain The Culture Capital of the World.

Below is a sampling of New York’s cultural gems and what they have to offer to those on a budget. This information is subject to change, so log on or call to make sure places are open when you would like to attend.

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