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When it was completed in 1883 linking Manhattan and Brooklyn, this was the largest suspension bridge in the world and the first to be built of steel. It took 600 workmen and 16 years to build, and claimed 20 lives, including that of the designing engineer, John A. Roebling. It is now a symbol of New York, and those who walk the 1-mile (1.8-km) span are rewarded with fabulous views of city towers seen through the artistic wire cablework.

Permanent collections and changing exhibits.

Overlooking the East River and lower Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Heights Historic District is an enclave of old-world charm. Along its quaint streets are preserved, Federal, wooden and brick townhouses of the 1820s and even grander Greek Revival homes of the following decades.

New York almost lost its most famous concert hall when the New York Philharmonic moved to the newly built Lincoln Center in the 1950s. However, a coalition, led by violinist Isaac Stern, successfully fought to save the building from demolition. It was bought by the city in 1960 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1964. A major 1986 renovation restored much of the original appearance while updating technical facilities and preserving the hall’s famous acoustics. Musical memorabilia fills the halls and the Rose Museum.

The mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, begun in 1892 and still incomplete, is the largest cathedral in the world. Over 600 feet (180m) long and 146 feet (45m) wide, the church is a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Its most impressive features include the west entrance, the rose window, bay altars, and the Peace Fountain on the south lawn. The medieval stone carving techniques used on the building are taught in workshops for disadvantaged youths.

The 843-acre swathe of green that provides recreation and beauty for more than two million visitors each year.

Myriad activities for kids include storytelling, carousel rides, bike riding, boating, ice skating, nature workshops, and guided walks. The Wildlife Center is excellent, not too large in size, and the Tisch Children’s Zoo allows petting and feeding of farm animals.

Clement Moore, author of A Visit from St. Nicholas , developed this land in the 1830s. The finest of the townhouses built here are the seven known as “Cushman Row,” Nos. 406–18 West 20th Street, which are among the city’s best examples of Greek Revival architecture. Houses at Nos. 446–50 West 20th are in the Italianate style, for which Chelsea is also known.

Seedy it is, yet there’s a definite mystique to this 1884 building bedecked with wrought-iron balconies. Once a fancy apartment, it became a hotel favored by musicians, artists, and writers. Former guests, commemorated on brass plaques outside, include Tennessee Williams, Mark Twain, Jack Kerouac, and Brendan Behan. Dylan Thomas spent his last years here. Notoriously, it was also the place where punk rocker Sid Vicious killed his girlfriend Nancy Spungeon in 1978. Step into the lobby and take a look at the wild artwork, and soak up the ambience at the bar.