Attractions in and Around SoHo - Download PDF
Artists Space - 38 Greene St., Floor 3, 212 226 3970, www.artistsspace.org
Artist Space was founded in 1972 as one of the first alternative spaces in New York to support contemporary artists working in design, architecture, performance, electronic media, video and visual arts. Its mission is to support artistic dialog and experimentation in modern-day culture.
Brooklyn Bridge - East River
This National Historic Landmark opened on May 24,1883 being one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Crossing the East River it connects the city boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Center for Traditional Music and Dance - 200 Church St., Room 303, 212 571 1555, www.ctmd.org
The Center for Traditional Music and Dance’s mission is to strengthen and celebrate the art of traditional
performance maintaining the value of diversity as a major component in our national identity. It has developed many educational programs for music and dance, concerts, and collaborative projects with artists and cultural activists.
Children’s Museum of the Arts - 182 Lafayette St., Floor 4, 212 274 0986, www.cmany.org
The CMA is like an art studio for kids. The exhibits are actually workspaces where children can experiment with creating their own art, and there are plenty of materials for sculpting and making collages. The CMA is a good place to go if you’re visiting New York City with young children. With all of the different exhibits for children to play with, a stop at the CMA could last for many art-filled hours. It’s planning to move to Tribeca.
City Hall – Chambers St., www.nyc.gov
Constructed in 1803 this building is the oldest City Hall in the United States making it a National Historic Landmark. You will find the Mayor’s Office and the chambers of the New York City Council here.
Downtown Community Television Center – Fire Engine Company #31 -87 Lafayette St., www.dctvny.org
This NYC landmark was built in 1896 by the architectural team, LeBrun & Sons. Commissioned by the Fire Department to do over 40 buildings, Fire Engine Company #31 was one of their great masterpieces.
Drawing Center - 35 Wooster St., 212 219 2166, www.drawingcenter.org
Since 1977, the Drawing Center has been a rare and dynamic part of New York City’s cultural life. It is the only nonprofit institution in the United States to focus on the exhibition of drawings. The Drawing Center was created to demonstrate the importance and diversity of drawings throughout history.
Ground Zero - Vessey/Liberty/Church/West Streets
The former site of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Visitors from all over the world come to pay their respects as they attempt to comprehend the enormity of the devastation. Ground Zero is a 15-minute walk down Broadway from our SoHo lofts. Near Century 21 and the WTC Path Station.
Italian American Museum - 155 Mulberry St. at Grand St., 212 965 9000, www.italianamericanmuseum.org
Italian American Museum opened in 2008 in Little Italy, now home to fewer than 1,000 Italian-Americans. It is housed in the former Banca Stabile, a bank used by Italian immigrants from 1882-1932. Also of note is the annual September San Gennaro Festival with food, games, rides and music that runs for two weeks throughout the neighborhood.
Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) - 594 Broadway #401, 212 254 3511, www.moccany.org
The MoCCA is the first and only museum completely dedicated to comics. It celebrates the history of comics as an art form and how it has grown throughout the ages.
Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) - 211-215 Centre St., 212 619 4785, www.mocanyc.org
The Museum of Chinese in America was created to preserve, reclaim and present the history of Chinese people in the United States. It encourages dialogue among people of diverse cultural backgrounds through its use of thought- provoking exhibits and programs.
Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust (MJH) - 36 Battery Place, 646 437 4200, www.mjhnyc.org
The Museum of Jewish Heritage opened its doors on September 15, 1997 honoring those that died during the Holocaust. It was created as a living memorial to celebrate these people and cherish their lives, traditions, achievements, and faith and preserve their legacy.
New Museum - 235 Bowery, 212 219 1222, www.newmuseum.org
The New Museum building is a home for contemporary art and an incubator for new ideas, as well as an architectural contribution to New York’s urban landscape. Architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, conceived the building as a series of mismatched galleries precariously stacked atop another. It succeeds on a spectacular range of levels: as a hypnotic urban object, as a subtle critique of the art world, and as a refreshingly unpretentious place to view art. It is also the newest museum in town.
New York City Fire Museum - 278 Spring St., 212 691 1303, www.nycfiremuseum.org
The New York City Fire Museum is housed in a renovated beaux-arts 1904 firehouse. The museum's collection of fire-related exhibits include art, artifacts and firefighting equipment from the 18th century to 1917. Pre-Civil War hand-pumped fire engines, horse-drawn vehicles and early-motorized machinery are also displayed.
St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral - 263 Mulberry St., www.saintpatrickscathedral.org
John F. Kennedy, Jr. found solace worshipping at this lovely church surrounded by a beautiful brick wall. It was built between 1809 and 1815. The early design was by Joseph-François Mangin who also designed City Hall. After fire destruction, Henry Engelbert redesigned it in 1868. Tombs with famous Americans lay in vaults beneath the cathedral.
Swiss Institute-Contemporary Art - 495 Broadway, 212 925 2035, www.swissinstitute.net
The Swiss Institute was founded in 1986 and originally attracted a Swiss audience. It’s developed into a unique place for art that fosters a significant relationship between global cultures.
West side Bike Path - Bike or walk along the Hudson River on this 13-mile path. It starts at the George Washington Bridge and ends at the Staten Island Ferry. Enjoy beautiful views of the water or have a rest in one of the many parks.
Winter Garden at World Financial Center Plaza - West St., between Vessey and Liberty streets, www.worldfinancialcenter.com
Located on the Hudson River, this world-renowned venue is a 10-story enclosed glass atrium featuring an indoor sanctuary complete with a grove of 45-foot palm trees. Many come to relax in this magnificent building or for its great shops and restaurants.
Woolworth Building – 233 Broadway
In 1910 the Woolworth Company commissioned Cass Gilbert to build this 57-story building. It was the world’s tallest building from 1913-1930. Making it one of the oldest and most famous skyscrapers in NYC.
Historic Cast-Iron SoHo Façades - SoHo has the largest collection of pre-fabricated cast-iron buildings in the world. Tour some from our local collection.
Broome and Mercer Office Building – 470 Broome St., 1890’s
Cheney Building - 477-81 Broome St., 1872
Gunther Building - 469 Broome St., 1871
Haughwout Building - 490 Broadway, 1856
Little Singer Building - 561-3 Broadway, 1904
Roosevelt Building - 480 Broadway, 1873
“Queen” Building - 28-30 Greene St., 1873
Greene Street - 72-76 are the most highly regarded of 50 cast-iron buildings found on the cobble stoned Greene Street. A walk on these five blocks will give you an idea of the neighborhood.
Theatres
Joyce SoHo - 155 Mercer St., 212 995 2000, www.Joyce.org
Joyce SoHo is a three-story former firehouse. With only 74 seats, the audience is exceptionally close to every performance.
Manhattan Ensemble Theater (MET) - 55 Mercer St., 212 925 1900, www.met.com
Founded in 2000, MET was to be a writer’s theater. The vision was to take diverse narratives from fiction, journalism, film and memoir and create new works of theater.
Ohio Theatre - 66 Wooster St., 212 966 4844, www.sohothinktank.org
Founded in 1979 in one of the last converted factory spaces. The Ohio Theatre is one of downtown’s oldest theatres. Many say it has haunted spirits of New York theatre history. The Ohio is highly recognized as a launch pad and a place to call home for the most talented theatre artists.
The Wooster Group - 33 Wooster St., 212 966 9796, www.thewoostergroup.org
The Wooster Group is comprised of artists collectively creating new work for the theatre. For over 30 years, it has developed new techniques and forms of theatrical expression.
Movies
Angelika Film Center - 18 W. Houston St., 212 995 2000, www.angelikafilmcenter.com
Since opening its doors in 1989, the Angelika is known for its independent films.
Film Forum - 209 W. Houston St., 212 627 203, www.filmforum.org
The Film Forum opened its doors in 1970 and has continued to present a vast array of international, cultural, historical and socially diverse films.
IFC Center - 323 Sixth Ave. at West Third St., 212 924 7771, www.ifccenter.com
An independent film theatre showing classics, cult, and new features.
Tribeca Film Center & Cinemas - 375 Greenwich St., just south of Canal St., 212 941 4000, www.tribecafilm.com and www.tribecacinemas.com
Headquarters of the Tribeca Fild Festival and a screening facility available for private rental. Check schedules for ongoing documentaries.
Sunshine Cinema - 143 Houston St., 212 358 7709, www.landmarktheatres.com
New on the art-house scene, this theater has stadium seating in three of its five theaters, extremely comfortable seats, and a Japanese rock garden, and it always hosts an eclectic array of current movies.