Explore the museum’s permanent exhibitions, which contain roughly 700 objects from across the western hemisphere, and enjoy the temporary and traveling exhibitions, which are arranged around the rotunda. Young visitors will find a range of interactive activities in the Imaginations Activity Center. The museum also hosts numerous public programs throughout the year, such as music and dance performances, hands-on workshops, and film screenings.
Housed in the historic Alexander Hamilton U. S. Customs House, the museum is often a stop on sightseeing tours of Lower Manhattan, particularly those with a focus on history or architecture. Guided tours often include other nearby attractions, such as Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and the 9/11 Memorial.
The museum is popular with those interested in American Indian culture.
Museum admission is free.
Visitors must undergo a security check.
There is a gift shop and a film and video center on site.
The museum is wheelchair accessible, and wheelchairs are available to borrow, free of charge.
The museum is located across from Battery Park. The closest subway stops are Bowling Green (4 and 5 trains), South Ferry (1 train), Whitehall Street (R train), Broad Street (J and Z trains) and Wall Street (2 and 3 trains). The M5, M15, and M20 buses also stop nearby.
The museum is open daily, with extended hours on Thursdays. The only holiday closure is on December 25. Public tours are held twice on most weekdays, in the afternoon, and once on Sundays.
Designed by Cass Gilbert and completed in 1907, the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House is an architectural gem and is considered one of the finest beaux arts buildings in New York. The top portion of the facade displays 12 statues representing the 12 seafaring nations of the world, and the interior rotunda is made of white marble and boasts murals by Reginald Marsh and a spectacular skylight by Guastavino.
