I forgot how huge this museum is. Wonderfully designed…read moreexhibits spaced out enough so that you can actually appreciate each piece Very helpful staff

I used to love it here for years, but it's gotten too popular and lost the charm it had for me…read more The popularity is great for the museum itself. It's experienced an undeniable glow up. People I could never get to step a toe in a museum now beg me to come with them to see some trendy exhibit they heard about. Marketing has improved immensely. They've expanded their reach beyond geeks and schoolchildren to a wide variety of people, and that's good. It keeps the museum alive. It's just no longer one of my favorite places personally. What I miss the most are the old First Saturdays that no one knew about. I'd look forward to them all month like a child looks forward to Christmas. It felt like Brooklyn's best kept secret. Now you have to preregister to get sardined. I'm not much of a noisy crowd person, so I end up leaving early the rare occasion I attempt to go. I do enjoy the salsa parties. Those are fun. Staff can be rude as all else. I've never personally had an issue, but I've seen some uncalled for behavior towards other patrons, especially if they give touristy vibes. The littlest thing can set someone off. It's completely uncalled for.

What a treat to be Brooklyn just in time to see the Cherry blossoms explode across the grove…read more The garden is quite expansive and it took a bit of a stroll to get in far enough to the tree promenade that completely overwhelmed you with bursting color. After drinking in all the color, we meandered to the Koi and Japanese garden, rounded about the see tulips in their full glory and snuck out a side door. A stunning garden, beautifully maintained by staff and volunteers. I'll certainly be back when I visit again.

Honestly, it was okay, but I went in expecting more. Maybe it was because I visited toward the end…read moreof the summer season, but it didn't feel as magical as I expected. There were plenty of exhibits and plants in bloom, but some areas felt cluttered, making it difficult to clearly see and appreciate the flowers and plants. At times, it felt more like a large park or a mini Central Park than a botanical garden. The lily pad area was one of the coolest parts, although there was unfortunately a dead rat floating in the water, which definitely took away from the experience. I also enjoyed the bonsai collection and the warm-weather plant areas. Seeing the different fruits and vegetables growing was really interesting and one of my favorite parts of the visit. I think the experience could be improved by adding more interactive and educational activities. A butterfly exhibit would be beautiful, along with information about which flowers attract different butterflies and pollinators. A short virtual movie explaining where the plants came from and how they arrived at the garden would also make the visit more engaging. Hands-on activities, such as painting or planting something small, would be a fun addition, especially for families and visitors who want a more memorable experience.

This museum is such a hidden gem. I loved the exhibition layout where you walk from floor to floor…read moreand discover the different decades and wars of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. There are unique interactive items in the exhibition and they are expertly explained. This is perfect for an American studies class field trip or for anyone interested in boats! Personally, I love museums and this one is one of the best in Brooklyn. There are cool movies and explanations and I feel like you can learn something new every time. If you are ever heading to the Brooklyn bridge or DUMBO -- I highly recommend going out of your way for a little bit to check this museum out!

Great museum. 1) It…read moreis FREE! 2) It has a giant anchor from an assault ship and a 200+ year old cannon. 3) Excellent place to learn about the shipping/maritime importance Brooklyn had.

Absolutely LOVEEEE this place. The arcade games are all so creative and so fun to get lost in…read more Especially the fact that they're FREE!!!! So it really pulls you into this sort of portal where you're fully locked in on games and then you look up and its been 3 hours, love it. Drinks are fine but they are a great price. Got the Waaaluigi which was really tasty and pretty unique! The wonder punch was a classic tropical rum drink and good but was a little watery. Absolutely LOVE the music here, both live and regular music through the speakers once the live shows are done. They also have a backyard outdoor courtyard that is perfect for a quick break to touch grass before going back in and screentimemaxxing again

Game night!!!! If you're looking a place to hang out with retro/indie games and have drink with the…read moregang, this is the place for you. This place is pretty sweet as you enter and feel the inner child/nerd come out. It's great place to bring the boys out to hang out, a place decent date night with your partner and for anybody in general. The employees were nice to introduce me to their specialty drinks and other items. I ended up getting the Appletini which had a somewhat sweet yet sour taste. Pretty good 7/10. I do recommend playing the weather simulator game since it has a bunch of options to play solo and coop. Then there's the box bird game that pins two players to collect as much points as you can. Pretty simple. I did enjoy this fighting game that doesn't require much knowledge. It has your simple lows and heavys and an auto combo. Pork was a great character to play with. Definitely recommend coming here

If you are looking for art tours in NYC, you can stop looking -- you've found the best one. I…read morefound Emily a few months back while looking to give my wife several art tours as a gift. Emily helped me pull together a special gift and we had the first tour today. Emily is a remarkably talented guide, combining both incredible knowledge with a gift for storytelling. We spent several hours today at the Met with Emily and she was able to make the tour interesting and engaging for both my wife, who has background in art history, and myself, an art novice. Emily deftly crafted an itinerary based on my wife's favorite types of art while also bringing to life pieces that we'd previously have walked by without any second thought. Truly cannot recommend Emily more highly enough. We have two more tours with her and are so, so excited.

We recently had the pleasure of taking 2 private tours with Emily at both the MET and the MoMA…read more She is highly knowledgeable, and had interesting insights into the art and the artists. If you want an informative focused tour through these enormous collections with someone who knows their stuff, I highly recommend visiting them with Emily. Thank you Emily - for 2 unforgettable days!

When my sister told me about a museum dedicated to the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan scandal, I…read morecouldn't believe it. Could there really be a space focused on such a specific event, and how do you even get enough pieces to make it a complete museum? However, my curiosity made me want to check out THNK1994, and I was really glad I did. My sister and I went with my nephew, and I will admit that this place may seem lame if you didn't grow up knowing about this 1994 Olympic scandal. We tried to make our excitement contagious, but he could not be bothered. However, we enjoyed seeing the tabloid covers, memorabilia, and artwork inspired by the Harding/Kerrigan kerfuffle. There was one floor each dedicated to both skaters, and it was fun talking to the owners about the inspiration behind the museum. The museum also has rotating exhibits: when I was there, they had a Real Housewives-inspired show. It's a kitschy, campy place that is definitely worth a visit if you are looking for a unique experience!

Hands down the best attraction in Brooklyn right now. The insanely intelligent and hilarious Matt…read moreand Viviana have created a beautiful space that showcases social phenomenons through artifacts and beautiful pieces of art. The events they host are a blast and are cheaper than stupid cover fees at your favorite bar or club. All the hype you're reading online is real, go see it for yourself.

The New York Transit Museum is a public transportation museum that opened in Brooklyn, New York in…read moreJuly 1976. It was founded by the Metropolitan Transit Authority. The museum is located underground in the decommissioned Court Street subway station. Opened in 1936, the station was built to serve as a terminus for trains of the IND Fulton Street Line. Due to the proximity of other stations in the Downtown Brooklyn area, the Court Street station never saw much traffic and was abandoned by June 1946. After it was abandoned, the station was used as a filming location for a number of Hollywood films that include "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" (1974). As part of New York City's United States Bicentennial celebrations in 1976, members of the NYC Transit Authority built a New York City Transit Exhibit at the station. Although the exhibit was meant to only be open until September of that year, it proved to be so popular that it remained open and eventually became a permanent museum. The museum displays historical artifacts of the New York City Subway, bus, and commuter rail systems in the greater New York City metropolitan region. Although the Court Street station is considered to be decommissioned, it is still technically an active subway station because it serves as a turnaround for the 6 line. My family and I recently visited the New York Transit Museum while we were spending the day in Brooklyn. To enter the museum, you need to descend a staircase that leads underground, just like you would at any subway station. This museum is so thorough at discussing the history of New York City's public transit system from the late 19th century right up to present day. Some of the artifacts that we saw on display included old subway turnstiles, bus fareboxes, subway tokens, payphones, train and trolley models, various types of vintage transit signs, and much more! The museum is also quite interactive, which was delightful for my two sons. They both loved riding on the various buses and subway trains. The platform level features two fully powered and operational subway tracks which contain many historic examples of New York City subway and elevated railway equipment on permanent display. This was the most fun museum that we've visited in a while and we highly recommend it to visitors to Downtown Brooklyn!

Such a cool museum, and totally worth the trek to Brooklyn :]…read more I loved all the displays of the turnstiles, as well as how each exhibit was set up. Touch everything and plan to spend at least a few hours there!

Knowing my fascination with the Revolutionary War's Battle of Brooklyn (also known as the Battle of…read moreBrooklyn Heights or the Battle of Long Island), my son surprised me with this historical gem. The Old Stone House is located in the Park Slope neighborhood near the boundary with Gowanus. It sits adjacent to Washington Park. The house itself is a reconstruction of the original structure, which burned & was excavated. It uses some of the original stones and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An important site in the defeat of Washington's troops, it headquartered the British troops in the first major battle after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Old Stone House was even the earliest headquarters of the Brooklyn Dodgers. I continue to mourn the fact that they were moved from Brooklyn, having followed the team in my childhood with my Daddy. He instilled in me the love of baseball. Today the house is a wonderful museum with displays and exhibits of the Battle of Brooklyn. Most impressive is the large exhibit of miniature soldiers as they were positioned during that 1776 assault. Whether or not you're a Revolutionary War Historian, you'll learn much about the area and its place in history by visiting the Old Stone House.

Pretty cool small and free museum in Brooklyn. People were nice as well. Definitely worth visiting…read moreduring their limited hours.

As of September 14, 2023 the Center for Brooklyn History (now part of the NYPL system) has reopened…read moreafter renovations! This isn't the fanciest or biggest library, but it has a beautiful research library and all the librarians and staff are super nice and helpful. Plenty of great architecture. Not just the research library, but their main staircase and the brick and moulding outside. They have temporary exhibits as well as many fascinating speakers and programs.

The Center for Brooklyn History was not on our agenda. We were passing by and had a few minutes so…read morewent in. There is no fee to go since it is part of the Brooklyn Library system. And there is a library on the 2nd and 3rd floors. On the first floor, after you enter, there is a section in back with maps and historical artifacts on the walls. They play a slideshow on a loops displaying a Brooklyn neighborhood, what they are known for, and a bit on the history. We found that was very interesting. The room in comfortable, so we sat for a while and watch the show go by a few times. Restrooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors. The elevator is tiny - it holds two people. I chose to ride the elevator up, but to walk down. I noticed there were a number of oil paintings showing historical figures and historical Brooklyn. This is a great place to stop to learn more about Brooklyn and its neighborhoods. We didn't go into the actual library, but we did look through glass doors and saw many, many books. On the 3rd floor, there was a research library only available to historians. It would be interesting to get a peek in there.

Thank you Captain David for making this school field trip a fun and educational experience for the…read moreschool kids as well as the adults. Came here as a parent chaperone; and learned so much about this little boat that's docked at the Red Hook barge. The captain of this small vessel came out to greet us and presented us with the rich history of how this boat came about. The children were in awe of how Captain David explained the mechanics and the details of this boat, towards the end Captain David even entertained kids with his juggling tricks. Overall, a great educational experience

Wow, this place is awesome and way off the beaten track. Essentially it's across the street (to…read morethe west) of Fairway in Redhook. It's a floating barge that doubles as a "classroom and showboat." Apparently it's the last covered wooden barge of its kind and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We stopped in Thursday night and talked with the proprietor (ie the guy who lives on the boat with his family). There's an awesome George Rhoads kinetic sculpture and some fascinating pictures and historical items. Admission was free (although a donation was suggested). I would highly recommend a visit if you happen to be in the area during the hours they're open!