Manhattan is one of five boroughs making up New York City. The others are Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. The Dutch and British fought over the land, which was discovered in 1609 by Englishman Henry Hudson, for whom the Hudson River was named. The Dutch bought the land from the local Native Americans in 1624 for trinkets worth about $24 and called the area New Amsterdam. The British and Dutch struggled for control of the land until 1674 when the Treaty of Westminster put New York, named for King Charles II’s brother, the Duke of York, in British hands.

Ellis Island was the entry point for many immigrants who came to the United States between 1892 and 1954. The names of 400,000 immigrants are engraved on the stainless steel panels of the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. Standing over Ellis Island, and all of New York City, is the Statue of Liberty. Given to the United States by France in 1884, Lady Liberty is 151 feet tall and stands on a 154-foot pedestal on Liberty Island. The American Museum of Immigration is located in the pedestal as is an exhibit about the history of the statue. Liberty Island is accessible only by ferry.

Frederick Law Olmsted and Clavert Vaux designed Central Park in 1858. It was the first landscaped park in the United States. The designers envisioned a pastoral setting that would be a place for New York City residents to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. There are 843 acres of woodlands, landscaped grounds, gardens, lakes, a swimming pool, a carousel and two outdoor skating rinks. Recreational activities include swimming, skating, biking, boating, horseback riding, fishing and tennis. Wetlands and the bodies of water create a rich and diverse habitat for a variety of native and exotic plants, birds, insects, fish, reptiles and animals. Belvedere Castle, built in 1872, and the Henry Luce Nature Observatory provide exhibits about the flora and fauna of the park. The Central Park Zoo and Wildlife Conservation Center have displays of animals from all over the world in natural surroundings. Buggy rides, hansom cabs, and walking tours provide ways of touring the park and learning about its history.

Lincoln Center is a cultural mecca. Situated on 14 acres, the education and performing arts complex is home to the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Julliard School, Lincoln Center Institute, the Metropolitan Opera, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, the New York City Ballet, the New York City Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the New York Library for the Performing Arts. Nearby historic Lincoln Square is a popular place to shop before curtain time, and there are numerous places to eat.

Other performing arts venues include: Avery Fisher Hall, the Beacon Theatre, Kaufman Center, Merkin Concert Hall, Promenade Theatre and the Westside Repertory Theatre. Area museums include the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, the American Museum of Natural History, The Culture Center, the Museum of American Folk Art, and the New York Historical Society.