New York City Park Slope And Prospect Park

Prospect Park, W. Flatbush Ave., Ocean Ave., Parkside Ave. (www.prospectpark.org), To the North, at Grand Army Plaza designed by Olmsted and Vaux as the park's main entrance, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch leads visitors to the Long Meadow, a 1 mi. stretch of unbroken field filled with sunbathers, Frisbee throwers, and their extended families. To the south is the Ravine, where Brooklyn's only forest grows around a steep gorge. The Lefferts Historic House, built in the 1700s by a Dutch family, includes items and relics of Brooklyn's history since pre-Colonial days among its preserved rooms. The imposing turrets of the Litchfield Villa, built in the mid-1800s and now a headquarters for the Parks and Recreation department, rise above the west edge of the park at 95 Prospect Park W. near 5th St. The Prospect Park Bandshell is the site of the Celebrate Brooklyn Festival, a series of free, first-come, first-served shows held throughout June, July, and August. The festival's focus is musical, but the Bandshell also boasts an enormous mov Lefferts Historic House, Litchfield Villa, and the Audubon Center free. Zoo admission Jan-June $7, July-Dec $8. Group lessons at Kensington Stables $47 per hr., private lessons $57 per hr. Rides $25 per hr. Pedal boating on Wollman Rink $15, ice skating $ Lefferts Historic House open June Th-Su noon-5pm, July-Aug Th-Su noon-6pm, Sept Th-Su noon-5pm, Oct-Nov Sa-Su noon-5pm. Litchfield Villa open M-F 9am-5pm. Audubon Center open June-Aug Th-Su noon-5pm, Sep-Nov Sa-Su noon-4pm. Prospect Park Zoo open Mar 27-O
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Main entrance 1000 Washington St. (bbg.org), Founded in 1910 on a reclaimed waste dump, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens stretch over 52 acres and feature 10,000 taxa of plants. Far smaller than the New York Botanic Garden in the Bronx, the BBG still manage to pack in the sights. The Cranford Rose Garden includes 1400 species of rose. The beautiful Cherry Esplanade and the nearby Cherry Walk are filled with cherry trees donated to the park by the Japanese government. The Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden is a beautiful collection of different landscapes in the Japanese tradition, with Japanese architectural touches for extra authenticity. In spring, these three areas hold the Sakura Matsuri Festival to celebrate the blossoming of the cherry trees. The Shakespeare Garden includes 80 species of plant mentioned in the playwright's works (with appropriate quotes). The Bluebell Wood, south of the Cherry Esplanade, blooms into azure glory around May. The Steinhardt C $8, students $4. Tu-F 8am-6pm, Sa-Su 10am-6pm.
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Pkwy. (www.brooklynmuseum.org), The large Rubin Pavilion and Lobby—recently outfitted with an open-air space above—gives way to exhibits of African art, the first of their kind in the US when they appeared in 1923. The second floor features East Asian, Southeast Asian, and Islamic Art. The third floor is focused on ancient Egyptian exhibits, probably the museum's main claim to fame; only the British Museum in London and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo have more extensive collections. Next door, European paintings are fittingly organized around the large Beaux Arts Court, a striking concert and private event space with a glass-brick floor, arches, and chandeliers. The fourth floor focuses on contemporary art; the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art includes Judy Chicago's landmark Dinner Table, now on permanent display. The Luce Center for American Art claims most of the space on the fifth floor. The museum's Target First Saturdays open up the museum on Sa $10, students $6. 1st Sa of each month free 5-11pm. Open W-F 10am-5pm, Sa-Su 11am-6pm. 1st Sa of each month 11am-11pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Has internet. Has air conditioning. Has outdoor seating.
Brooklyn Public Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza (www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org), The main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library presides over Grand Army Plaza. The building itself is a mammoth gray structure with a curved facade—very Art Deco (it opened in its present form in 1941). Inside are over one million items, from books to magazines to anything else. The highlight is the Brooklyn Collection, which gathers together memorabilia from throughout the borough's history. The S. Stevan Dweck Center for Contemporary Culture is a new auditorium that holds lectures, readings, and other events throughout the year. Open M 9am-6pm, Tu-Th 9am-9pm, F 9am-6pm, Sa 10am-6pm, Su 1-5pm. Wheelchair access. Has internet. Has air conditioning.