NEW YORK
FACT EXCHANGE

Manhattan · Neighborhood guide

Tribeca and Civic Center

This combined area offers two distinct visits: small parks and the Hudson River in Tribeca, or public memory and civic architecture farther east. Duane Park and Pier 25 suit an outdoor stop. African Burial Ground and City Hall Park add the histories of African New Yorkers and city government.

Open map
Surrogate’s Courthouse — Hall of Records
Timessquare42 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized.
Surrogate’s Courthouse — Hall of Records on NYFE

Understanding Tribeca and Civic Center

Duane Park occupies a small piece of former farmland that later belonged to Trinity Church. The city bought the site in 1797 for five dollars. Its name remembers James Duane, the city’s first mayor after the Revolution. It is a different kind of public space from the larger recreation facilities on Pier 25.

African Burial Ground was rediscovered during construction at 290 Broadway in 1991. It preserves the history of free and enslaved African New Yorkers and the community effort to protect the site. Nearby City Hall Park occupies former common land and includes layers of civic use, protest and government.

Places to explore

  • African Burial Ground National Monument

    Visitor center and outdoor memorial near Duane Street and Broadway

    The National Park Service interprets African life and burial in colonial New York. Check reservations for any ranger program you want to join.

    Read the NYFE place guide

  • Duane Park

    Tribeca

    Look for the bronze history plaques at the Hudson Street entrance. The planted space and curving paths reflect successive park redesigns, including the 1999 restoration inspired by the nineteenth-century layout.

  • Pier 25

    Hudson River Park in Tribeca

    Choose between the playground, open recreation space and separately operated activities such as mini-golf or volleyball. The pier has maritime uses as well as play areas; a park visit does not include every activity or boat.

  • City Hall Park

    Civic Center

    See the civic setting and park landscape, including the fountain and monuments described by NYC Parks. City Hall’s exterior belongs to this visit; an interior tour needs a separate confirmed arrangement.

Planning a visit

Choose the Tribeca waterfront or Civic Center destination first. For African Burial Ground, use the visitor-center and outdoor-memorial directions on the National Park Service page; the agency’s general mailing address is not the visiting entrance.

African Burial Ground's visitor center and outdoor memorial have their own opening schedule. Pier 25 activities are booked or arranged separately.

Sources and visitor information