Downtown Brooklyn:See & Do If you're in Downtown Brooklyn, you have likely crossed (or at least seen) the Brooklyn Bridge. What else is there to do?
Start off with all the facts with a visit to the Brooklyn Tourism and Visitors Center where friendly volunteers will load you up with information and assistance. On Tuesdays, the Center offers a free tour of Borough Hall (Call 718-802-3846 for a tour schedule). The Center is located at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street.
If you're the crafty type, swing by Urban Glass (647 Fulton Street). The 17,000 square foot facility contains a complete glassworking studio. You can pay by the hour to use the studio or sign up for classes to work side-by-side with glass artists.
Prefer to just wander around? Observe local architectural wonders. The landmarked Offerman Building (now occupied by Conway Department Store at 503-13 Fulton Street) is an excellent example of the Romanesque revival style and is one of the most impressive structures in Downtown Brooklyn. Another impressive Romanesque Revival-style building is Brooklyn's Old Fire Department Headquarters at 365 Jay Street. Pay attention to the upper façade of golden brick and matching terra cotta, capped by a steep roof and tall watchtower.
Borough Hall 209 Joralemon Street www.brooklyn-usa.org Opened in 1848 as Brooklyn City Hall, Borough Hall was built in the Greek Revival style. The interior rivals its exterior with its carefully restored majestic features including the Rotunda's two sweeping staircases, the Beaux Arts-style Courtroom's gold-leaf domed ceiling and the sophisticated Victorian Study. Partially accessible by tour.
Brooklyn's Old Fire Department Headquarters 365 Jay Street In 1892 the independent city of Brooklyn erected a spectacular new headquarters for its fire department. The Romanesque Revival-style building boasts an upper façade of golden brick and matching terra cotta and is capped by a steep roof and tall watchtower.
Dime Savings Bank 9 De Kalb Avenue Turn-of-the-century New York City Landmark with a breathtaking interior and exterior.
Gage and Tolner Building 372 Fulton Street Built circa 1875, the building was famously occupied by the popular Gage & Tollner restaurant from 1892 until 2004. Both the building's interior and exterior are landmarked. The building is currently occupied by T.G.I. Friday's.
Offerman Building 503-13 Fulton Street Built between 1890-93, this landmarked building is an excellent example of the Romanesque Revival style. The building was designed by architect Peter J. Lauritzen, and commissioned by Henry Offerman, who made his fortune in the sugar industry. Ground floor is accessible to the public.
Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower 1 Hanson Place Built between 1927 and 1929, this 512-foot landmark is one of Brooklyn's most famous buildings. The Williamsburg was once the tallest building in the world and is still the tallest building in the borough of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) 30 Lafayette Avenue, 718-636-4100 www.bam.org A thriving urban arts center that brings international performing arts and film to Brooklyn.
Mark Morris Dance Group 3 Lafayette Avenue, 718-624-8400 www.markmorrisdancegroup.org Widely-recognized dance company that presents an average of 90 shows each year in 35 cities worldwide.
New York Transit Museum Corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, 718-694-1752 www.mta.info/museum Museum presents exhibits covering over 100 years of regional public transportation, including a collection of vintage subway and elevated cars, lectures, films, hands-on children's workshops and a comprehensive display on surface transportation.
