Guide Note

Brooklyn is a borough of New York City, one of five in the city. It is situated on the western end of Long Island and borders Queens. There are a variety of tourist attractions, including museums, amusement parks and even historical sites. Visiting Brooklyn is like "[traveling] the world in one day."¹

Fast Facts

1. Country: United States
2. State: New York
3. City: New York City
4. County: Kings
5. Borough president: Marty Markowitz
6. Population: 2,465,326 (2000)
7. Currency: U.S. Dollar
8. Area code: 718
9. Time zone: EST

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden is "on of the finest in the country."² It is home to the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, which is one of the "oldest and most visited" Japanese gardens outside of Japan.³ The Cherry Blossom Festival is actually one of the park's "most popular" festivals. There is also a rose garden, a "Fragrance Garden," designed with the blind in mind and a "Shakespeare Garden."² The whole site is 52-acres of New York City's "most magnificent and treasured natural spaces."⁴

THe Brooklyn Museum is the country's "second-largest art museum." There are over "one million" pieces in the "permanent collection" there and some of the "highlights" include Egyptian art, Native American art and African art.⁵ Guided group tours with at least ten people are available for a small fee and can last up to an hour. There are a variety of "long-term" exhibits for viewing, as well as a number of current ones that are up for a short time.⁶

When visiting Brooklyn, please see the pages on a New York City Vacation, New York City Hotels, New York City Restaurants and New York City Tours.