Category: Exploring Brooklyn

Day Two Hundred and Sixty-Two: Traveling to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see the Crocuses on the Hill, Snowdrops, Ironweed flowers and other flowering plants, Daffodil Hill, the Magnolia Plaza, the Cherry Blossoms, the Cranford Rose Garden and the Lotus Pools March 30th, 2023 (again in March 12th & 22nd, May 29th, August 6th, 2024 and May 10th, 2025)

Day Two Hundred and Sixty-Two: Traveling to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see the Crocuses on the Hill, Snowdrops, Ironweed flowers and other flowering plants, Daffodil Hill, the Magnolia Plaza, the Cherry Blossoms, the Cranford Rose Garden and the Lotus Pools March 30th, 2023 (again in March 12th & 22nd, May 29th, August 6th, 2024 and May 10th, 2025)

The entrance to the gardens in the Summer of 2022

If you want to see some of the most beautiful sites in New York City during the Spring months when Mother Nature truly works her magic then I would suggest going to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see Daffodil Hill and Magnolia Plaza.

The sign when entering Daffodil Hill in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

https://www.bbg.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60827-d103900-r884200309-Brooklyn_Botanic_Garden-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2785

This is when everything is in full bloom during the early Spring. There is nothing like it and it is so breathtaking with a quiet elegance. On this clear and sunny Thursday afternoon, the gardens were quiet so I had plenty of time to take pictures and enjoy the beautiful views.

I finally got the gardens in the early Spring to see the crocuses, the Snowdrops and the Ironweed flowers that come in the early Spring just as the Daffodils were just coming out. These sensitive flowers are only in bloom a short time and I wanted to see them. They are just beautiful when you see them up close.

The Garden was ablaze with the colors of almost a thousand purple crocuses that lined the hills on the Prospect Park side of the lawns in 2024. Beautiful purple and while colors were in full bloom and Mother Nature shined in the COVID era with all of us socially distanced but still enjoying the park.

Crocus Hills ablaze in purple in 2024

The purple crocuses in full bloom in 2024.

The beautiful purple crocuses in full bloom.

While I was taking pictures of the crocuses, I walked around the gardens and came across the Snowdrops and the Ironweed flowers were also in bloom. These sensitive flowers are only in bloom for just about two weeks. To see them in the gardens in the late Winter is a real treat. They sometimes are in bloom in early and you have to see them quickly before they disappear in the ground.

The Snowdrops in full bloom in the gardens in 2024.

The Snowdrops up close.

The Ironweed just as beautiful. To see these graceful flowers in bloom are a real treat.

The Ironweed flowers in bloom right by the stream.

The Ironweed flowers in full bloom.

An Azalea that was early blooming in the garden in 2024.

Daffodil Hill at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Hundreds of Trumpet Daffodils are in bloom on a hill just off the Japanese Gardens flanked by hundred-year-old trees and it just plays into the backdrop of the greens and browns of the trees and lawns. I can’t tell you on a beautiful sunny day how breathtaking it is just to sit and admire these elegant flowers. It really is a site to see.

Daffodil Hill in full bloom

I love the way these hundreds of flowers make such a beautiful statement and there is such a burst of colors between the yellows and oranges of the daffodil flowers. This only lasts for about two weeks and then the flowers hibernate again.

The side view of Daffodil Hill from the walkway

Daffodil Hill just off the Japanese Gardens

Daffodil Hill is right next to the Magnolia Plaza that was also in peak bloom when I was at the gardens. The trees of the Magnolia Plaza bloom the last week of March and these delicate trees petals do not last more than a week. When I got close enough to them to take pictures, I noticed that some of them were starting to curl already.

The area between Magnolia Plaza and Daffodil Hill

Not all the trees were in bloom yet but these delicate trees are very sensitive to the weather and I have noticed that the petals don’t last as long. Most of the trees were in full bloom but there was not much a smell to the trees. Still everyone was taking pictures in every direction between the Magnolia trees and Daffodil flowers.

The Magnolia Plaza in full bloom

The sign in the Magnolia Plaza

The edge of the Magnolia Plaza

The pathways in the afternoon

The Magnolia trees make such a bold and colorful statement

The array of colors in the Magnolia Plaza

The Magnolia Plaza facing Daffodil Hill in the distance

The Sundial in the middle of the Magnolia Plaza

After taking dozens of pictures of the Magnolia Plaza and Daffodil Hill, I walked over to the Rock Garden. There were not many flowers in bloom there yet as they come out later in the month. There was still an array of daffodils and a few crocuses still in bloom. The Rock Garden was quiet and perfect to walk around in as I had this part of the garden to myself.

The Rock Garden in the early Spring

The Rock Garden in the early afternoon

I headed to the northern part of the garden and visited the Japanese Gardens, where the cherry blooms started to bloom. These graciously landscaped gardens were created in the traditional Japanese form with a combination of trees and shrubs to balance the garden.

Entering the Japanese gardens from the path

The Japanese Gardens pool with traditional buildings

The Japanese Gardens in the early Spring

Returning at the height of the Cherry Blooms was just breathtaking. This view only rivals the beauty of Newark, NJ and Washington DC.

The magnificent Cherry Blossom lawn in April 2024.

People relaxing and enjoying the beautiful afternoon under the Cherry trees.

The beauty of the trees.

The Cherry Blossom at peak form.

I came back after the Cherry Blossoms had fully bloomed and were now gone and the Bluebells were in full bloom. It had been a cold and rainy Spring and it had been miserable to be outside. Not on the May weekend in 2025. The weather was spectacular and sunny. The Gardens were packed on Mother’s Day weekend and these beautiful blue flowers were the star of the day.

The sign welcoming you to the gardens

The flowers were just amazing

The seas of purple and green

They have really expanded their space over the years

The flowers put on quite a show that day

There is a real beauty to the gardens

The flowers were at the peak of bloom

The Cranford Rose Garden was in full bloom two and a weeks before the Annual “Rose Night” that celebrates the blooms of the roses in the gardens. By the time the event would happen, most of the blossoms would be gone. So I visited the gardens again in late May after college had ended and I was in between classes. The roses were glorious to say the least and the colors, smells and the way they grew all over the trellises and fences made quite the effect. I was lucky that I went during a week day and the gardens were quiet.

There is nothing like the Cranford Rose Garden when it is in full bloom. The smells and colors are fantastic and the beauty is something timed by Mother Nature. The roses grow at different stages and it looks so gorgeous during the late Spring.

Entering the Rose Gardens in the Spring of 2024

The front of the gardens in bloom

The front beds of the Rose Garden

The front of the Cranford Rose Garden in full bloom

The trellises in full bloom

The trellis in full bloom

Walking along the paths to the back part of the gardens.

The back part of the gardens

Roses along the trellises

Exiting the back of the gardens into the Cherry Blossom Lawn

The back entrance to the Cranford Rose Garden.

If you can get to the gardens in early June, I would suggest a special trip to see the roses. This special time of the year only lasts about three weeks and then like the rest of the flower displays in the gardens are gone until the next year. The gardens are now maturing for the summer months with lots of greenery and are still a nice place to relax and walk around or just sit and enjoy the views.

The Cherry Blossom Lawn after the cherry blooms are gone.

The flowers of the garden’s Marsh area.

I came to the gardens in late July to see the Lotuses in the Lotus Pools when they were in bloom and when they are at their peak, they are so colorful and elegant. I now know why the Egyptians worshipped them.

The Lion Fountain greets you as you enter the pools

The video on the fountain:

IMG_7815Download

The Lotus Pools

The Lotus Pools

The Lotus Pools

The Yellow Lotus in the pools

The Pink Lotus in the pools

The Cherry Blossom Fountain in bloom

The Cherry Blossom Fountain in bloom

Before I left the gardens for the afternoon, I stopped in the gift shop and looked around. They have some wonderful things to buy including a section of Brooklyn made products. There is also an array of plants, books and decorative products to buy.

The Gift Shop at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

The Brooklyn made products and book selection at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

After my visit to the gardens, I stopped at Bahn Mi Place at 824 Washington Avenue for lunch. I had one of their classic Bahn Mi sandwiches with ham and pate on a chewy hard roll. The food here is consistently good and their sandwiches are excellent.

Bahn Mi Place at 824 Washington Avenue

https://banhmiplacebklyn.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d8530850-Reviews-Banh_Mi_Place-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2187

The Classic Banh Mi sandwich at Banh Mi Place

You have to order the sandwich with a Medium spicy sauce. It adds to the complexity

The sandwiches are excellent. The flavors of the fresh vegetables and meats with the spicy sauce makes complex flavor. The bread is fresh and chewy and don’t be fooled by the size of the sandwich. It is larger than I thought and very filling. See my review on both TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com.

I took my lunch and ate on the steps near the Brooklyn Museum and just enjoyed the afternoon. I people watched and enjoyed the cool, sunny weather. It was nice to escape from classes for a couple of hours and just relax and not think about school or work. It has again become a bit stressful between the two but I will handle everything.

I look forward to this time in the gardens and is one of the reasons why I keep my membership. I love to look at the hundreds of daffodils in bloom and watching as they sway in the wind and just want to look beautiful. It is the most amazing site every Spring.

You do have to time your visits so that you see all these beautiful flowers at each time.

Happy Easter!

Prospect Park Zoo 450 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

Prospect Park Zoo 450 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

The Prospect Park Zoo

450 Flatbush Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11225

(718) 220-5100

https://prospectparkzoo.com/

Open: Sunday 10:00am-5:30pm/Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm/Saturday 10:00am-5:30pm

Admission: Adults $9.95/Seniors $7.95/Children from 3-12 $6.95/Children under 3 are Free/Members Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d283820-Reviews-Prospect_Park_Zoo-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

The entrance to the Prospect Park Zoo

The Prospect Park Zoo is one of my ‘go to’ places along with the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden when visiting Brooklyn. The three popular destinations are all in the same neighborhood and if you have a full day is worth the subway ride from Manhattan to visit.

On a nice day, the best place to start is the Brooklyn Botanical Garden at opening, then head over through the back part of the garden to Prospect Park and walk to the entrance near Flatbush Avenue and go past the carousel and enter the Zoo past the old Leffert’s Homestead. The Zoo is just past that.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d103505-Reviews-Lefferts_Homestead-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review of the Leffert’s Homestead on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/block-editor/post/visitingamuseum.com/2864

The grounds of the Lefferts Homestead grounds

The old cart outside of the Lefferts House

The best part of the Prospect Park Zoo is that like the Central Park Zoo it is small enough to see in one day and be able to enjoy the exhibitions in one afternoon and still have time for lunch.

The Map of the Zoo

The Zoo has gone through a lot of improvements since COVID and reopened. There is a unique sculpture garden when you walk inside.

The Prospect Park Zoo Sculpture Garden at the entrance

Fish Sculptures at the entrance

The sculptures at the entrance of the zoo by artist Mags Harries

Artist Mags Harries

https://www.magsharries.com/maybe-home

https://smfa.tufts.edu/directory/mags-harries

Artist Mags Harries is an Wales born artist who graduated the Leicester College of Art with a Diploma in Art and Design and Illinois University, Carbondale with a Master of Fine Arts. She is known for her creative sculptures and their use in enhancing public spaces (Artist bio/Tufts.edu).

The main focus of the zoo when you walk through the gates is the seal tanks. These playful animals spend most of their time swimming around or sunning themselves on a warm day. During the feeding schedule, it is interesting to see how they interact with the trainers.

The Seal Tanks at the entrance of the Zoo

The Seal tanks when you walk in are very active

Walking further into the zoo you will walk past the Hall of Animals, where all the smaller animals and amphibians like frogs, snakes and turtles are located. These are a lot of fun for the smaller children who may not see these things in their backyards or even in the parks anymore.

The rare Longnecked Turtle in the Small Animals exhibition

The Fish tank at the Small Animals exhibition

The catfish in the Fish Tank at the Small Animals exhibition

I went to the Bird Cages and saw a Kookaburra bird from Australia. He looked at me like I looked at him. He had the most inquisitive look on his face.

The Kookaburra looking at me

The Kookaburra looking around the cage

The Victorian Pigeons with their beautiful colors and feathers

The tropical hornbill birds

As I sat down to rest after visiting both the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a peacock walked past me looking for food. It must be very used to humans because he just ignored me and kept on walking.

The peacock at the zoo just does his own thing

Beyond that is the Barn, where your horses and cows are located and they even have a pair of turkeys, which makes for interesting conversation for children who wonder where they come from at Thanksgiving. The turkeys here are more bred than the wild ones you will see in the woods. They also have sheep, pigs and lambs that you can feed.

The gardens leading to the Barn area

The gardens leading to the Barn area

The different barnyard animals were in the process of being feed and taken care of by their trainers. If you put food in front of them though, they cam running. The kids were having a ball feeding them snacks.

The Barn pens at the zoo

Lambs and calf’s in the Barnyard at the zoo

The lambs hoping they would be fed by the visitors

The friendly lamb in the pens

The sheep at the barnyard

The animal sculptures just outside the Barnyard display

Next to the Hall of Animals is the Animal Lifestyle exhibition where a lot of the gorillas and monkeys are located. It is funny to watch their mannerisms and see ourselves and out behaviors in them. I guess a couple of thousand years never really separated us that much and we still are a lot alike.

The Baboons at the Hall of Animals

From there you will take the Discovery Trail to see more familiar animals that you might see in every day nature such as deer, foxes, porcupines, ducks and geese in a more natural habitat where they can roam free. The space is limited but they look a lot happy to move around than some of the other animals.

The swans on the Discovery Trail

The swans on the trail

All trails lead back to the Seal Tanks where the popular feeding time gathers a crowd and you will see the care that many of the trainers and zoo keepers give to their residents. There is a lot of love for these animals that is given and I can see a lot of respect.

Relaxing by the Seal Tanks

I got to sit and relax by the Seal Tanks and just enjoy the afternoon. The landscaping around the main Seal Tanks were in full bloom. I also never noticed the statuary around the pool.

The landscaped stairs leading to the zoo from the main road

‘Lioness and Cubs’ by French sculptor Victor Peter

https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/zoos/prospect-park

Artist Victor Peter

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/208856

Artist Victor Peter is a French born artist known for his realistic sculptures.

A trip to the snack shop and gift shops at the zoo are expensive and cater to the tourists. They are not as nicely merchandised as the Bronx Zoo or the Central Park Zoo. Still they are fun to visit once or twice.

The Prospect Park Zoo is still a nice afternoon out for families and a nice way to communicate with nature.

The History of the Prospect Park Zoo:

The Prospect Park Zoo is a 12 acre zoo located in Prospect Park, Brooklyn and as of 2016 houses 864 animals. The zoo was originally part of the plan of Prospect Park as a “Zoological Garden” in the western part of the park. The zoo was not part of the finished plan in the park in 1874 by designers Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

The original zoo layout

The park design included a Wild Fowl Pond in the northern part of the park that was stop off for water birds and a Deer Paddock in the southern part of the zoo where deer lived in a penned area.

In the 1890’s, gardens were created for park enjoyment and a informal Menagerie was created by the Brooklyn Parks Commission, George V. Brower, when the donation of small bear, white deer, seven seals, a cow and twelve peacocks came into the possession of the park.

In 1934, Parks Department head Robert Moses set a plan to reconstruct the City’s Parks and under the Works Progress Administration started to revamp the park system. In March of that year architect Aymar Embury II set to design the new zoo with six new buildings and centered by a Seal Pool.

By the 1970’s, the zoo faced disrepair and was neglect for the animals. It was considered one of the worst zoo’s in the country according to the press and finally in 1980, the Koch Administration signed a 50 year agreement with the NY Zoological Society, now called the Wildlife Conservation Society, which was also administrating the Central Park and Queens Zoo.

The park closed in 1988 for a five year, 37 million dollar renovation that gutted all the pits and cages but saved the historic buildings and statuary. The new zoo opened in 1993 with a new name, “The Prospect Park Wildlife Conservation Center” and a philosophy of educating children. The zoo along with the Queens Zoo have had some shortfalls in the past but have the full support of the Society and the public since the early 2000’s. Still the zoo remains popular with families from all over Brooklyn and the world.

The main view of the zoo

(This information is provided by Wiki and the Wildlife Conservatory website and I give them both full credit for the information)

New York Aquarium 602 Surf Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11224

New York Aquarium 602 Surf Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11224

New York Aquarium

602 Surf Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11224

(718) 265-3474

http://www.nyaquarium.com

https://nyaquarium.com/

Open: Sunday & Saturday 10:00am-5:30pm/Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm

Fee: Adults $25.00/Children $20.00/Seniors $27.00 (see their website for more details on pricing and times)

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d107414-Reviews-New_York_Aquarium-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

The New York Aquarium at 602 Surf Avenue.

The aquarium entrance at the boardwalk.

The aquarium’s outside tanks with sea lions, otters and penguins.

The penguins were very entertaining that afternoon.

The otter just ignored us. They just played amongst themselves.

I have been to the NY Aquarium many times since it reopened after Hurricane Sandy and there have been many positive improvements in both the facility and the service. The new Ocean Wonders: Shark! exhibition which has opened up giving an interesting look at the underwater world of the many different types of sharks that dominate the deep.

The Shark Exhibit

The Shark exhibition

The sharks and string rays

It is not just a display but also a commentary on the conditions of the deep and the treatment of sharks around the world. There contributions as bottom dwellers cleans our oceans and benefits other fish. It was shocking what the treatment is of these animals in Asia when strip these animals of their fins for soup. I like how professionally the aquarium shows this in their displays and videos and doesn’t preach but offer solutions to the problem.

The entrance to the new shark tanks.

That and walking through the tanks themselves in the darkened rooms with music makes for a fascinating and almost ominous trip into the ocean behind the walls with the sharks and other mammals and fish swim past you. There is also a small tunnel that you can climb under to watch the fish swim on top of you and past you.

The tropical fish exhibition

In the Conservation Hall, you will learn all about the fish that dominate and keep our reefs vibrant and what happens when pollution takes over and kills them. Again the aquarium displays this in a positive way, shows how the animals keep the reefs healthy. I point out that there are a lot of colorful fish on display and it is fun to watch the small children yell out to them.

The coral reef exhibition

The Coral Reef Exhibition

The fish in the Coral tanks

There is a wonderful seal show during the day that you should not miss especially in the warmer months when you can sit in the stands and watch them perform with their trainers. They are more Native New Yorkers than most humans having been born at the aquarium and showing their own pride in their home and abilities.

The Sea lion show at the aquarium is very popular.

The Sea lion show

The Sea lion show

The new “Spineless” exhibition shows all the jelly fish and related species.

The “Spineless” exhibition

The beautiful jelly fish at the aquarium.

The “Spineless” exhibition

The different creatures of the deep.

The Jellyfish tank

The Jellyfish are amazing to look at in the tank

There were all sorts of tanks displaying many different types of tropical fish and corals that are exotic and very much endangered. We are beginning to destroy their habitants.

The fish habitats

As part of the new building there are also several new eating establishments at the aquarium including the new Oceanside Grill that I have not visited yet (it was closed on my last visit) as well as The New York Bite food truck (which was also not opened). The most impressive restaurant is the Oceanview Bites on the second floor of the Ocean Wonders building. This beautiful new restaurant has an interesting but somewhat routine menu with prices usual to an aquarium but offer the most spectacular views of the ocean and of Coney Island. Do not miss just walking up to the restaurant in the circular pathway for the views alone.

The NY Aquarium is a treat in of itself and a great excuse to visit Coney Island. Don’t miss the rest of the island’s amusements and museums while you are there.

New York Aquarium V.jpg

The NY Aquarium

History of the New York Aquarium:

(this information is provided by a combination of the NY Aquarium and Wiki and I give them full credit for the information)

The New York Aquarium is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States, having opened in Castle Garden in Battery Park in Manhattan in 1896. Since 1957, it has been located on the Reigelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island. The aquarium is operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) as part of its integrated system of four zoos and one aquarium, most notably the Bronx Zoo. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

The sea lion tanks

As part of the WCS, the aquarium’s mission is to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education and inspiring people to value nature.

The facility occupies 14 acres and boasts 266 species of aquatic wildlife. Its mission is to raise public awareness about issues facing the ocean and its inhabitants with special exhibitions, public events and research. The New York Seascape program, based out of the aquarium, is WCS’s local conservation program designed to restore healthy populations of marine species and protect New York waters, which are vital to the area’s economic and cultural vitality.

The penguin tank

The Penguin exhibition on the outside

On June 6, 1957, the Aquarium opened at its new location in Coney Island. The new site of the New York Aquarium is the home of the WCS New York Seascape program, the society’s research and conservation program focusing on nearby rivers, harbor and ocean from Cape May, NJ to Montauk, Long Island.

The new “Shark” exhibition tunnel

The Shark Tank

The aquarium kept an orca briefly in 1968 and a narwhal in 1969. Both reportedly died of possible pneumonia. The aquarium’s beluga whales were transferred to the Georgia Aquarium in 2007 as part of a breeding program. In September 2011, the aquarium named its new electric eel Wattson and in March 2012, it launched a sea horse breeding program.

In October 2006, the New York Aquarium announced the finalists to a competition to develop a more inviting and visually prominent exterior for the aquarium. In March 2007, the winning design by firms WRT and Cloud 9 was selected, which featured an enclosure resembling a whale over the aquarium. However, in March 2008 that concept was scrapped due to concerns over a new exhibit based on sharks was announced. The massive 784,000 US gallon exhibition, Ocean Wonders: Sharks! was originally scheduled to break ground in November 2012 and open in 2015.

A penguin ready to take a dive.

However, the New York Aquarium was significantly damaged by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, which severely flooded the facility and shut down power. A small group of WCS staff who remained onsite during the hurricane were able to save 90% of the animals in the collection. As a result, the exhibition opened June 30, 2018, becoming the first major exhibition at the New York Aquarium to open after Hurricane Sandy.

The Shark tank’s fish display

Disclaimer: this history of the NY Aquarium is taken from Wiki and I give them full credit for this information.

The Sculptures in the NY Aquarium in 2024:

These sculptures were at NY Aquarium by Washed Ashore

The sign for Leo the Jellyfish

The Leo the Jellyfish sculpture

The Angus the Longhorn Cowfish sculpture sign

The Angus the Longhorn Cowfish sculpture

The Nora the Salmon sculpture sign

The Nora the Salmon sculpture

The Maggie and Charlotte Adele Penguins

The Maggie and Charlotte Adele Penguins sculpture

The Chompers the Tiger Shark

The Chompers the Tiger Shark sculptures

The Penguin sculpture

The artworks were all made of items that were thrown in the ocean and plastics that are thrown in the ocean. Washed Ashore created these works to show what is thrown in ocean and how it affects the wildlife in the oceans.

Lefferts Historic House 452 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

Lefferts Historic House 452 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

Lefferts Historic House

452 Flatbush Avenue

Brooklyn, NY  11225

ReImagine Lefferts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefferts_Historic_House

Open: Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm/Monday-Wednesday Closed/Thursday-Saturday 12:00pm-5:00pm

Admission: Suggested $3.00 fee towards the renovation of the house

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d103505-Reviews-Lefferts_Homestead-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

Leffert’s Homestead in Prospect Park, Brooklyn

I have visited the Lefferts Historic House a few times when visiting the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, The Brooklyn Museum and the Prospect Park Zoo, all of which are in the same cultural district of the neighborhood. The house is located near the entrance of Prospect Park just behind the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and right next to the zoo and the carousel.

The Lefferts Homestead in 2023

The house sits on a plot of the park to give it the look of the house when it sat in a rural setting in Brooklyn about twelve blocks away. When walking into the house, there are a few rooms that are furnished and have period pieces in them to show what the house must have looked like in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Most of the house is used for touring and for groups doing projects and games. You can’t go upstairs anymore. The house will be going through a renovation soon so watch the website for more information on that.

Lefferts Historic House II.jpg

The historic objects of the house

The outside of the house has wooded grounds with a working garden, an outside oven and historic objects that bring the period back to tourists and residents alike of what life must have been like when it was a working farm. When in season, you can walk amongst the vegetable and flower gardens and talk to the docents about the history of the house.

The grounds of the Lefferts Homestead with the stables and smokehouse

The house is part of the Historic House Trust and part of the Prospect Park Alliance.

History of the Lefferts Historic House:

The Lefferts family was one of the original settlers in Brooklyn with Lefferts Pieterson buying 58 acres of land here in 1687 and built the original homestead on that property. In 1776, the house was destroyed by American troops before the Battle of Brooklyn so that the British could not use it. The house was rebuilt in 1783 by one of his descendants (Prospect Park Alliance).

Lefferts Historic House III

The Lefferts Family

The Lefferts Clan

The current house was the home of Continental Army Lieutenant Pieter Lefferts and was built in 1783. It was originally located on Flatbush Avenue near Maple Street. When Pieter died the house was passed onto his son, John and then when John passed, the house was inherited by his daughter, Gertrude Lefferts Vanderbilt. The house was lived in by four generations of the Lefferts family.

The Lefferts Homestead

The cart on the front of the property

With impending development of the area around the house at the end of the 19th century, John Lefferts estate offered to donate it to the City on the condition that house be moved to City owned property for historic preservation and protection. It was opened as a museum in 1920 by the Fort Green Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (Wiki).

The history of the house

The house is currently used as a Children’s Museum and Cultural site and open year-round.

The Lefferts House in the winter 2024.