Arsenal

Upper West Side & Central Park


Built between 1847 and 1851 (one of two buildings whose construction predates Central Park) as a munitions supply depot for the New York State National Guard, this landmark brick building was designed to look like a medieval castle and inside the walls of its entrance hall are covered in faux frescoes. Today the building houses a small gallery, which often exhibits works with an historical or environmental focus, such as nature in the city, living landmarks or waterfalls of upstate New York.

It also houses the offices of NYC's Department of Parks & Recreation and the New York Wildlife Conservation Society, among others.