Harlem – Culture

You can’t talk about culture in Harlem without mentioning live music. Beyond the world-famous Apollo Theater, there are numerous smaller venues, such as Bill’s Place, the Cotton Club, Patrick’s Place, and Shrine World Music Venue, to name just a few. And there’s much more to do in Harlem than listen to music, including museums to visit, parks to explore, and walking tours that enable you to appreciate the neighborhood’s history and spectacular architecture.

 

Apollo Theater

Duke Ellington, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Prince, and Mary J. Blige are just a very few of the performers who have wowed the crowd at the Apollo. The 1,500-seat theater remains just as culturally relevant as ever. Amateur Night at the Apollo, which launched the careers of Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill, and Machine Gun Kelly, is still a hot ticket, as is the monthly Apollo Comedy Club. The Apollo recently opened a new venue, the Apollo Stages at the Victoria, across the street from the main theater. Home to a 199-seat theater and a 99-seat space, the Apollo Stages hosts intimate concerts, film screenings, dance performances, and more.

Minton’s Playhouse

Minton’s might not be as well known as the Apollo, but perhaps it should be. Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and Sarah Vaughan were among those who played at this supper club, which dubs itself “the place where bebop was born.” It continues to host live music Thursday through Sunday nights, along with cocktails and tasty small plates.

Historic Harlem Parks

 Jackie Robinson Park, Marcus Garvey Park, Morningside Park, and St. Nicholas Park are collectively known as the Historic Harlem Parks. Along with walking and running paths, playgrounds, basketball courts, and dog-friendly areas, each has its own unique assets. St. Nicholas, for instance, is home to Hamilton Grange, the house completed for Alexander Hamilton just two years before his fatal duel with Aaron Burr; Jackie Robinson and Marcus Garvey both have swimming pools and indoor recreation centers; Morningside includes a 20-foot-high waterfall.

 

 

Museum of the City of New York

New York City has a robust, glorious history, and this museum aims to make it come alive. Its permanent exhibit uncovers little-known figures such as Munsee sachem Penhawitz, one of the first indigenous leaders to develop a relationship with European settlers, as well as sheds new light on better-known residents such as Emma Goldman and Fiorello La Guardia. The museum also hosts temporary exhibits, concerts, film screenings, and activities for kids. And your admission sticker gets you a free entry to…

 

 

 El Museo del Barrio

Dedicated to the art and culture of the Caribbean and Latin America, El Museo del Barrio has in its collection more than 8,000 objects, from pre-Columbian artifacts to contemporary artworks. In addition to permanent exhibits, the museum presents temporary exhibitions such as the first-ever retrospective of multimedia artist Amalia Mesa-Bains.