Governors Island National Monument


From 1794 to 1966, the U.S. Army on Governors Island was part of the social, political, and economic tapestry of New York City. Today, the island is a vibrant summer seasonal venue of art, culture, and performance against the backdrop of two centuries of military heritage and the skyline of one of the great cities of the world. The island is open to the public. Check Alerts

Governors Island is located in New York Harbor, 1/2 mile from the southern tip of Lower Manhattan and 400 yards west of the end of Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue and Red Hook waterfront. It is accessible only via ferry. Ferry service from Manhattan is the main way to access the island. During the summer public access season, the ferry departs from Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, at South and Whitehall Streets (next to the Staten Island ferry terminal). Check www.govisland.com for ferry schedules.

  • Biking
  • Road Biking
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store
  • Gift Shop and Souvenirs

  • Architecture and Building
  • American Revolution
  • Forts
  • Incarceration
  • Jails and Prisons
  • Maritime
  • Coastal Defenses
  • Maritime - Military
  • Military
  • US Army
  • US Coast Guard
  • Monuments and Memorials
  • Wars and Conflicts
  • American Revolutionary War
  • Civil War

Fort Jay gate house and moat.

Bridge over dry moat leading into a gated fort.

An early spring morning view of Fort Jay. The gate house is the oldest structure on Governors Island dating back to 1794.

Castle Williams at Governors Island National Monument

Front of sandstone brick fort with arched entrance way.

Castle Williams at Governors Island National Monument was constructed in 1811 and was a pioneering design in American fortifications.

Ranger guided tour of Castle Williams at Governors Island National Monument

A park ranger talking to a group of visitors inside a large stone room in a fort.

Ranger-led tours of Castle Williams show the pioneering features of fortification architecture that would be used in other masonry forts constructed in the 1800s.

Manhattan from Fort Jay

Manhattan Skyline stands behind the barracks of Fort Jay

History frames our understanding of the present

Manhattan from Castle Williams

Canon and Manhattan Skyline from top of castle

A civil war era canon sitting upon the top of Castle Williams juxtaposes the new and old, with the glimering shine of Manhattan in the background