7 overlooked NYC museums you shouldn't miss 🧐

+ Explore historical NYC photos, in one convenient place 📷

Author

Ashley & Devin from Better Together Here
April 30th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Hello,

Get ready for a jam-packed newsletter this week.

In this week’s newsletter:

📖 7 Overlooked NYC Museums - From George Washington’s favorite tavern to the complete history of the subway

✅ New York Know-How: Green Lamps - The sure-fire way to find your subway entrance

🌃 5 Things to Do in Dumbo - Pizza, beer, and iconic views of lower Manhattan

🎫 Events we love this week: April 30 - May 7 - Sprawling night market with dishes costing a maximum of $5

📷 NYC History: NYPL’s Digital Collections - Dive into historical NYC, all from your phone (or computer)

🥃 You’ll Have to Check It Out - Amaro focused cocktails in a swanky, chic East Village spot

Say goodbye to the world for a few minutes, drop everything else, and focus on all things New York.👇

latte caf GIF

Note: As always, this email was written by an actual human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

7 Overlooked NYC Museums

While the popular museums like the MET, MoMA, and Museum of Natural History are undoubtedly worth a visit, they’re only a small slice of what New York City has to offer in the realm of museums and culture.

Think of a topic, and there’s probably a museum about it in New York (see: sex, ice cream, and graffiti).

However, we have seven lesser-known museums that are tested, unique, and worth your time. ⤵️

#3 on the list may have the most beautiful stained-glass I’ve personally seen in my entire life..

New York Know-How: Green Lamps

Sometimes, even the seemingly most basic part of the subway —getting into the station —can be confusing.

Amongst the swath of restaurants, buildings, and bodegas, subway entrances often seem hidden in the hustle & bustle of the city.

The key to success?

Locate the green lamp posts, as shown in the picture above. In pretty much all cases, they demark the entrance to a subway station, whether the station is above or below ground.

Now you know. 🙌

Note: This information is also included in the Ultimate NYC Transportation Guide, which you can access here. 😊

5 Things to Do in Dumbo 🌃

The Dumbo neighborhood in Brooklyn is a vibrant, albeit crowded and touristy, spot to take in views of Manhattan, explore the waterfront, and enjoy some delicious food.

While weekends can be hectic, it’s a worthwhile spot to see on your trip to New York City.

In this article, you’ll learn a brief history of Dumbo (including the unique name), what to do there, and a couple of food spots you must try!

And speaking of food spots, keep reading. ↓

Events We Love This Week (April 30 - May 7, 2025)

In the city this week? Here are some fun events we’re keeping an eye on.

Smashy NYC Grand Opening - May 3

Smashy is one of Hungary’s most popular smash burger spots, and this weekend marks the grand opening of their first NYC location!

You can snag a free burger if you’re one of the first 1,000 visitors on Saturday, starting at noon.

Queens Night Market - Saturdays from 4 pm to Midnight

Halo-halo (Filipino dessert) at Queens Night Market

Queens is one of the most diverse spots in America. Their variety of cuisines reflects that.

At the Queens Night Market, you’ll find 100+ vendors offering dishes for $5 (with some exceptions at $6).

Yep, only $5! 🤑

While that sometimes means smaller portions, the ability to try a handful of countries’ cuisines for less than $25 is unmatched.

This night market is one of our favorites!

NYC History: Historic Digital Collections 📸

While the ability to access millions of images at your fingertips is something we often take for granted, viewing historic and monumental images has a different impact.

During our time exploring and writing about New York City, we stumbled upon the New York Public Library’s Digital Collections.

It boasts 1,064,434 digitized items from the NYPL’s collection, in various forms like prints, photographs, manuscripts, historical maps, and more.

Whether you’d like to see what Broadway looked like in 1896.. 👇

View on Broadway looking toward Union Square

Or you’re curious about what some gentlemen on a bench in The Ramble in Central Park wore back in the early 1900s..

It’s easy to get lost diving down some fascinating rabbit holes on this website… Consider yourself warned. 😜

You’ll Have to Check It Out - Amor y Amargo 🥃

Unique, old-school decor

Some bars find their vibe and absolutely nail it.

Amor y Amargo does that, and then some..

Amaro-based cocktail

From the moment you step in, you feel transported to a simpler time. The decor, floors, and even ceilings push you into what can only be described as a quaint, time capsule of a cocktail bar.

And all their cocktails? Amaro based! So, if dark, rich liquers aren’t your jam.. this bar may not be for you.

A variety of unique bitters for purchase

Our recommendation? Ask the bartender. 🫡

Oh, and be sure to snag a new, unique bottle of bitters for your home bar.

Chat next week,

Ashley & Devin from Better Together Here 🥃

PS- Next week’s You’ll Have to Check It Out? An iconic dessert spot near Amor y Amargo 🍦

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Weekly Dog Tax

Scout soaking up the Midtown skyline views at night, near Sheep Meadow.