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Federal Hall National Memorial Review

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Federal Hall National Memorial

Address: 26 Wall St., at Nassau St., Lower Manhattan, New York, NY, 10005 | Map It
Phone: 212/825-6870

Category: Memorials/Monuments
Location: Lower Manhattan

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 2.6/5

Fodor's Review:

It's a museum now, but this site has a most notable claim: George Washington was sworn in here as the first president of the United States in 1789, when the building was Federal Hall of the new nation. When we lost capital rights to Philadelphia in 1790, Federal Hall reverted to New York's City Hall, then was demolished in 1812 when the present City Hall was completed. The museum within covers 400 years of New York City's history, with a focus on the life and times of what is now the city's Financial District. You can spot this building easily—it was modeled on the Parthenon, and a statue of George Washington is planted quite obtrusively on the steps.

Cost: Free
Open: Weekdays 9-5
Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Wall St.; A, C to Broadway/Nassau; J, M, Z to Broad St.

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 1/25/09
An attraction that can easily be seen as a quick pop-in while in the Wall Street area. Has some small history-based exhibits, but the building itself is the most interesting thing here -- has a Greek columned front like the Parthenon and a domed center reminiscent of Rome's Pantheon. It's also free.