PROSPECT PARK

Description

Essentials about Prospect Park in brief

When you think of parks and New York City, the first thing that comes to mind is Central Park. But with Prospect Park the borough of Brooklyn also has an extremely charming park to offer, where there is plenty to see and do – and of course you can also relax in the park. Opened in 1867, the 2.4-square-meter park forms the structural center of Brooklyn. Incidentally, the architects of Prospect Park were Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who had previously designed Central Park. Similar to Central Park, there are plenty of attractions to discover and experience in Prospect.

The sights and attractions of Prospect Park

The Grand Army Plaza

At the main entrance to Prospect Park stands an extremely striking structure: the Arc de Triomphe of Grand Army Plaza. Like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch stands in the middle of a busy traffic circle and commemorates the soldiers who fought on the side of the Union in the American Civil War. In addition, two other notable structures are located in Grand Army Plaza, namely the John F. Kennedy Memorial, a bust of the 35th U.S. President, and the Bailey Fountain, a large Art Deco fountain.

The Long Meadow and the Zucker Natural Exploration Area

If you want to sunbathe, picnic, or practice yoga, Long Meadow at the north end of the park is a great place to do so. Nearby is the Donald and Barbara Zucker Natural Exploration Area, where kids can climb storm-damaged trees or play hide-and-seek. A little further south are the Long Meadow Ballfields, where you can almost always watch a baseball game. Not far from the Ballfields is the Prospect Park Bandshell, where free outdoor concerts are held in the summer.

Prospect Park Lake and LeFrak Center

In the southern part of the park is the 55-hectare Prospect Park Lake. Here you can go paddling surrounded by ducks. On the eastern shore of the lake is the LeFrak Center. Opened in 2013, the center has a roller skating rink in the summer that converts to an ice skating rink in the winter. Kids can enjoy a splish-and-splash playground while their parents grab a bite to eat at Bluestone Café. Bicycles and boats can also be rented at the LeFrak Center.

The Boathouse and the Audubon Center

Just north of the lake, on quiet Lullwater, stands Prospect Park’s most architecturally charming building – the old Boathouse. After falling into disrepair over the years and being renovated, it is now a natural history education center called the Audubon Center.

The Prospect Park Carousel, Lefferts Historic House and Prospect Park Zoo

The eastern part of the park around Flatbush Avenue has a lot to offer, especially for children. The Prospect Park Carousel from 1912, which originally stood on Coney Island, is extremely popular with the little ones. A few yards away is the Lefferts Historic House, a former Dutch colonial farmhouse from the end of the 18th century that now houses a museum where visitors can learn a lot about life in Brooklyn in the 19th century. Right next door is Prospect Park Zoo, which can’t rival Bronx Zoo or Central Park Zoo, but is still an interesting change of pace.

The Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Botanic Garden

In the northeast corner of the park are two more of the most popular attractions in all of Brooklyn: the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The Brooklyn Museum is the second largest museum in New York City and one of the largest and oldest museums in North America. Its holdings include a large collection of ancient Egyptian masterpieces and the works of many cultures from around the world, especially Chinese, Korean and Middle Eastern art. So for those interested in art, it’s definitely worth a detour. And the Botanical Garden offers its visitors a beautiful garden with over 14,000 different species of plants and is best known for its magnificent Japanese garden.