Kingsland Homestead, a late 18th-century house in Flushing, stands in the shade of the Weeping Beech tree, a designated City landmark planted in 1847. Located steps away from the 17th-century Bowne House, where Quakers were first permitted to meet in New Amsterdam, Kingsland is the headquarters of the Queens Historical Society.

Charles Doughty, who built Kingsland around 1785, was the son of Benjamin Doughty, a wealthy Quaker who purchased land on the old turnpike in Flushing. The name "Kingsland" derives from Doughty's son-in-law, British sea captain Joseph King, who bought the home in 1801.
In 1923, a proposed subway extension threatened to destroy the house, and it was moved to the former site of a nearby stable that Captain King had built more than a century before. When it was endangered again by new construction in 1968, the three-year-old Kingsland Preservation Committee had the homestead transferred to its present location, on property that once belonged to Samuel Bowne Parsons, a nurseryman and father of Parks Commissioner Samuel Parsons, Jr.

The two-story homestead has a gambrel roof, a crescent-shaped window in a side gable and a Dutch-style front door. Original shingles laid over the exterior in 1805 by Captain King remain on all but the west side of the house.

The first floor is used for local history exhibitions that draw on the collections of the Queens Historical Society--which owns Kingsland--and of community residents. The only furnished period room is a second-floor parlor decorated as if it belonged to a middle-class Victorian family. The Society offers a regular series of lectures and programs and makes accessible to the public a library and archive of primary and secondary source materials covering Queens' 300-year history.

Two-acre Weeping Beech Park surrounds the house and is dominated by the 60-foot Weeping Beech tree. The tree has a history as exciting as that of any immigrant to America. Flushing's Beech originated in Belgium. The parent tree was saved from destruction by the gardener on the estate of Baron de Mann in Beirsal, Belgium who had ordered the tree uprooted. In 1847, Samuel Parsons bought a budded shoot of the parent tree and brought it back to America with him. To this original plant, every Weeping Beech grown in this country owes its genetic root. The relocation of Kingsland Homestead near the Weeping Beech secured the fate of a house typical of its time but rare today.

10 Reasons Why to Discover Queens.

One is for home to the largest model of a city in the world --- The Panorama of New York City located in the Queens Museum of Art.

Two is for the 2.2 million Queens residents representing all parts of the world who speak your language and welcome you to their neighborhood.

Three is for over 300 years of history that you can experience by visiting our historic homes and sites.

Four as in 42 miles of subway lines to get you from here to there.

Five is for the Uni-five; New York Hall of Science, Queens Botanical Garden, Queens Museum of Art, Queens Theatre in the Park, Queens Wildlife Center, located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Six as in your choice of 63 neighborhood branches of the Queens Borough Public Library for getting information on the topics of your choice.

Seven is for over 7,000 acres of parks for you to explore from beach to bay to a forest of oak, hickory and pine.

Eight as in "I ate food from around the world by spending a day in Queens!"

Nine for the 9 Mets Players on the field at Shea Stadium.

Ten for the 10 miles of sun, sand and surf awaiting you in the Rockaways.

A Brief History of the Queens Area
When you ask someone who lives in New York City exactly where in the city they live, people from Brooklyn will say, Brooklyn. Again, the same holds true for the Bronx, Staten Island and Manhattan. However rarely will a Queens resident respond, Queens. You will hear them say Jamaica, Flushing, Long Island City, Astoria, Jackson Heights, the Rockaways and on and on through over thirty-something communities throughout the borough. Why? Well history-wise, that is the way its residents choose to identify their sense of place. In Queens, we have many communities that can be considered destinations that have this sense of place. They are part of the 112 square miles and 2.2 million residents who are 32% White, 19% Black, 25% Hispanic, 18% Asian and 6% American Indian and two or more races or other, who call Queens County home.

Queens County was established in 1683 and at that time, it included what we know now to be Nassau County. Early on, the village of Jamaica located in central Queens, became the colonial capital and home to founding father Rufus King. Today it is a vibrant shopping and cultural district featuring 245 retail stores including Hip Hop shops, 23 restaurants, the Jamaica Arts & Music Summer Festival (JAMS) and 10 attractions featuring historic landmarks and the visual/performing arts. Many people from Guyana, El Salvador, India, Colombia and the Dominican Republic make Jamaica their home.

Flushing, located in north central Queens, like Jamaica, was an early colonial settlement that was the site of the first commercial nursery in America and the birthplace of religious freedom. Within one mile you can visit 7 historic sites and 4 visual/performance attractions plus shop at 500 retail shops and enjoy 200 restaurants. People here are mostly representative of Korea, China and South Asian countries.

Long Island City/Astoria, located on the western border, got their start as manufacturing centers. The Steinway & Sons piano factory still turns out the ivories and the Kaufman Astoria Studios still turns out the movies. You can, however find major retail shopping, over 1000 stores, a great restaurant variety and over 8 major attractions including historic and the performing/visual arts. Residents reflect the countries of Greece, Colombia and China, Guyana, Korea and Dominican heritages.

Jackson Heights, located in northwestern Queens is among one of the first areas (1923) to have semi-detached homes featuring garden apartments and other amenities. Today the area's residents come from India, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia and Chile. Over 100 restaurants reflect this mix with 800 retail shops as well.

Corona/East Elmhurst, borders Jackson Heights. Corona boasts of being home to jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Clark Terry. Today it is home to people from Italy, Pakistan, India as well as South and Central America. So grab an arepa and an Italian ice as you wander in to neighboring East Elmhurst for more shopping opportunities at major retailers to friendly mom and pop shops or enjoy programs offered at the Langston Hughes Community Library.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park in central Queens, is home to the NY Mets, U.S. Open Tennis Championships, New York Hall of Science, Queens Wildlife Center, Queens Museum of Art, Theatre in the Park and the Queens Botanical Garden. The Park hosts major cultural celebrations like the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Races, Colombian, Peruvian and Ecuadorian Festivals whose audiences number in the tens of thousands. The Park was the site of the 1939 World's Fair as well as the 1964-65 World's Fair. Some of the buildings and landmarks still remain.

College Point's namesake, Saint Paul's College (1838), no longer exists. However this neighborhood is bounding into the 21st Century with a selection of major retail stores on 20th Avenue. You get the hometown feeling from walking on College Point Boulevard and visiting the historic Poppenhusen Institute (1868), a must see as it was the site for the first free kindergarten in the United States.

Douglaston was named after William Douglas who donated a building on his Long Island estate to serve as the local railroad station in 1876. Primarily a residential community, Douglaston is also home to the Alley Pond Environmental Center that embraces 623 acres with a system of nature trails, a history museum and the only working windmill in New York City.

Floral Park is another primarily residential community developed after World War II that straddles Queens and Nassau Counties. Once farmland, the historic Queens County Farm Museum occupies the largest remaining tract of natural, undisturbed farmland in NYC. The farmhouse dates from 1772 and farming continues on the site today with produce and products for sale at various times throughout the year.

Belmont Park dating from 1905 and home for the Belmont Stakes Race, also straddles Nassau and Queens Counties. Visit their Family Weekends featuring entertainment for young and old alike. 
 

The Rockaways, a peninsula located in southern most Queens, can boast of the largest Tiffany window nature scene ever commissioned. It is also home to a vibrant arts community of performing and visual artists, The Rockaway Theatre Company and the Rockaway Artists Alliance at Fort Tilden. There are 500 retail shops and 100 restaurants to explore as well as 10 miles of sand, surf and sun.

In Partnership with the Smithsonian
Monday, May 17, 2004 Through Sunday, July 4, 2004

Special Family Events including:
Cabaret, Broadway, Classic Films, Music and Dance

Call (718) 463-7700 ext 222 for additional information and to be put on the mailing list. 
The mission of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, is to make the arts a central part of life, to be a creative and revitalizing force for developing the arts in the community and to be a national and international destination for tourism. Located at historic Flushing Town Hall (1862), Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts meets this mission by creating innovative visual and performing arts programs and arts education programs that represent and serve the diverse interests and backgrounds of the greater New York metropolitan area.

 Directions 
Mission Statement 
 MAJOR SUPPORTERS WHO MAKE OUR PROGRAMS POSSIBLE
MAJOR SUPPORTERS
New York State Council on the Arts, New York State Legislature*,
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Council, ** New York City Department of Education, New York City Department for the Aging, Queens Borough President, Hon. Helen Marshall.
* With funds provided by NYS Asemblyman Barry Grodenshik
** With funds provided by Councilman John Liu, and the Queens Delegation

MAJOR CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT
Alabaster Group, Astoria Federal Savings, Dr. William Osler Benenson Family Foundation, Peter Calvacca, Carnegie Corporation of New York, The J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation, The Owen Cheat-ham Foundation, Citigroup Foundation, City and Suburban Federal Savings, Con Edison, James Davis, Flushing Mall, Flushing Savings Bank, Graf and Lewent Architects, Great Eastern Bank, healthfirst, HSBC Bank, USA, Jo-Ann Jones, Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, M&T Foundation, Melrose Credit Union, Newsday, Newsday HOY, New York Community Bank, New York Community Trust, Nobuko Cobi Narita, Richmond County Savings Foundation, Rotary Club of Flushing, Sam Ash Music Corporation, Sterling Sanitary Supply Corporation, Target Greatland, TDC Development Corporation, Time Warner Cable of New York City, Verizon 

OTHER CORPORATE, FOUNDATION AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT
Aluf, Atco Property Management, Joan Barnes, Beechwood Organization, Blackman Plumbing, Blumenfeld Development, Briarwood Organization, Wellington Chen, Ciampa Management Corpo-ration, Crystal Window and Door Corporation, Dime Savings Bank, Durso’s Pasta and Ravioli Com-pany, Elser & Aucone, GreenPoint Bank, Yanghee Hahn, Jimmy and Mona Heath, Edward Henson and Juanita Henson Foundation, The Carl and Marsha Hewitt Foundation, Inc., IBI Armored Services, The Korean Channel, James McDermott, Mid Atlantic Investments, Muss Development, New York City Labor Council, New York Hospital, Lucy C. Nunziato, Pliskin, Rubano and Baum, Premier Benefit Plans, Queensborough Community College, Queens College, Ridgewood Savings Bank, Charles Rubano, Esq., Donald Smith, State Bank of Long Island, Time Warner Cable of New York City, Van Negris and Company

FLUSHING COUNCIL MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Bayside Historical Society, Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, Center for Preparatory Studies in Music/Queens College, Central Queens YM-YWHA, Colden Center for the Performing Arts, Con Brio Ensemble, FSF Community Theatre Group, Godwin/Ternbach Museum, Jackson Heights Art Club, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, Kenneth Gartner Singers, LaGuardia Community Col-lege/LaGuardia Performing Arts Center abd LaGuardia-Wagner Archives, Latin American Cultural Center of Queens, MoMA QNS/The Museum of Modern Art, Queens, Musica Reginae, National Art League, On Stage, Ltd., Oratorio Society of Queens, Parkside Players, Queensborough Community College Professional Performing Arts Series, Queens Botanical Garden, Queens College Art Cen-ter/Benjamin Rosenthal Library, Queens Theatre In The Park, Thalia Spanish Theatre, Universal Jazz Coalition, Women’s Studio Center.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Gateway National Recreation Area)
Brooklyn/Queens, NY

Link: www.nps.gov/gate/homepage/jb-bp.htm

Description:

The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, a unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, is one of the most important urban wildlife refuges in the United States. Encompassing 9,155 acres, it is comprised of diverse habitats, including salt marsh, upland field and woods, several fresh and brackish water ponds and an open expanse of bay and islands- all located within the limits of New York City. The Wildlife refuge is nationally and internationally renowned as a prime birding spot where thousands of water, land and shorebirds stop during migration. More than 325 species have been recorded here during the last 25 years. 

Each season has different possibilities for natural phenomena. The Spring brings warbler and songbird migrants. A special treat is the peculiar courting display of the breeding American Woodcocks during the evening in late March. Starting mid-August is the migration of southerly bound shorebirds. The Fall is noted for migrating hawks and raptors, songbirds and warblers and great numbers of waterfowl. Also to be noted are the migrating Monarch Butterflies and dragonflies.

Quite a number of birds breed either within the area of the trails or on the islands that are in the bay. Some of those species on the upland and salt marsh areas are Canada Geese, Yellow, Common Yellowthroat and Redstart warblers, Osprey, Oystercatchers, Willets, and Tree Sparrow. Less visible breeding areas hold nest sites for Black Crowned and Yellow Crowned Night Herons, Great Blue Heron, Great and Snowy Egret, Glossy Ibis and Barn Owl. This has been abetted by an active nest box placement program and the protection of prime nesting areas during breeding season.

The refuge is also productive for the now rare native flora and fauna of the coastal areas. Due to introduction of native species and creation of conducive habitat, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is the home to breeding reptiles and amphibians, small mammals and butterflies.

There are a number of sections of the refuge that are particularly good for birders and naturalists. You will find in this description specific information about two of the best: the East and West Ponds.

West Pond: [MAP] 

The west pond is a gravel loop trail, (see map), starting at the Visitor Center. It is approximately 1-1/2 miles in total and takes about 1 and 1/2 hours to complete. (A side spur between benches 9 and 10 is the Terrapin Nesting Area which is closed during breeding season. In the Fall it provides good viewpoints for shorebirds, terns and gulls.) The pond itself is 45 acres. There are benches throughout the course of the trail placed in good position for viewing. As noted, the West pond is excellent habitat for coastal shorebirds and waterfowl, but the trees and shrubs around the trails add to its productivity. In the winter, large flocks of Snow Geese can be found on the west pond, along with other ducks such as Lesser and Greater Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Ring-Necked Duck, Green-Winged Teal, Northern Pintail, American Widgeon, and Gadwall. Nearly every winter brings rarities such as Eurasian Widgeon and Tufted Duck. Watch the Bay side for Horned Grebes. From spring through fall, the west pond often has flocks of Black Skimmers. Least and Common Terns are usually seen, along with the occasional Gull-Billed Tern. The North and South Gardens are quite good during songbird and warbler migration, and quite a few of these species breed in this part of the refuge. (Note: It can get a little mucky along some sections of the Garden area.) 

East Pond: [MAP] 

Created in 1951, The East Pond is located across from the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge visitor center on the east side of Cross Bay Boulevard. (See map.) Consisting of about 100 acres of fresh water and its accompanying marshes and wetlands, the pond supports a substantial variety of plant and animal life. Though natural in appearance, the water level is lowered in June and September to provide mud flats for migrating shorebirds. Thousands of birds stop here on their summer migrations along the Atlantic Flyway. Lowering the water level also allows visitors access to the pond. At other times of the year access is limited to the trail head.

Be sure to prepare for a visit to the East Pond. Wear waterproof walking shoes, waders or shoes you won’t mind getting wet and dirty, since a good part of the trail takes you along the edge of the pond. When the pond shore is wet it can be very mucky and one tends to sink into it if not exercising care. It is recommended that you bring insect spray and sun screen in late Spring, Summer and early Fall. You may also want to bring a small container of water.

Hours of Operation:

Refuge trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The visitor center and parking lots are open every day (except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s) from 8:30 - 5PM. The visitor center is staffed and has a small selection of field guides and related materials for sale. Maps and checklists are available. Outside the center, at the beginning of the West Pond trail, is a log of recent siting records.

Directions to Refuge:

BY CAR: From Brooklyn - Belt Parkway (east) to exit 17 (Crossbay Boulevard) go over North Channel Bridge and continue 1 1/2 miles to the Traffic light at the entrance to the Refuge on the right.

From Rockaway - Take Crossbay Bridge (94 St.) and go through Broad Channel Community. Refuge visitor center is about 1/2 mile on the left.

BY TRAIN: Take the "A" train going to Rockaways. Exit at Broad Channel Station. Walk west to Crossbay Boulevard then north, (right), about 1/2 mile to the refuge.

BY BUS: Take Triboro Q53 bus from Roosevelt Ave./ Jackson Heights. Exit at refuge stop. You can also take the Greenline Q21 from the intersection of Woodhaven and Liberty Ave. Exit at refuge entrance.

For information about activities, (walks, workshops, etc.), either write: Gateway NRA, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11234 or call the refuge at (718) 318-4340.

Other Notes: In the Spring through late Summer, checks for ticks after leaving the trails. Poison Ivy is a common refuge plant. (Learn to identify it.) Dress for the season. In the summer it can get rather warm in the open, unshaded areas and in late Fall through Winter the refuge is generally cooler and windier than points inland. 

Binoculars will get you good views of most of the birds, but a spotting scope is helpful for observing birds on the distant shorelines, sandbars and islands.

Address
33 Street at Queens Blvd.
Long Island City, Queens
(212) 708-9400
info@moma.org

Directions to MoMA QNS 

Mailing Address
11 West 53 Street
New York, NY 10019

Museum Hours

Monday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Tuesday closed

Wednesday closed

Thursday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Friday 10:00 a.m.–7:45 p.m.

Saturday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Directions to MoMA QNS
Special Needs Access
Group Visits

Special Hotel Offers
Other Cultural Destinations
in Queens
 Admission

Adults $12

Students (with current identification) and seniors (65 and over) $8.50

Children under 16 accompanied by an adult free (does not apply to children in groups)

Pay-what-you-wish admission on Fridays, 4:00–7:45 p.m.

Purchase Regular MoMA Exhibition Tickets Online 
(Note: Pay-what-you-wish tickets are not available for sale online) 

Visitor information also available 
in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat
Reader required):

English    Fran?ais    Italiano    
Japanese    Espa?ol    Deutsch

Korean    Chinese

Please note that due to the Museum's program of temporary and traveling exhibitions, works from MoMA's collection may not be on view at all times. If you are interested in finding out which works from the collection are now on view at the Museum, a checklist is available.

 Acoustiguide Audio Program (English only)
During selected special exhibitions, personalized audio guides are available inside the Museum at the Acoustiguide desk. With the Acoustiguide Audio Program, individuals can learn about the exhibitions at their own pace. Expert commentary, musical accompaniment, and historical references enhance the viewing experience. $5.00; $4.50 members. Transcripts of audio programs are also available upon request.

Restaurants and Cafés

Beverages and light refreshments are available at the Café on the mezzanine of MoMA QNS.

For additional restaurants and cafés in the area, please see:
Dining options along the 7 train (compiled by Time Out New York)
MoMA Member discounts at restaurants 

Visitor Policies

Baby strollers are permitted at all times. 
Wheelchairs are available at the Information Desk free of charge. 
Photography is permitted with hand-held cameras only; no flash or tripods are allowed. Videotaping is permitted only in the Lobby. No photographs taken in the Museum may be reproduced, distributed, or sold without permission from the Museum. 
Sketching is permitted in the galleries—pencil only, no ink, no paint—with sketchbooks no larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches. No easels, stools, or sketching on the floor will be permitted. If galleries are crowded, guards may ask visitors to stop sketching or writing.   

All bags are subject to security inspection before entering the galleries. 
All backpacks (any size), umbrellas, parcels, bags, and purses larger than 11 x 14 inches (28 x 35.5 cm) must be checked. 
The use of cellular phones is not permitted in the Museum's galleries. 
Food and drinks are permitted only in the Café. 
Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the Museum. 
 

Mission Statement

Founded in 1929 as an educational institution, The Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to being the foremost museum of modern art in the world.

Through the leadership of its trustees and staff, The Museum of Modern Art manifests this commitment by establishing, preserving, and documenting a permanent collection of the highest order that reflects the vitality, complexity, and unfolding patterns of modern and contemporary art; by presenting exhibitions and educational programs of unparalleled significance; by sustaining a library, archives, and conservation laboratory that are recognized as international centers of research; and by supporting scholarship and publications of preeminent intellectual merit.

Central to The Museum of Modern Art's mission is the encouragement of an ever deeper understanding and enjoyment of modern and contemporary art by the diverse local, national, and international audiences that it serves.

To achieve its goals The Museum of Modern Art recognizes:

• That modern and contemporary art originated in the exploration of the ideals and interests generated in the new artistic traditions that began in the late nineteenth century and continue today.
• That modern and contemporary art transcend national boundaries and involve all forms of visual expression, including painting and sculpture, drawings, prints and illustrated books, photography, architecture and design, and film and video, as well as new forms yet to be developed or understood, that reflect and explore the artistic issues of the era.
• That these forms of visual expression are an open-ended series of arguments and counter arguments that can be explored through exhibitions and installations and that are reflected in the Museum's varied collection.
• That it is essential to affirm the importance of contemporary art and artists if the Museum is to honor the ideals with which it was founded and to remain vital and engaged with the present.
• That this commitment to contemporary art enlivens and informs our evolving understanding of the traditions of modern art.
• That to remain at the forefront of its field, the Museum must have an outstanding professional staff and must periodically reevaluate itself, responding to new ideas and initiatives with insight, imagination and intelligence. This process of reevaluation is mandated by the Museum's tradition, which encourages openness and a willingness to evolve and change.

In sum, The Museum of Modern Art seeks to create a dialogue between the established and the experimental, the past and the present, in an environment that is responsive to the issues of modern and contemporary art, while being accessible to a public that ranges from scholars to young children. The ultimate purpose of the Museum declared at its founding was to acquire the best modern works of art. While quality remains the primary criterion, the Museum acknowledges and pursues a broader educational purpose: to build a collection which is more than an assemblage of masterworks, which provides a uniquely comprehensive survey of the unfolding modern movement in all visual media.

P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center 
(map)
is located at 22-25 Jackson Ave at the intersection of 46th Ave in Long Island City, 11101

For additional information, please contact P.S.1 by phone or e-mail: 718.784.2084 (tel)
718.482.9454 (fax)
mail@ps1.org

Hours and Admission
P.S.1 is open from Noon to 6:00 p.m. Thursday through Monday.  The museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Admission is a $5.00 suggested donation $2.00 for students and seniors members free. 
History of P.S.1
A History of P.S.1's building, from its construction in the 1890s to the present.

P.S.1 Exhibition Policy
Artists may consult this policy for guidelines on submitting work for curatorial review.

 
 by Subway
(map)
E or V to 23 St/Ely Ave. Exit onto 44th to Jackson Ave. Walk two blocks south on Jackson to 46th Ave. Please note that the V train does not run on weekends.

7 to 45 Rd/Courthouse Sq. Exit onto Jackson Ave. Walk one block south to 46th Ave. 

G to 21 St/Van Alst.  P.S.1 is across the street to the left.

G to Court Sq. Walk south three blocks on Jackson Ave.

by Bus 
(map)
Q67 to Jackson and 46th Aves 
B61 to 46th Ave

 
 by Car
(map)
From Manhattan
Via Midtown Tunnel. Van Alst exit. Follow 21st St three blocks. P.S.1 is on the right.

Via Queensboro/59th St. bridge. Use the lower level.  Take the Queens Boulevard service lane (all the way to the right) when you exit.  At Kelly's Furniture Warehouse, turn right on Jackson Ave and follow to 46th Ave.

From Queens / Long Island
LIE (495) West. Exit at Van Dam St ( the last exit before Midtown Tunnel).  Turn right on Van Dam and make a left onto Thompson Avenue.  From there, turn left onto Jackson Ave.  Continue for 3 blocks and P.S.1 is located at 46th Ave and Jackson Ave.

From Brooklyn
BQE North to the McGuiness Blvd exit. Once you exit, veer to the left.  Continue over the Pulaski Bridge. At the bottom of the bridge turn right onto Jackson Ave. Continue three blocks. P.S.1 is on your left at 46th Ave and Jackson Ave.
 

Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned riverside landfill and illegal dumpsite until 1986 when a coalition of artists and community members, under the leadership of artist Mark di Suvero, transformed it into an open studio and exhibition space for artists and a neighborhood park for local residents. Today it is an internationally renowned outdoor museum and artist residency program that also serves as a vital New York City park offering a wide variety of public services. 
Socrates Sculpture Park is the only site in the New York Metropolitan area specifically dedicated to providing artists with opportunities to create and exhibit large-scale work in a unique environment that encourages strong interaction between artists, artworks and the public. The Park's existence is based on the belief that reclamation, revitalization and creative expression are essential to the survival, humanity and improvement of our
urban environment.
In recognition for its contributions to both the international art world and the local community in Queens, Socrates Sculpture Park has received many awards. In recognition for its contributions to both the international art world and the local community in Queens, Socrates Sculpture Park has received many awards. In 2003, Socrates was selected to receive the "Downstate Organization Award for Advancing Cultural Development in New York State" by the Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations. In 2001, Socrates was named "Best Sculpture Park" by the Village Voice. In 2000, the Park was awarded both the New York State Governor's Arts Award and a Special Citation from the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter. In 1998 the Park received a National Recognition Award from the America the Beautiful Fund and in 1995 it was named a "Great American Place", selected as one of 63 specially recognized sites from around the country that are exemplary models of our built environment. In 1988 the City Club of New York awarded Socrates the Albert Bard Award in Architecture & Urban Design and in 1987 the Park received a Doris Freedman Award from the Mayor of the City of New York for greatly enriching the public environment. The Park has also been recognized by the Art Commission of the City of New York with a 1985 special recognition award.