Traveling downtown to break away from the 116th Street hustle is good for the soul but bad for the bank account. Columbia and Barnard students know the feeling all too well— it only takes an hour to find *that* pair of jeans in Soho, watch a wannabe John Mulaney, and feast on Instagram-worthy desserts, until the realization comes that you spent half your month’s savings. Manhattan’s hidden gems, where no money is needed to feast your eyes or your stomach, are not as well-known but worth the subway trip. Here are five unique places I have come across:
1. World Trade Center Graffiti Garden
The World Trade Center Transportation Hub, Oculus, is a must-see wonder with architect Santiago Calatrava’s incredible bird-like structure that wings out towards the sky and shines light downwards onto the pavement. Next to Calatrava’s masterpiece are buildings covered with graffiti and murals that were created by a multitude of professional artists. Regardless if you’re a cultural aficionado looking to be inspired or just want trendy pictures for your social media, this art hub will leave you in awe.
2. Eden Fine Art Gallery
Critical of capitalism? If so, the Eden’s Fine Art Gallery collection “Alec Monopoly,” which satirizes American corporate greed, is the place for you to sulk in solidarity. Vibrant paintings and sculptures with intense movement, twisted beauty, and thought-provoking concepts create an eclectic set of artwork to appreciate. The gallery is located on 437 Madison Ave and requires no reservation to enter.
3. The Phluid Project
Rob Smith, the former Executive Vice President of Macy’s merchandising, created this revolutionary, “gender-free” clothing store that prides itself on doubling as a community center for people who identify as non-binary. While their futuristic, pastel sweatshirts may not be free, the Phluid Project hosts monthly events open to the public for no charge.
4. The Evolution Store
A smaller-scale version of the Natural History Museum is The Evolution Store on 687 Broadway and West 4th street. This eccentric store does not sell your typical museum gift shop merchandise: framed butterflies, tiger head taxidermy, and preserved man-eating piranhas. Going to Evolution is a thrilling, educational experience if you want to learn about the anatomy of animals or see a replica human skull. If you’re daring enough, try one of their beatle lollipops!
5. Berlin Wall
If you are familiar with the history behind the Berlin Wall, you may appreciate that there are
five pieces of the west side of the wall scattered throughout Manhattan. Searching for these pieces are like going on a historical treasure hunt but if you are limited on time, here is a list of the locations.
These are five places out of the thousands of options that New York City has to offer for the college student on a budget. The next time you have a break from writing papers and club meetings, I recommend traveling as far downtown as possible and walking upwards without any agenda except to discover where the streets take you.