Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Information Fort Jay front gate only — Temporary Closure.

The FRONT GATE of Fort Jay is temporarily closed to all. The fort is currently open to visitation Wednesday thru Sunday 10am to 4pm. Access to the fort will be via the western or rear sallyport.

Overview

From 1794 to 1966, the U.S. Army presence on Governors Island played a vital role in the social, political, and economic life of New York City. The island then served as the headquarters of the U.S. Coast Guard from 1966 to 1996, continuing its legacy of national service. Today, Governors Island has transformed into a destination for art, culture, and public programs.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Biking
  • Road Biking
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store
  • Gift Shop and Souvenirs

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Fort Jay Winter: Fort Jay will be closed for the winter. It will re-open in April

Fort Jay: The Fort Jay court yard displays, magazine, and ravelin, are open in Summer, Wednesday through Sunday 10am until 4pm

Castle Williams winter: Castle Williams will be closed this winter and will re-open in the spring

Castle Williams: Castle Williams is open in Summer, Wednesday through Sunday 10am until 4pm.

Getting there

Governors Island is located in New York Harbor, 1/2 mile from the southern tip of Lower Manhattan and 400 yards west of the end of Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue and Red Hook waterfront. It is accessible only via ferry. Ferry service from Manhattan is the main way to access the island. The ferry departs from Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, at South and Whitehall Streets (next to the Staten Island ferry terminal). Check www.govisland.com for ferry schedules.

Weather

During the summer public access season from May to September, the weather is typical of the mid-Atlantic region. Thunderstorms can come quickly with short downpours. There may be extended periods of heat or humidity that might last a week or more. The island is generally a few degrees cooler than the city due to the fairly constant breeze.

Phone: 212-210-6866

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Front of sandstone brick fort with arched entrance way.
Castle Williams at Governors Island National Monument · NPS photo / Katherine Moscowitch
A park ranger talking to a group of visitors inside a large stone room in a fort.
Ranger guided tour of Castle Williams at Governors Island National Monument · NPS photo / Katherine Moscowitch
Manhattan Skyline stands behind the barracks of Fort Jay
Manhattan from Fort Jay · NPS Photo / Sierra Willoughby
Canon and Manhattan Skyline from top of castle
Manhattan from Castle Williams · NPS Photo / Sierra Willoughby

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