A Guide to Hamilton in New York City Museums

Alexander Hamilton.  Bastard.  Orphan.  Son of a whore and a Scotsman.  New York’s immigrant Founding Father.  The ten dollar hero and scholar. From the Caribbean island of Nevis originally, came to New York to attend King’s College (now Columbia University).  Died too young.  Never president, but who wants to be president anyway? 

As another man of humble, tropical island origins who escaped to New York–to A.Ham’s alma mater no less– I’ve always found him relatable.  Thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s insanely great Broadway musical, many others now do too.

Hamilton and Hamilton-related locales have been a through-line in my project to visit and review every museum in New York.  I started the project with a visit to his country home, Hamilton Grange National Memorial.  And  visited his grave at Trinity Church.  Everyone knows about those places (probably), but there’s a million things you haven’t seen (probably) when it comes to Hamilton in New York City.

To help remedy that, I’ve compiled a list of all the places I’ve reviewed with a Hamilton connection.  Some of them are perhaps a little tenuous, but any of them could round out a potential Hamilton-themed pilgrimage around New York.

Besides the Grange, there are several historic homes that date back to Hamilton’s day that he visited.  There are also places that bear his name, like the Alexander Hamilton Customs House that now houses the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian.  Hamilton’s statue stands outside the Museum of the City of New York.

Hamilton in New York

• Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
• Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
• Fraunces Tavern Museum
• Gracie Mansion
• Hall of Fame for Great Americans
• Hamilton Grange National Memorial
• Harbor Defense Museum
• King Manor Museum
• Maritime Industry Museum
• Morris-Jumel Mansion
• Museum of American Finance
• Museum of the City of New York
• National Museum of the American Indian Heye Center
• New York City Fire Museum
• New York Public Library (Stephen A. Schwarzman Building)
• New-York Historical Society
• Noble Maritime Collection
• Trinity Church

Whether virtual, in bronze, or in marble, there’s a Hamilton for you, and this list will help you find him.