Queens definitely has many flavors. Nearly half of Queens' residents are immigrants, making it the most diverse borough in
New York City. To experience Queens, essentially, is to experience the world. With a quick hop on the subway, you can eat the most exotic and authentic meals, discover avant-garde art exhibits, and visit historical
landmarks.
Before it became such a diverse urban community in the mid-twentieth century, Queens largely consisted of agricultural land. Go back in time and relive this part of Queens'
history at the
Queens County Farm Museum. Another time capsule is the
Flushing Quaker Meeting House, built in 1694 and the oldest house of worship in New York State. Quakers there became some of the earliest advocates of religious freedom and abolition.
This history of freedom and openness has attracted people from all around the world. For a tour of the borough's
ethnic culture, take the No.7 subway train to a variety of immigrant neighborhoods. Experience Chinese and Korean culture in Flushing, go
shopping for Indian sari fabrics and eat at authentic Latino
restaurants along Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, or try Greek coffee in Astoria. Built in 1910, historic Bohemian Hall is the last original remaining beer garden in the city, as well as a great taste of Czech and Slovak culture.
Queens is also a bastion of
culture and
art.
PS1 in Long Island City is an affiliate of MoMA and features some of the city's most thought-provoking exhibits. The
American Museum of the Moving Image has an extensive collection of film and television artifacts, and also screens international and classic films rarely seen anywhere else.
Socrates Sculpture Park features large-scale works by world-class sculptors. At the
Queens Museum of Art, you can visit a 9,335-square-foot architectural model of New York City originally built for the 1964 World's Fair.
Flushing Meadows, the site of that World's Fair, has become a Queens landmark. Catch a homerun ball or see tennis champions kiss their trophies. Nearby is the New York Mets, and the
USTA National Tennis Center, where the US Open is played.