Castle Clinton National Monument

Castle Clinton NM Entrance
Castle Clinton stands where New York City began.
Photos: National Park Service

About Castle Clinton National Monument

Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of 1812, it has since welcomed theatergoers, immigrants, and sightseers—and today continues to greet millions of visitors to New York Harbor.

Plan a Visit

NPS DesignationNational Monument
Park State / Territory MembershipNew York
Current Alerts1
Visitor Centers1
Campgrounds0
Things To Do0

Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.

Weather & Conditions

Castle Clinton National Monument has a variety of weather. New York City has hot summers and cold winters. Spring can have heavy rains and Autumn can be cool. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=New+York&state=NY&site=OKX&lat=40.7198&lon=-73.993#.Vqj8OvkrJlZ

NPS Reference Location

Park state / territory membership: New York. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.

Operating Hours

Castle Clinton is open daily except Thanksgiving day and Christmas Day.

Friday7:45AM - 5:00PM
Monday7:45AM - 5:00PM
Saturday7:45AM - 5:00PM
Sunday7:45AM - 5:00PM
Thursday7:45AM - 5:00PM
Tuesday7:45AM - 5:00PM
Wednesday7:45AM - 5:00PM

Activities

Arts and CultureGuided ToursJunior Ranger ProgramShoppingBookstore and Park Store

Current Alerts

Restrooms Closed

Castle Clinton restrooms are closed due to a maintenance issue. At the moment, we are not able to determine when they will reopen. Additional public restrooms are available in Battery Park and at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

Getting There

Castle Clinton is located in historic Battery Park. It is only directly accessible by foot, bicycle, or wheelchair. You cannot drive directly to the site. Local parking is nearly impossible to find and expensive. All public transportation options are located outside of Battery Park.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.

NPS-Listed AddressBattery Park, New York, NY, 10004

Topics & Themes

Architecture and BuildingFortsImmigrationMaritimeCoastal DefensesMilitaryMusicUrban AmericaWars and ConflictsWar of 1812

Visitor Centers

Castle Clinton NM

Originally built as a fort to protect New York harbor, the building has changed to fit the needs of a growing city. The building has…

Nearby Cities for Trip Planning

These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.

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