The Dyckman Farmhouse Museum is an interesting, and lesser-known place to visit. Owned by the NYC Department of Park and Recreation, the museum is a member of The Historic House Trust of New York City.

Originally built in 1784 and opened as a museum in 1916, The Dyckman Farmhouse Museum is the last farmhouse in Manhattan. It includes several collections that house thousands of artifacts and written records. The landscape has also been recreated with several period pieces, including a smokehouse and a well.

The museum offers several programs including tours, art exhibits, and children’s programs.

The Butterfly Conservatory is now open at the American Museum of Natural History.

This seasonal exhibit features over 500 butterflies. Once in the conservatory, visitors can walk among the free-flying butterflies and tropical plants.

This exhibit features butterflies from the Pieridae, Papilionidae and Nymphalidaie families.

Open through May, tickets to this popular exhibit must be pre-purchased. The conservatory is located on the second floor of the museum, in the Whitney Hall of Oceanic Birds.

Other locations (such as The Bronx Zoo) feature butterfly gardens, but they are only open during the warmer months, depending on the weather.

The 10^th annual Harlem Fine Arts Show is scheduled to take place from February 14-17^th at The Historic Riverside Church in NYC.

This unique show features African American art and includes a fine arts exhibit and sale. Whether you’re new to art or are an avid art collector, this show is a recommended destination!

The Harlem Fine Arts Show began in 2009 and is the largest traveling African Diasporic art show in the US. The exhibit showcases over 100 artists and has welcomed over 80,000 visitors.

The art show will begin with an opening reception and will feature many exciting weekend events.

Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien and his “Lord of the Rings” series will appreciate the opportunity to visit the Morgan Library’s exhibit, “Tolkien: Maker of Middle Earth.”

Now on display in the museum’s third floor gallery, this exhibit features the largest collection of Tolkien’s work and life. Featuring 115 manuscripts, watercolors, handwritten notes and drawings, this enchanting display offers a rare glimpse into the author’s writings.

“Tolkien’s Middle Earth speaks to so many of us because it is a complete world. It has geography, it has history, it has language,” says curator John McQuillen. “We are not reading isolated tales but a much richer and interwoven narrative.”

The museum also offers related activities such as mapmaking for children and a watercolor landscape painting class.