{"id":317143,"date":"2026-08-09T11:54:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/317143\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T11:54:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:54:25","slug":"new-york-city-is-home-to-one-of-americas-most-beautiful-historic-carousels-and-rides-still-cost-just-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/317143\/","title":{"rendered":"New York city is home to one of America’s most beautiful historic carousels\u2014and rides still cost just $3"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"New<\/p>\n

There\u2019s something undeniably magical about a carousel, with its twinkling lights, old-fashioned music, and that little feeling of being a kid again.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And lucky for us, New York is home to one of the most beautiful historic carousels in America, where you can still hop on for just $3. Set against the Manhattan skyline in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jane\u2019s Carousel is a true NYC classic, combining nearly a century of history with one of the prettiest rides in the city.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source \/ Brooklyn Bridge Park<\/p>\n

The History<\/p>\n

1922 Origins: The carousel was built by the famed Philadelphia Toboggan Company (designated as PTC No. 61). It features 48 exquisitely hand-carved wooden horses and two elaborate chariots, representing the golden age of American carousel carving.<\/p>\n

Rescued from Auction: For decades, it operated at Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio. When the park closed in the 1980s following a devastating fire, local DUMBO developer David Walentas and his wife, Jane Walentas, purchased the entire carousel at auction in 1984 to save it from being dismantled and sold off piece-by-piece.<\/p>\n

A 27-Year Labor of Love: Jane Walentas spent over two decades in her Brooklyn studio painstaking restoring the carousel. Using an X-Acto knife to scrape away 62 years of accumulated \u201cpark paint,\u201d she uncovered the original 1922 color palette, intricate pinstriping, and gold leafing, faithful down to the smallest detail.<\/p>\n

A Modern Jewel Box: In 2011, the restored marvel opened to the public inside a custom-designed, clear acrylic pavilion created by Pritzker Prize\u2013winning architect Jean Nouvel.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Location<\/p>\n

Positioned in the Empire Fulton Ferry section of Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jane\u2019s Carousel occupies prime real estate along the DUMBO waterfront.<\/p>\n

Framed directly between the towering arches of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge, riders enjoy 360-degree views of the Lower Manhattan skyline and Wall Street across the river. By day, sunlight reflects off the water into the clear pavilion; by night, the carousel glows like a jewel box with 1,200 twinkling lights reflecting off the river.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What to Know Before You Go<\/p>\n

Admission & Tickets: Tickets are $3 per ride. Children under 42 inches tall ride for free with a paying adult companion.<\/p>\n

Year-Round Access: Thanks to Jean Nouvel\u2019s climate-controlled glass enclosure, the carousel remains open year-round. Glass doors fold open on warm summer days, while heat keeps visitors cozy during winter months.<\/p>\n

Operating Hours: Schedule shifts seasonally. During peak summer, it typically operates six days a week (closed Tuesdays). Fall and winter schedules run Thursday through Sunday; always check their official website before heading out.<\/p>\n

Best Time to Visit: Head there during golden hour just before sunset. Watching the sun dip behind the Manhattan skyline while riding a century-old carved horse is one of the best budget-friendly experiences in New York City.<\/p>\n

Getting There: Take the F train to York Street or the A\/C trains to High Street. Alternatively, arrive by water via the NYC Ferry (DUMBO landing) or take a scenic stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There\u2019s something undeniably magical about a carousel, with its twinkling lights, old-fashioned music, and that little feeling of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":317144,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9,11,10],"class_list":["post-317143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317143\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/317144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}