Beneath the breathtaking Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and located inside Fort Hamilton, military buffs will discover a small treasure trove of artifacts at the Harbor Defense Museum, the only army museum in New York City. Built between 1825 and 1831, this arched, brick fort is still an active army base (bring a photo ID to get in). The historic caponier, a freestanding bastion, houses the museum. The diverse collection includes helmets, weapons and uniforms from the Revolutionary War to WWII.
There is also an array of vintage artillery. Take a guided tour if you want to learn how to load a 19th-century cannon. (Interesting fact: future Confederate general Robert E Lee ran the fort in the 1840s.)
To get here, take the R train to Bay Ridge-95th St and then walk half-a-dozen blocks to the southwest along Fourth Ave. The museum is located in a small park adjacent to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
