The best date ideas for history buffs in NYC

Not only is this Metropolitan Musem offshoot in Washington Heights filled with medieval art and sculpture, it’s literally set inside of four cloisters—the Cuxa, Bonnefort, Trie and Saint-Guilhem—that were excavated from French monasteries and abbeys and reconstructed in NYC. Get lost in the intricate grid of chapels and galleries that are organized by time period. Be sure to check out the famous Unicorn Tapestries, the 12th-century Fuentidueña Chapel and the Annunciation Triptych by Robert Campin.

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No matter which wing you wander through or where your curiosities lie (dinosaurs, gems or something else entirely), it’s hard to explore the Upper West Side fixture without being awestruck. You'll immediately spot the rotunda’s hulking Barosaurus skeleton replica, but delving further into the museum’s collection, you’ll find actual specimens, such as Deinonychus, in the fourth-floor fossil halls. When you tire of dinos, head to the human origins and culture halls to learn more about our evolutionary history, or gawk at the famed 94-foot-long blue whale model in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life.

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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Mark Ryan

Does your love interest fancy him- or herself an expert on all things Revolutionary War? Test their knowledge during this interactive step-back-in-time where an expert historian will (literally) walk you through the major events that took place at landmarks such as the St. Paul’s Chapel, Trinity Church Graveyard and Fraunces Tavern. You’ll also be able to put yourself in the shoes of such notables as George Washington, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton—the latter was known to frequent stops like King’s College, Wall Street and the Merchant’s Coffee House—by visiting the places where they once tread.

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For a look into the city’s more recent history, a Grandmaster-guided New York Hip-Hop Tour will take you through hip-hop’s most notable hangouts from the Graffiti Wall of Fame to the Apollo Theater and Rucker Park. You’ll hear how the genre evolved with pioneers like DJ Red Alert, Grandmaster Caz and Sugarhill Gang before chowing down on some soul food and flexing your own swag in a “Show Your Skills” jam session.

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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Erik Drost

The pricey, fashion-forward Lower East Side was once home to NYC’s newly-arrived immigrant population, who inhabited overcrowded, dilapidated tenement buildings in the 19th century. Housed in one such building at 97 Orchard St is the LES Tenement Museum, a fascinating space accessible only by guided tour. Costumed "residents" give glimpses into the daily lives of immigrant clans that called the building home over the decades, while various rooms have been fitted with preserved artifacts and furniture. After a tour, head over to the more than century-old Gotham icon Katz’s Delicatessenfor an excellent pastrami on rye. The storied eatery itself is a repository of New York history, a hallmark of the heyday of Jewish delis.

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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Ricoslounge

Did you know that New York City’s only historic village is located in Staten Island’s Historic Richmond Town? Guests can stroll through this authentic town and farm museum to see nearly 30 landmarked buildings, some of which date back as far as the late 1600s. Start at the Voorlezer’s House, the site’s oldest exhibit as well as the oldest standing elementary school in the country, before heading over to the iconic Judge Jacob Tysen House, where architecture geeks can admire the 18th century design that fuses both Federal style and influences of the Greek revival.

A century ago, this site vied with Niagara Falls as New York State’s greatest tourist attraction. Filled with Victorian mausoleums, cherubs and gargoyles, Green-Wood is the resting place of some half-million New Yorkers, among them historical figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Leonard Bernstein and Boss Tweed. But there’s more to do here than grave-spot: Check out the massive Gothic arch at the main entrance or climb to the top of Battle Hill, one of the highest points in Kings County and a pivotal spot during the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776.

Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Michela Simoncini

The New York Historical Society, founded in 1804, provides a comprehensive look at the New York of yesteryear. Rather than focusing on one particular niche, exhibits here encompass all aspects of old-school Gotham, with permanent holdings including clothing, theater memorabilia and other artifacts of daily life. in the past few years, the society has staged shows on the Selma to Montgomery March, Superheroes and the photography of Annie Leibovitz.

Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/LWYang