Alan Michelson's The Oyster sits on an island in the middle of New York Harbor and stays up through November 30, which gives you a short ferry ride and a free artwork at the end of it. Michelson works from Mohawk and Six Nations perspectives on land and water, so a harbour that was once an oyster bed is exactly the right site. If you want one outing that is art, boat and skyline at once, this is the cheapest version of it.
What to expect
The ferry leaves from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street and takes under ten minutes. Once on the island you walk to the work; the Governors Island Guide on the free Bloomberg Connects app maps every commission. The South Island park closes at dusk.
Good to know
- Ferries run from the Battery Maritime Building, Slip 7, at 10 South Street
- Take the 1 to South Ferry, the 4/5 to Bowling Green or the R/W to Whitehall Street
- The artwork itself is free; only the ferry ticket costs anything
- Ferries have been running on a reduced half-hourly schedule, so allow buffer time
- Download the free Bloomberg Connects app for the island's public art map
- The island is flat and largely step-free, and bikes can be rented on arrival
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Common questions
Who is Alan Michelson?
A New York-based artist and Mohawk member of the Six Nations of the Grand River, known for work engaging Indigenous histories of land and water.
Does it cost anything?
The artwork and the island are free. You pay only for the ferry ticket.
How do I find the work on the island?
Use the free Governors Island Guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, which maps every public art commission on the island.
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