Federal Hall: The Cradle of American Democracy

What to Know About Federal Hall

• Federal Hall National Memorial is an impressive neoclassical building located at 26 Wall Street, across from the New York Stock Exchange. You can’t miss its striking columned facade when you explore the Financial District.
• The original building was constructed in 1703 to house New York’s first city hall. In 1785, a few years after the American Revolution of 1776, it became the seat of the first U.S. government and took its current name in 1789. The building also housed the first seat of the U.S. Supreme Court.
• The year 1789 marked two major events in U.S. history and Federal Hall’s story. The first U.S. Congress convened here, and the nation’s first president, George Washington, took office on April 30, 1789.
• The original building was destroyed in 1812 and replaced in 1842 by the current structure. Federal Hall then housed the U.S. Custom House for the Port of New York. The U.S. Treasury Department occupied it for several years before the site became a historic monument in 1966. Today it’s managed by the National Park Service, which also oversees the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

What to See at Federal Hall

• A statue of George Washington greets you on the steps leading to the monument’s entrance. Federal Hall National Memorial is now a memorial dedicated to the nation’s first president. Tip: stand to the left of the statue for a great photo of the New York Stock Exchange in the background.
• Inside, you’ll be struck by the hall itself—a magnificent marble rotunda flooded with natural light. On the left side of the hall, opposite the entrance, you’ll find a display of historic safes from the U.S. Custom House.
• Continue down the corridor and turn left: a room features exhibits on the history of American democracy.

Visiting Federal Hall

• Address: 26 Wall Street.
• Subway: Wall Street (lines 2 and 3) or Fulton Street (lines J and Z).
• Hours: Federal Hall is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. The monument is closed on weekends. Closed on Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.
• Admission: Free.

Map to Federal Hall