Museum of American Finance
A museum dedicated to the entrepreneurial spirit in the heart of Manhattan's Financial District
The Museum of American Finance recently moved into a new home at 48 Wall Street, the landmarked former headquarters of the Bank of New York, which was founded by Alexander Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton served as America's first Secretary of the Treasury and is credited with creating the country's financial system, so there is no more fitting location for a museum that is the guardian of the nation's financial history. The bank's majestic first floor is now the primary exhibition space, while upper floors offer educational spaces including an auditorium and library.
The museum, affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, is geared toward young and old, featuring ticker tape from the stock market crash in 1929, the earliest photo of Wall Street, and a wide collection of documents and photos pertaining to one of America's most successful entrepreneurs, John D. Rockefeller. The permanent collection contains more than 10,000 documents and artifacts and is constantly growing.
Founded in 1988, financial education is at the core of the museum's mission and its public programs and services. An active national-level advocate on behalf of the growing financial literacy movement, the museum is committed to helping people look to the lessons of American financial history, while taking charge of their own financial lives.
Located just one block from the New York Stock Exchange, The Museum of American Finance is an ideal addition to a visit to Lower Manhattan and the Financial District.
