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Hidden deep in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the Queens Museum of Art is located a good 15-minute walk from the 7 train. (On summer weekends, a trolley ride takes visitors to the Museum from Main Street for free.) Though its collection can’t hold a candle to the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the QMA is full of history. Originally built for the 1939 World’s Fair, the building was later used as the meeting space for the United Nations General Assembly until the organization moved to Manhattan in 1951. 13 years later, the structure was once again a pavilion as part of the 1964 World’s Fair. When the museum was founded in 1972, it started showcasing some 6,000 objects from its permanent collection, such as memorabilia, photography, audio tapes, videos, 8mm and 16mm films. Highlights include William Sharp’s selected drawings from the 1930s-1950s, crime photos taken by the New York Daily News, plus works from Salvador Dali. Surrounded by a 1,255-acre park, this airy, kid-friendly museum makes the trek worth your while, especially when paired with a trip to the Queens Historical Society. — Joy Armstrong

This giant steel sculpture sits next to the QMA in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and is one of the largest globes ever made. The U.S. Steel Corporation created the sphere as a symbol of peace intended for the 1964 World's Fair. These days, it’s visible to drivers on the LIE, as well as to airline passengers arriving and departing from LaGuardia and JFK.