Morningside Heights

Barnard College, an undergraduate women’s college, was founded in 1889 and has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1898. Barnard’s library is open to TC students. The campus is located across Broadway, parallel to the main campus of Columbia.

Union Theological Seminary was founded in 1836 by the “New Light” Presbyterians. The Seminary broke its ties with the Presbyterian Church in 1892 and has remained independent since. Union’s Burke Library (to which TC students have full access) is one of the world’s finest theological libraries with over 600,000 holdings. Its campus is located on Broadway across from Horace Mann and occupies two blocks between West 120th St. and West 122nd St.

Jewish Theological Seminary was founded in 1887 and is a focus of the Conservative Jewish movement in the United States, a center for Jewish scholarship, and a training institute for rabbis and cantors. The library, like that at Union, is world famous for the size and completeness of its collection. The campus of Jewish Theological Seminary is located one block north of TC, on West 122nd St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave. Venture to its cafeteria for a delicious kosher meal.

Manhattan School of Music (MSM) was founded in 1917 and moved to its current location (previously occupied by Julliard School of Music) in 1969. MSM has long had a reputation as being one of the finest music conservatories in the nation. The members of the American String Quartet are permanent artists-in-residence; other world- renowned artists offer master classes. MSM regularly schedules concerts and operatic productions of outstanding quality. These performances — many of them free — contribute greatly to life in the Heights.

Bank Street College of Education is located on West 112th St., off Broadway. For more than eighty years, Bank Street College of Education has been one of the leaders in child-centered education. Bank Street’s mission is to discover the environments in which children grow and learn to their full potential, and to educate teachers and others to create these environments. Composed of a Graduate School of Education, a model School for Children, an onsite Family Center, a Division of Continuing Education, and a Publications and Media Group, Bank Street influences thousands of children, youths, parents, and educators throughout the United States and abroad.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine at West 112th St. and Amsterdam Ave., is the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Manhattan. St. John’s is the largest Neo-Gothic cathedral in the world. The Cathedral is the site for many outstanding concerts, performances, and art exhibits. There is a small gift shop/ bookstore that is worth investigating.

The Interchurch Center is located at West 120th St. between Claremont and Riverside Drive. Constructed in 1958, the American headquarters of many Protestant denominations as well as the National Council of Churches are located here. A small art gallery is located off the main entrance. An ATM is located on the main floor of the Claremont entrance. Visit the cafeteria for delicious meal options that are both inexpensive and abundant in variety.

Riverside Church is located at West 120th St. and Riverside Drive. It was erected with the financial support of the Rockefellers. A trip to the top of Riverside’s tower is only $15.00 and offers one of the best views of the city.

Grant’s Tomb is just across the street from Riverside Church. President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife are entombed there above ground. There is also a small museum dealing with his life and career. On his birthday, April 27, cadets from West Point provide a small ceremony complete with rifle volleys.