Castle Williams in
New York (NY)

Great piece of history. Visited Memorial Day weekend 2025. Nice ferry ride over with plenty of great views of the city. Lots of great displays and information. Also went over to Fort Jay, but lots of construction going on over there. Stayed about an hour and change on the island visiting both. Would have stayed longer had time allowed. They have amazing junior ranger patch and badge! One of the favorites of the over 500 junior rangers each of my six kids has.

We passed by on a windy day when we noticed a sign across the street. The access is limited to the ground floor. The contents of this castle are largely empty except for a few poster boards noting what it used to be. The area is decently clean minus a few cobwebs - a basement of sorts. I hoped to see some interactivity elements

Chris is an excellent tour guide and it's 45 mins well spent. Lots of history and great insights. No tips expected or accepted.

Natural Beauty. And Historical Places to visit.

Great historical castle to visit while on governor’s island. The entry is free and the young man working there is very knowledgeable and welcoming to the guests. The second floor is closed off but it’s still cool to see the rooms on the ground level. Outside the castle are great panoramic views of the city as well. Definitely recommend visiting here!

There’s an excellent view of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

Castle Williams on Governors Island is a remarkable historic site worth visiting. Despite the second floor being closed for renovations and set to reopen in a few months, the rest of the castle offers an intriguing glimpse into its storied past. The architecture and history are captivating, providing a unique window into the island’s role in military history. Entry is free, which makes it even more appealing. The staff was very kind and knowledgeable, enhancing the experience with interesting facts and stories. It’s a great spot for history buffs and anyone interested in exploring the rich heritage of Governors Island. Highly recommended!

The prettiest promenade to ever encapsulate a confederate soldier POW camp. In one of my earliest reviews you’ll find Belle Isle Richmond, Virginia, union soldier POW camp, and equally gorgeous public outdoor space. It all comes full circle. Fascinating. As haunted as it gets. Glad to experience it

Great experience on a warm sunny day. So much history to explore at this Ice-cream Cone shaped Governor’s Island. Castle Williams has an eerie feel with prison windows overlooking the Hudson. Ample picnic coots and happy trees to laze under. A must go for families and art enthusiasts to view the numerous arts displays and poets rendering their feelings from porches of the old villas.

View from the SI ferry ⛴️

An old fort where you can feel history around you. I enjoyed the miniature of the fort the most. Cudos to the art person who did it

I like it! Beautiful castle which is in good condition. It was interesting to visit.

i liked the story of putting the first american flag over the walls of this castle after great battle occurred around this place and how the first american anthem was singed here at down time. i was luck to see this flag few days later during my visit to the DC i recommend to visit these place together to connect the dots and to get full picture

If you’re just passing by, it’s okayy. While the informative signs are interactive to keep visitors engage, the castle itself isn’t anything special, lacking visitor access to more desirable viewing platforms at the top. Definitely go on a tour if you’re truly interested in the history.

Went on a tour and had a phenomenal tour guide. He was super informative and a great sense of humor. Crazy they built such an incredible castle to withstand cannon shots. It totally worked but then they never actually got to use it in a war and it was used as a military prison. The castle was made of sandstone which just compacts when hit. The outside wall was built separately from the main wall so if one got hit and was too collapse it didn’t destroy the entire fortress. It was built in a circular shape. From sea it appears straight so if a cannon from a boat tries to hit it if they don’t hit it straight on there is a greater chance they would miss. Everyone thought the builder was crazy but apparently he had some pretty darn good ideas.

Incredible place. Rangers are very helpful and the tours are excellent. A lot of history here and some fun stuff to look at as well. Tours are free but kids may get a lil bored as they are mildly long.

It was a fort, it was a prison, and now it's a historic place to visit by when you go to Governor's Island. Castle Williams is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You have to go on a guided tour to get to the roof of the castle. Be prepared to climb three flights of stairs. We talked to ranger about the tour but didn't go on one. She warned that young children may get bored quickly on the tour and it gets hot on the roof.

Nice island but all structures are run down. Not worth seeing.

In the early ‘70s this was home to my nursery school on base. Still remember it fondly. Not many kids can say they went to preschool in a fort!

An old fort with lots of signs and some interesting history. There is usually some staff around if you have questions.

It is a wonderful piece of land that has an old historical importance, based in culture perspective

Great views of lower manhattan and some great history in this fortification. Must see for any history buff.

Great piece of American history. If you are a history buff, you must visit. There are tours and a gift shop. While there is only a small portion open, they say they plan on opening up more once they make it safe for the general public.

Didn't take a tour but this is a really cool historic spot on gov's island!

Really awesome place to visit , try and go when there is little to no people on the tours so they bring you to the restricted places!

I think Fort Jay is more interesting, but if you want to see how they prepared for a water invasion as well as a storage place of confederate prisoners, this is also a historic monument to check out with its own interesting architecture.

It's a really cool place, definitely worth a visit.