How to Get Around Jamaica: A One-Day Route Through Queens

Downtown Jamaica is a useful starting point for a day of local stops and transit connections. King Manor Museum identifies the E and J trains to Jamaica Center/Parsons Archer, the F train to Parsons Boulevard and the LIRR to Jamaica station as ways to reach the area. From those stations, the museum advises walking toward 153rd Street and Jamaica Avenue.

Use Jamaica Avenue to orient your day around King Manor and the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning locations. If you plan to continue beyond the neighborhood, downtown Jamaica also has subway, bus and LIRR access; the LIRR station connects with the AirTrain and JFK Airport.

King Manor Museum traces Rufus King’s life and early American history in Jamaica, Queens. King and his family lived at the historic house for three generations. King lived from 1755 to 1827, helped frame and sign the U.S. Constitution, served as a U.S. senator and advocated against slavery.

The museum has been open to the public since 1900. It is owned by the City of New York and operated by the King Manor Association of Long Island, Inc. Allow about an hour for a visit. Admission is free, and donations are welcome but not required.

Published hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 12 p.m.–4 p.m.; the museum is closed Sunday through Wednesday. Guided tours are listed at 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on those open days. Reservations are strongly encouraged, though not required. The museum closes on major holidays, so check the official site before you go.

For access, the rear entrance has a wheelchair-accessible ramp to the Main Hall, and a small ramp leads to the Servants’ Quarters. The front porch entrance has four steps; reaching the second floor requires climbing 18 steps. The museum says it has no formal accommodations for visitors with visual or hearing impairments.

King Manor is about an 18-minute walk from a two-star hotel in Jamaica.

Its address is 150-03 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11432. The museum says limited free parking is available; call ahead to reserve a space.

For a closer look at the house’s history and visit details, read this guide to King Manor Museum.

Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL) brings visual art, music, dance, theater, arts education, public programs and community events to Jamaica. The multidisciplinary organization says it has served the community since 1972.

JCAL’s Jamaica Arts Center is at 161-04 Jamaica Avenue, while its Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) is at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue. Gallery hours are published as Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Check JCAL’s official site before planning around a particular program or visit.

Captain Tilly Park offers a change of pace, with woodlands, walkways and Goose Pond across 9.16 acres on Gothic Drive. The park’s location makes it a distinct stop to include after the neighborhood’s museum and arts venues.

For park details and its setting in Jamaica, read this local guide to Captain Tilly Park.

Subway, bus and LIRR connections make downtown Jamaica a practical point to continue a day beyond its local stops. King Manor’s transit information includes the E and J trains to Jamaica Center/Parsons Archer, the F train to Parsons Boulevard and the LIRR to Jamaica station.

If you are planning your route around rail connections, the guide to Jamaica’s subway stations covers getting around by train.

Is King Manor Museum free?

Yes. Admission is free, and donations are welcome but not required.

How long should you allow for King Manor?

The museum recommends allowing about one hour for a visit.

Which days is JCAL’s gallery open?

Published gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Check JCAL’s official site before making plans.