Brooklyn Resources

Below is a list of Brooklyn related sites of interest. 

Bay Ridge Historical Society - Bay Ridge Historical Society aims to preserve the rich history and diverse culture of its namesake south Brooklyn neighborhood. The community group hosts monthly meetings featuring lectures, presentations, and local tours in addition to publishing pictorial histories of the changing Bay Ridge landscape.

BRIC Arts | Media | Bklyn - Established in 1979, BRIC offers programs and resources that have invigorated the cultural landscape of Brooklyn and continue to cultivate it today. From the revitalization of Prospect Park to the establishment of the Brooklyn Independent Television Initiative, BRIC Arts supplements their coverage of contemporary and performing arts with media coverage that will help you tune into what’s happening in the Brooklyn community.

Brooklyn Arts Council - Created in 1966, the Brooklyn Arts Council supports services in education, film, and media art. By providing grants, training, and promoting artists and cultural groups, it has cemented itself as the cultural anchor in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce - As anyone who has lived in or visited knows, commerce in Brooklyn is alive and kicking. Much of the credit for Brooklyn being such a great place for small businesses and entrepreneurship can be given to The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Their website provides a thorough and accessible history of the Chamber, prepared by the Brooklyn Historic Society, along with many resources for those who might want to start a business of their own.

Brooklyn College Archives and Special Collections - Established in 1950, the archive collects not just Brooklyn College material, but also a wide variety of materials on the history and culture of Brooklyn. Collections cover five main areas: Brooklyn College archives, historical manuscripts, rare books, the Brooklyniana Collection, and the Hess Collections.

Brooklyn Historical Society Blog - Established in 1863, the Brooklyn Historical Society is the authority on Brooklyn’s past and present. It is committed to connecting the people of Brooklyn to their surrounding communities and neighborhoods. In addition to preserving Brooklyn’s history, the Brooklyn Historical Society hosts public exhibitions, educational programs, and workshops. Information on collections, research, public programs, and events can be found on the BHS blog, as well as image galleries, oral histories, and video clips.

Brooklyn Museum Blog - With extensive art and research collections ranging from antiquity to contemporary art, the Brooklyn Museum has been deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Brooklyn since its founding as the Brooklyn Apprentice’s Library in 1823. Believing in the importance of community, the Brooklyn Museum blog fosters community engagement by posting behind-the-scenes information and welcoming questions and comments about its collections, special exhibitions, and events.

Brooklyn Navy Yard - The Brooklyn Navy Yard is a compendium of local businesses and a new exhibition and visitor’s center dedicated to the rich history of the former shipbuilding facility.

Brooklyn USA - This website is a resources for Brooklynites with local weather reports, employment opportunities, event calendars, and official press releases from the office of Brooklyn's Borough President, Marty Markowitz. Don’t miss the slide show of old Brooklyn photos (located near the bottom of the front page), and the Brooklyn Revealed site (look for the link on the right hand panel), prepared by the Brooklyn Historic Society, where one can explore historic Brooklyn neighborhoods by way of an interactive map.

Brooklynology - If ever one wanted to see digitized urban archives come to life, then they needn’t look any further than the Brooklyn Collection’s own Brooklynology blog. In it, the archives’ seasoned staff exhibit their knowledge of and passion for their photographic materials and for the stories these photos tell of the people and places of Brooklyn.

Brownstoner - Started in 2005, Brownstoner is an influential neighborhood blog dedicated to Brooklyn real estate and renovation. The site features real estate listings, a business directory, development watch, and a blog stream of all things noteworthy throughout Brooklyn.

Center for the Study of Brooklyn - The CSB is “is the first and only research institution devoted exclusively to the study of public affairs and policy issues in the borough.” CSB provides access to and produces research on Brooklyn to support program development, fundraising, and policy decisions. Look to CSB especially for data analysis and mapping services to produce customized reports, and their new “Brooklyn Neighborhood Reports” and accompanying tables of data for 18 different communities in the borough.

Coney Island History Project - The Coney Island History Project is a non-profit organization that aims to preserve the vibrant and eclectic past of this iconic beachfront neighborhood. The project works year round to preserve Coney Island’s visual and artifactual documentation as well as its oral histories. The organization also hosts exhibits, walking tours, and performances as well as youth outreach programs.

Curbed - Curbed NY provides real estate development news for neighborhoods in three of New York’s boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Residential property listings and information guides include insider tips on buying and renting in New York.

Gothamist - One of the more popular city blogs, the website provides “everything worth knowing about this city” (New York Times) including news, weather, food, lifestyle, art and entertainment articles covering all five boroughs.

Green-Wood Cemetery - Founded in 1838, Green-Wood is one of America’s first rural cemeteries. The Green-Wood Historic Fund maintains the cemetery’s historical, cultural and architectural significance of this national historic landmark.

The Listening Project: Midwood - A series of informal oral history interviews with members of the Council Center for Senior Citizens in Midwood, Brooklyn.

New York City Municipal Archives Gallery - The online gallery features more than 870,000 images of New York City dating back to the mid-1800s. Access is also available to maps, audio and video recordings highlighting the city’s construction, daily life, and aerial photographs.

New York Transit Museum - The New York Transit Museum Archives holds rich collections of photographs, maps, drawings, documents, and ephemera relating to New York's transportation history. It is a non-circulating special reference collection of historical documents and images open to researchers who need to use these primary source and reference materials. Specific to Brooklyn, the NYTM has photographs of the trolley, elevated and subway lines that have crossed the borough as well as street views that were taken prior to construction of the subway lines and along the trolley routes.

Only Blog Brooklyn Knows Brooklyn - With a name inspired by the Thomas Wolfe story “Only the Dead Know Brooklyn,” OTBKB is a Blog of news, entertainment, events, and comments on the daily life of Brooklyn. It originates from the Park Slope neighborhood but often ranges out from there to all of Brooklyn.

Prospect Park Alliance - In partnership with the City of New York and the community, the Prospect Park Alliance restores, develops, and operates Prospect Park for the enjoyment of all by caring for the natural environment, preserving historic design, and serving the public through facilities and programs.