An overlooked gem of a museum is The Forbes Galleries on lower Fifth Avenue. It’s easy  to maneuver, takes little time and there is something for everyone, no matter the age.  Best of all, it’s free.

What makes it different from other museums is that it is  personal collection of the Forbes family.  Malcom Forbes before his death was a prodigious collector of what I would call an eclectic collection of items. Whether you are a child or a child at heart, there is something for everyone to admire and is well worth a look if you are in the Greenwich Village area.

Current Collection: Toy Soldiers, Boats and Monopoly

There are about 10,000 toy soldiers in the permanent collection. This is what is left from the original 60,000 soldiers that was auctioned off by Malcolm Forbes in 1997. Toy soldiers cross several centuries, genres and range from Alexander the Great to the Aztecs to George Washington and Buffalo Bill.  The depth and breadth of  the collection is truly impressive. Adults will be enthralled by the intricacies of the displays while kids will just think it’s cool especially the displays that actually move the soldiers through the displays.  My daughter was memorized by each of the collections.

For you, boat lovers or not, is the type of collection that was put together by someone who had a love of the water. The toy boat collection ranges from submarines to replicas of the Forbes yacht, the Highlander. Oh what money can buy?

Current Collection: The Vintage Woman: A Century of Costume Jewelry in America 1910-2010 and Irving Penn: The Collection

Even though, I am not a jewelry fancier, this was an incredible collection of “wow” pieces that will take your breath away. Beautiful does not begin to describe some of the pieces that you will see.  The collection includes designers that I have long admired, Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, Kenneth Jay Lane and others that I was not familiar with like Hattie Carnegie.

Irving Penn: The Collection

Irving Penn is one of my favorite photographers and was such a talent. His work ranged from supermodels to everyday people and the collection was put together by Robert Forbes I think in tribute to the recent death of Mr. Penn. Whether you are an amateur and professional photographer, you will appreciate the collection.

Address: 62 Fifth Avenue (@12th Street)

Subway: L, N, Q, R, W, 4, 5, 6 to 14th St./Union Sq.

Times: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays.Thursdays are reserved for group tours and advance reservations are required.

Admission: Free

Phone: 212-206-5548