OVERVIEW A popular year-round destination, Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Harbor located between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront. For almost two centuries, the Island was closed to the public, operating as a military base for the U.S. Army and, later, the Coast Guard. Today, an award-winning park is complemented by dozens of unique historic buildings, educational and cultural facilities, a rich arts and culture program and a 22-acre National Monument ...