Implementing an Effective Operational Risk Management Program

Statue of Liberty

A short boat trip brings you from Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France for the centennial of America's Independence which now symbolizes the USA and New York in particular.

Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge, built between 1869 and 1883, connects Brooklyn with Manhattan. The bridge is one of the most magnificent landmarks in all of New York City.

Bryant Park

Bryant Park is a small but pleasant park located next to the NY Public Library and surrounded by interesting architecture such as the historic Bryant Park Hotel and the modern Bank of America Building.

Central Park

Central Park was the first large city park in the United States. The design by Olmsted and Vaux has been copied all over the world. Originally situated in a sparsely populated area, the park is now surrounded by highrises.

Coney Island

Coney Island is a seaside resort in Brooklyn famous for its historic Ferris Wheel and roller coaster, the Cyclone. Long past its heyday, it is still a popular tourist attraction.

Ellis Island

Now home to the immigration museum, Ellis Island was the immigrant gateway to America. More than 12 million people arrived here on the way to their new life in a new country.

Grand Army Plaza

Not as famous as its Brooklyn namesake, this plaza sits at the edge of Central Park. The square features a large gilded statue of general William Sherman as well as the Pulitzer fountain.

Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center is a large complex devoted to music, dance, and theater. The most famous building at the center is the Metropolitan Opera House, designed by Wallace K. Harrison.

New York Public Library

One of the world's most acclaimed libraries is housed in a beautiful Beaux-Arts building, designed by architects Carrère and Hastings. The building was completed in 1911 after 9 years of construction.

Windy

One of the more breathtaking scenes on the lake is this tall ship approaching the docks at Navy Pier. The 148-foot four-masted schooner (and its new sister ship, the Windy II ) sets sail for 90-minute cruises two to five times a day, both day and evening. (Because the boats are sometimes booked by groups, the schedule changes each week; call first to confirm sailing times). The boats are at the whims of the wind, so every cruise charts a different course. Passengers are welcome to help raise and trim the sails and occasionally take turns at the ship's helm (with the captain standing close by). The boats are not accessible for people with disabilities.

Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum

The building may be historic (it was the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere), but some of the attractions here will captivate the most jaded video-game addict.

Your first stop should be the modern Sky Pavilion, where the don't-miss experience is the StarRider Theater. Settle down under the massive dome, and you'll take a half-hour interactive virtual-reality trip through the Milky Way and into deep space, featuring a computer-generated 3-D-graphics projection system and controls in the armrest of each seat. Six high-resolution video projectors form a seamless image above your head -- you'll feel as if you're literally floating in space. If you're looking for more entertainment, the Sky Theater shows movies with an astronomical bent; recent shows have included Secrets of Saturn and Mars Now!

Arlington International Racecourse

With its gleaming-white, palatial, six-story grandstand and lush gardens, this racecourse is one of the most beautiful showcases for thoroughbred horse racing in the world. Its storied history stretches back to 1927, and such equine stars as Citation, Secretariat, and Cigar have graced the track. The annual Arlington Million (the sport's first million-dollar race, held in mid-Aug) attracts top jockeys, trainers, and horses and is part of the World Series Racing Championship, which includes the Breeders Cup races. Arlington's race days are thrilling to behold, with all of racing's time-honored pageantry on display -- from the bugler in traditional dress to the parade of jockeys.

Art Institute of Chicago

You can't -- and shouldn't -- miss the Art Institute. (You really have no excuse, since it's conveniently located right on Michigan Ave. in the heart of downtown.) No matter what medium or century interests you, the Art Institute has something in its collection to fit the bill. Japanese ukiyo-e prints, ancient Egyptian bronzes, Greek vases, 19th-century British photography, masterpieces by most of the greatest names in 20th-century sculpture, and modern American textiles are just some of the works on display, but for a general overview of the museum's collection, take the free "Highlights of the Art Institute" tour Saturday and Sunday.

Auditorium Building and Theatre

A truly grand theater with historic-landmark status, the Auditorium gives visitors a taste of late-19th-century Chicago opulence. Because it's still a working theater -- not a museum -- it's not always open to the public during the day; to make sure you'll get in, schedule a guided tour, which are offered on Mondays at 10am and noon.

Designed and built in 1889 by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, the 4,000-seat Auditorium was a wonder of the world: the heaviest (110,000 tons) and most massive modern edifice on earth, the most fireproof building ever constructed, and the tallest building in Chicago. It was also the first large-scale building to be lit by electricity, and its theater was the first in the country to install air-conditioning. Originally the home of the Chicago Opera Company, Sullivan and Adler's masterpiece is defined by powerful arches lit by thousands of bulbs and features Sullivan's trademark ornamentation -- in this case, elaborate golden stenciling and gold plaster medallions. It's equally renowned for otherworldly acoustics and unobstructed sightlines.