6. The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS), 155 Avenue C, between 9th and 10th Street

Visiting this museum might be the best way to learn the essence of East Village short of assimilating into an artist’s squat or chaining yourself to a tree in a community garden. The museum is housed in well-known C-Squat, which was sold by the government to a non-profit for $1 in 2002, and now is being turned into a low-income co-op for the squatters who live there. The museum itself showcases New York’s recent history of protests, grassroots movements, and environmental activism. Read our more extensive coverage of it here.