My daughter and I went to Governors Island, where I was thrilled to discover a Rachel Whiteread house! Who knew?!

“Rachel Whiteread’s installation Cabin continues the artist’s interest in producing evocative sculptures of negative spaces and structures. In this case, the artist has sited a concrete cast of the interior of a simple cabin, a place suggestive of retreat and introspection. Sitting modestly on the hillside of Discovery Hill overlooking New York Harbor, the sculpture creates a sense of contemplative quiet and distance from the bustle of the city across the water. Strewn around the cabin are numerous bronze casts of discarded objects including bottles, cans and other refuse; some of these objects were sourced on the Island itself.” (https://www.govisland.com/things-to-do/public-art/cabin)

Cabin is Whiteread’s first permanent site-specific public commission in the U.S.

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The house is on the far end of the island, so you may want to bring or rent a bike. There is food for purchase on the island, but check the hours carefully. We missed the ferry back, but it was worth it.