Money, Money, Money

Coming off a tumultuous economic year, I thought it only appropriate to highlight one of the lead characters in 2009's recession: the Federal Reserve. 

In this case, I'm referring to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Ever wonder what the heck goes on there? 

While there's no way the Fed's going to give away all its secrets, you can learn about how the it stores and safeguards precious metal by visiting the Gold Vault. The vault, which rests 50 feet below sea level, contains billions of dollars worth of gold.

The Gold Vault Tour is given Monday-Friday, except Bank holidays, at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., and lasts one hour.

The tour is free, but space is limited and reservations must be made at least one month (!) in advance.You must be 16 or older to see the inner workings of the Federal Reserve.

This isn't a museum, folks. This is like airport so remember to arrive early for security screenings!