A picturesque brick building stands as a testament to history within the park, predating its surroundings. Constructed in 1851, this structure originally served as a munitions supply depot for the New York State National Guard. The design mimics a medieval fortress, complete with battlements that overlook the area, giving it a distinctive and charming appearance.
Today, the historic building has been repurposed for modern enjoyment. Visitors can find a refreshment stand inside, offering a convenient spot to grab a drink or a snack while exploring the park. Additionally, the building houses a small art gallery. This gallery hosts rotating and seasonal exhibits, providing a dynamic cultural experience for those who venture inside.
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_(Central_Park)
A visual arts center featuring the Panorama of the City of New York, a large architectural scale model of New York City. Originally built for the 1964 World’s Fair, the 9,335 ft² (867.2 m2) display depicts all 895,000 of the city's buildings (excluding Far Rockaway due to space limitations). It was last fully updated in 1992 and select newer buildings are added on an ongoing basis. The Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center remain in place. In addition to the Panorama, the museum has several other exhibits, including items related to the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs, Tiffany glass, and various 20th-century artworks.
Housed in a 560,000-square-foot, Beaux-Arts building, the Brooklyn is the 2nd largest art museum in New York City and one of the largest in the USA. Its world-renowned permanent collections include more than one million objects, from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to contemporary art, and represent a wide range of cultures. It is a 30-minute subway ride from Midtown Manhattan, and has its own subway station (renovated in 2019-20), the museum is part of a complex of 19th-century parks and gardens that also includes Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the Prospect Park Zoo. On the first Saturday of each month, the museum is open until 11PM with free admission and special events.
A spacious green lawn that was originally home to a herd of sheep, which grazed in the meadow and tended to in their nearby pen - a Victorian style building which today is the Tavern on the Green restaurant (see Eat below).
Opened on November 15, 2022, this interactive museum utilizes technology to convey the history of Broadway, complete with props from past shows, costumes, and other artifacts. You can learn about how a Broadway show is made, and there is a gift shop selling not only their own merch, but also products from current Broadway shows and Broadway in general.
Probably the most famous of the Guggenheim foundations (others found in Bilbao and Venice), which hold avant-garde modern art by artists such as Kandinsky and Mondrian, the New York branch is housed in a unique and famous building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and rendered in a rounded, organic form and completed in 1959. Be sure to take the elevator to the top floor, then follow the spiral viewing floors downwards to the street level. One of eight buildings by Wright to be listed as a world heritage site.
A place filled with video screens, LED signs, and flashing lights; a world wonder or a tourist nightmare depending on your perspective, the "new" Times Square is a family-friendly theme park of themed restaurants, theaters and hotels, as well as a developing business district. The lights and signs can be viewed anytime, but the most enchanting experience comes when one visits Times Square at night, as all the signs and screens are ablaze with color. Times Square is also well known for its famous New Year's Eve ball drop. Those looking for the seedy Times Square of years past will find it around the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and on Eighth Avenue to the west. A ticket booth selling discounted Broadway and off-Broadway shows. However, the cheaper tickets aren't the only attraction, as the back of the booth is a large, red-lit glass staircase facing Times Square, which serves as a set of bleachers and offers an excellent opportunity to get above the street and just watch the crowds and flashing signs. Above the booth is a video screen with a live feed of the top step, giving you a chance to appear (if only briefly) on one of the many signs in Times Square. Originally the second-tallest building in the world when it opened in 1905, One Times Square was constructed to be the headquarters for The New York Times, a function it would serve for less than ten years. The annual Times Square ball drop is performed from the roof of this building. And you can't miss the famous Dow Jones news and sports zipper (the first news ticker in the world) attached to its lower facade.
The former residence of William Dyckman, who owned several hundred acres of farmland covering much of what is now Inwood and Washington heights. Nestled incongruously at the otherwise unremarkable corner of 204th and Broadway, the farmhouse has been converted into a small museum of life in early Manhattan and hosts various programs for the neighborhood. The "Hessian Huts" in the back yard are a leftover from the British occupation of Manhattan during the Revolutionary War!
A branch of the Smithsonian Institution, the Cooper Hewitt is devoted to over 240 years of contemporary and historic design, with changing exhibits.
The Christmas Tree, the Skating Rink, NBC Studios, the shops and hubbub - you can't miss it. The Christmas Tree and the Skating Rink are naturally not year round, but in the summer, the complex is a hub for touristy operations. Within the striking Art Deco buildings of the complex are several dining establishments overlooking the area and many stores. See the Rockettes, another show, or just tour the famous Art Deco masterpiece. On the 70th floor of the Comcast Building (better known by some as "30 Rock") is this narrow observation deck, built to resemble the deck of a cruise ship. The deck affords uninterrupted views over Central Park to the north and across Midtown to the south.
The world's largest neo-Gothic cathedral, the place has been a work in progress for over a century! There are also resident peacocks on campus, and many songbirds stop by during their seasonal migrations.
The first museum in the U.S. devoted to artists of African descent. Temporarily relocated from 144 W 125th St building for construction of new museum building.
A vintage carousel built in 1908 and situated on this spot since the 1950s, it's the fourth carousel to inhabit this location and is beautifully painted.
None of Central Park is actual virgin forest, but this is the closest any part of the park gets to feeling like genuine forest. It is beautiful and cool in hot weather. However, like a real forest, it is a mosquito habitat, so make sure to use insect repellent before walking through this part of the park.
An Episcopalian (Anglican) church and parish was first established on this site in 1697 under charter by King William III. The present Neo-Gothic Revival church building (the third incarnation) dates from 1846 and remains a significant landmark within Downtown. The original burial ground at Trinity Church includes the graves and memorials of many historic figures, including Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, Robert Fulton, and Albert Gallatin.