- Empire State Building
- Fifth Avenue
- Rockefeller Center
- Statue of Liberty
- Ellis Island
- Times Square and Theater District
- Central Park
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
1. Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is the most famous skyscraper in New York. More than 120 million visitors have gazed down on the city from the observatories since it opened in 1931. Planned in the prosperous 1920s by the architectural firm of Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, this Art Deco classic was completed during the Depression and was largely vacant for several years, giving rise to the nick name “Empty State Building.” It has been featured in countless movies, most famously King Kong.
2. Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is New York's most famous boulevard and home to three of New York's most iconic buildings. In the late 1800s it was lined with villas owned by prominent families, but society fled north as retailers moved north in the 1900s. One of the remaining old mansions is the Cartier Mansion, said to have been purchased in 1917 by banker Morton F. Plant in exchange for a string of pearls. While commercial establishments now share the avenue, it remains a hub for luxury.
3. Rockefeller Center
This urban and national historic landmark in the city began in the 1930s as the first commercial project to combine gardens, restaurants and shopping with office space. Rockefeller Center is the center of Midtown Manhattan day and night. The number of buildings has grown to 19, although the newer buildings do not match the Art Deco elegance of the original 14 buildings.
4. Statue of Liberty
Officially titled "Liberty Lights the World," New York's most famous statue has been proclaiming freedom to millions since 1886. The statue was a gift from France to commemorate the centenary of the United States and was designed by Frenchman Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi. Who dedicated 21 years to this project. Unveiled on July 3, 1986 after a $100 million centennial restoration, it was one of the largest fireworks displays ever in the United States.
5. Ellis Island
Ellis Island is a symbol of America's immigrant heritage. From 1892 to 1954, it was the destination of more than 12 million people seeking a better life. Their descendants number more than 100 million, or nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population today. First- and second-class passengers were cleared on board, but poor middle-class passengers were taken to the crowded island for medical and legal checks. As many as 5,000 people passed in one day. The museum not only retraces their experience here, but provides a picture of the wider immigrant experience in America.
6. Times Square and Theater District
Times Square, known as the "Crossroads of the World", is New York's most famous crossroads and the center of the bustling Theater District. It was known as Longacre Square until 1904 when The New York Times built a 25-story tower on the site, Times Square. His New Year's Eve stay was celebrated with fireworks, a celebration that continues to this day. At midnight, a huge crystal ball falls into the building, heralding the new year.
7. Central Park
New York's "backyard" is a 341-hectare green space that provides relaxation and beauty to approximately 38 million visitors each year. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the park took 16 years to build massive amounts of stone and dirt to form hills, lakes and meadows, plant more than 500,000 trees and shrubs, and build more than 30 bridges and bow and arrow.
8. Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met is one of the largest art museums in the world, encompassing 5,000 years of cultures from around the world. Every professional gallery holds a wealth of treasures. Originally constructed in 1870, the neo-Gothic building houses three European collections and 174 paintings, which have been expanded several times and today total more than 2 million.
9. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
One of the greatest architectural achievements of the 20th century, Frank Lloyd Wright's 1959 spiral design alone is enough to make this museum a must-see. Solomon Guggenheim's core collection of abstract art has been expanded through donations from several important collections. The museum houses various works by Gauguin, Chagall, Kandinsky, Van Gogh, Mondrian, Picasso and Miró. Since the main gallery is used for temporary exhibitions, only a small portion can be seen.
10. American Museum of Natural History
Few urban kids don't grow up visiting this popular museum of dinosaurs, life-size dioramas of animal life, and natural wonders. Since its founding in 1869, the museum has grown to more than 40 galleries spanning 4 blocks, with more than 34 million specimens and artifacts, many of which are unique in the world. The museum's Earth and Space Rose Center is home to the Hayden Planetarium and its 429-seat Space Theater, which showcases the latest space shows.
