Attractions

List of Attractions

Rockefeller Center

47th - 51st St. between Fifth and Sixth Avenues (212) 632-3975

There is always plenty to do and see at the Rockefeller Center complex which is a fascinating combination of indoor and outdoor space, historic buildings, and scores of upscale shops and restaurants. A great way to start is to take the Rockefeller Center Tour, given daily. Visit www.rockefellercenter.com for information on the tour, as well as suggestions for what else to see and do and for complete list of restaurants, shops. Rockefeller Center Hotel Guests can purchase the tour at a discount.

Some Rockefeller Center highlights include:

Top of the Rock - www.topoftherocknyc.com: The observation deck offers magnificent New York City views including the nearby spires of two of the most famous New York City skyscrapers - the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Go during the day to see the splendor of the city unfold beneath you, or better yet, go at night and see the city sparkle. Rockefeller Center Hotel Guests can purchase the tour at a discount.
Channel Gardens: The Channel Gardens between La Maison Francaise and the British Empire Buildings off Fifth Avenue has beautiful floral displays and offers benches for people- watching. At Christmas, this area is always attractively decorated with the legendary Christmas tree in the background.
Shops & Restaurants: If you like to shop, you will find that Rockefeller Center has shops above ground and below (in the weatherproof underground corridors) selling everything from clothing, museum stores, books to leather goods and gourmet foods.; The world-famous Rainbow Room, located on the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza is available now mostly for private functions. The elegant Sea Grill restaurant offers views of the skating rink and the Rock Center Cafe is more family friendly.
Radio City Music Hall - www.radiocity.com: Radio City Music Hall, designated an historic landmark known for offering shows twice a year at Easter and Christmas also offers a one hour behind the scenes tour year-round providing an opportunity to meet a Rockette and hear about being a Rockette and also the history of Radio City. Phone (212) 632-4041 for tour details.
NBC Studio Tour: NBC, headquartered in the GE Building, offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a TV network. Tours begin at the "NBC Experience," on the corner of 49th St. and Rockefeller Plaza which includes interactive features, a 3 screen high-definition (HDTV) theater, and a candy store that features a three-dimensional map of the city laid out on the floor. Tours take place every 15 to 30 minutes and last about an hour and 10 minutes, tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis; call (212) 664-3700 for details. Rockefeller Center Hotel Guests can purchase the tour at a discount.

Museums

American Folk Art Museum: 45 West 53rd Street phone 212-265-1040; www.folkartmuseum.org; Folk paintings, sculpture, furniture, pottery, quilts, and decorative arts from the 18th century to the present. Gift shop in museum.
American Museum of Natural History: Central Park West phone 212-769-5100; www.amnh.org; One of the largest and most innovative natural history museums. Includes famous dinosaur halls, Akeley Hall of African Mammals, Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, and the Rose Center, featuring the most technologically advanced space show in the world.
International Center of Photography: 1133 Ave. of the Americas phone 212-857-0000; www.icp.org; New York's only museum devoted exclusively to photography. Changing exhibits, education programs, resource library, collections. Admission.
Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum: West 46th St. @ 12th Ave. phone 212-245-0072; www.intrepidmuseum.org; Walk the decks of the historic aircraft carrier, tour a submarine, see the Concorde, and experience an F-18 mission. Closed Mondays in winter.
Madame Tussaud's: 234 West 42nd Street phone 212-512-9600; www.nycwax.com; New - In a city with millions of things to see and do, there is only one place where over 200 of the world’s top celebrities provide you with the interactive experience of a lifetime.
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1000 Fifth Avenue phone 212-879-5500; www.metmuseum.org; Spans the history of world art. Hundreds of world-famous masterpieces. Gift shop. Closed Mondays (except on the following holiday weekends: 10/13, 12/29, 1/19, 2/16, 5/31), Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Museum of Modern Art - MoMA: 11 West 53rd Street phone 212-708-9400; www.moma.org; Paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, architecture, photography, film, and industrial and graphic design from 1880s to the present. Reopened November 2004, after a multi-year renovation nearly doubled its size. Rockefeller Center Hotel Guests receive VIP tickets.
The Museum of Television & Radio: 25 West 52nd Street phone 212-621-6600; www.mtr.org www.mcny.org; Collection of more than 120,000 programs available for viewing and listening. Holds screening and listening series, seminars with the people behind radio and television, and festivals to celebrate various aspects of radio and television.
Museum of the City of New York: 1220 Fifth Avenue phone 212-534-1672; www.mcny.org; New York's premier museum depicting the history of the city. Changing and permanent exhibitions, educational programs, and research services. Museum store. Closed Mondays; open Tuesdays for pre-registered groups only.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Avenue phone 212-423-3500; www.guggenheim.org; Popular landmark designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. World-renowned collection of modern and contemporary art, including masterpieces by Chagall, Kandinsky, Picasso, and van Gogh.
Sony Wonder Technology Lab: 550 Madison Avenue phone 212-833-8100; www.sonywondertechlab.com; A hands-on communication technology and entertainment museum for all ages. Admission to the Lab is free. Experience one-of-a-kind exhibits where you can jam with music artists, produce your own movie preview, and even create a video game.
Whitney Museum of American Art: 945 Madison Avenue phone 212-570-3676; www.whitney.org; American art of the 20th century. Changing exhibitions include visual arts and film/video programs. Free exhibition tours. Gift shop. Adults $12.50, seniors/students $10.50, kids free. Closed Mon.