The Statue of LibertyThe universal symbol of freedom and democracy, the
Statue of Liberty was the first sight to be seen by the 12 million
immigrants who passed through the Ellis Island Immigration Centre.
Sculpted by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and modelled on the Colossus
of Rhodes, the statue was donated by the people of France in 1886
to commemorate the alliance between the two countries during the
American Revolution. Access to the monument is available by
reservation only via a ranger-guided tour and a time pass is
required; advanced reservations are possible by calling (866) 782
8834 or online at www.statuecruises.com. The interior of the statue
itself is closed. The ferry calls at both Liberty and Ellis
Islands.World Trade Center - Ground ZeroThe six-hectare (16-acre) work site that has emerged
from the rubble of the twin towers has come to symbolise the
dreadful events of September 11, 2001 when almost 3,000 people lost
their lives. The 1,350ft (411m) World Trade Centre towers were the
tallest buildings in New York and symbols of the city's skyline.
Millions now come to pay tribute at the site and witness the
devastation from one of the viewing sites. In April 2003, the Lower
Manhattan Development Corporation launched a worldwide competition
to design a memorial at the World Trade Center site to honour the
victims of September 11. The LMDC received 5,201 memorial design
submissions from 63 nations and 49 states making this the largest
design competition in history. In January 2004 'Reflecting Absence'
by Michael Arad and Peter Walker was unveiled as the design for the
World Trade Center Memorial, and will feature a landscaped civic
plaza with two massive voids aligned with the footprints where the
twin towers once stood. Currently the perimeter of Ground Zero is
accessible to the public. The Tribute Center, across from Ground
Zero, offers tours around the perimeter, and provides visitors with
an accurate account of what the community endured during the
attacks. The Memorial itself is scheduled to open 11 September
2009.Empire State BuildingOne of the enduring symbols of New York, and once
again the city's tallest structure, the Empire State Building
stands 436ft (145m) high. Completed in 1931, this Art Deco behemoth
remains one of the most impressive engineering feats of all time;
it was built in just 410 days and remains the fastest rising major
skyscraper ever built. The building has been immortalised in many
films - most famously the classic King Kong. The observation decks
on the 86th and 102nd floors offer magnificent views of the
city.Central ParkWith great foresight, the founders of New York set
aside 340 hectares (840 acres) of central Manhattan as a public
space. Central Park was officially opened in 1873 and today
provides an essential 'green lung' within the concrete jungle that
is New York. Originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and
Calvert Vaux, the park contains themed gardens, tennis courts,
lakes and even a small zoo. Much of the park is infused by the
city's bustle and on nice days swarms with joggers, skaters,
buskers and tourists, but there are areas beyond the range of
baseballs and frisbees where tranquillity can be found in this
beautifully landscaped park. During winter, two ice-skating rinks
open up in Central Park, the Wollman Rink (mid-Park at 62nd St) is
one of the most picturesque in the world, set among the trees and
rolling hills and against the backdrop of Manhattan's
skyscrapers.Museum of Modern ArtThe Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), founded in 1929, owns
the most important collection of modern art in the USA including
works by Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Max Beckman, Ansel
Adams, and Kiki Smith. What started as a gift of eight prints and
one drawing has developed to a vast and varied collection of
150,000 paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs and other media,
and the Musuem's Library and Archives boast an impressive
collection of books, historical documents and photographs. Priding
itself as an educational institution, the Museum of Modern Art
offers various activities and programs for the general public, as
well as special segments thereof, in order to broaden the
community's knowledge of, and approach to, the exciting and
puzzling world of modern art.The Guggenheim MuseumThe Solomon R Guggenheim Museum was designed by US
architect Frank Lloyd Wright and was completed shortly after his
death in 1959. It is well worth a visit just to see this icon of
Modernist architecture, which was designed specifically to showcase
the modern art within. Inside, it features a highly commended
collection of late 19th- and 20th-century art works, as well as
touring exhibitions. From beneath the huge glass dome, a
quarter-of-a-mile-long ramp spirals down the inside of the
building, past the collection of art, including works by Camille
Pissarro, Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso,
Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne, Robert Mapplethorpe and Robert
Gober.Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe Metropolitan Museum possesses one of the greatest,
and largest, collections of art in the world; it is a cherished New
York institution and a must see for any visitor. Banners above the
Met's Fifth Avenue entrance herald the current attractions - there
are always a few exhibitions on-the-go displaying masterpieces from
around the world alongside the Metropolitan's own collection. The
highlights of the permanent collection are numerous - American
collectors having had the foresight, and cash, to buy up a large
number of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces from
Europeans at the end of the 19th century. The Metropolitan Museum's
collection now contains more than two million works of art from all
points of the compass, from ancient through modern times, including
great works by Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet and Cézanne to rival any
gallery in the world.American Museum of Natural HistoryPossibly with the exception of its counterpart in
London, the American Museum of Natural History is the largest and
most important museum of its kind in the world. More than 30
million artefacts are packed into 42 exhibition halls - quite
enough to keep anyone busy over a rainy afternoon. The most popular
exhibit is a 50ft (15m) tall skeleton of a barosaurus in the
Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda. There are three more spectacular
dinosaur halls on the fourth floor. Other halls include the Hall of
Biodiversity, the Hall of Ocean Life, the Hall of Human Biology and
Evolution and the fabulous Hayden Planetarium - a 90ft (27m) wide
aluminium sphere that seems to float inside a massive glass cube,
which in turn is home to the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Those
tired of walking can check out the Museum of Television and
Radio.BroadwayGoing to the theatre is one of the most popular
tourist events in New York and the shows on Broadway are world
famous, boasting some of the best in the world from blockbuster
musicals to intense personal drama. There are ongoing shows that
have been running for years, such as The Lion King, Phantom of the
Opera, Chicago and A Chorus Line. This is one way to experience
part of the American dream, even if only on vacation.Times SquareThough it's just an intersection at the corner of
Broadway and 42nd Street, Times Square has achieved iconic status,
representing, in a single frame, the hive of activity that is New
York City. Flashing advertisements and huge billboards produce a
headache-inducing but memorable sight. Times Square has been used
in countless films, television and literature. It is the base for
ABC's Good Morning America programs and MTV's popular Total Request
Live. Annually hundreds of thousands gather on New Year's Eve in
the square to revel and see the infamous ball-dropping
ceremony.Rockefeller CentreNamed for the man who developed the space, the world's
first dollar billionaire, John D Rockefeller, this 22 acre (8ha)
land houses a plethora of iconic New York City attractions. Radio
City Music Hall used to be the most popular tourist venue in the
city and still ranks highly among visitors. Radio City has hosted
multiple awards shows such as the Grammies, Emmies and MTV Music
Awards. It is also a concert venue frequented by today's popular
performers. The GE Building, the address for which the popular TV
series 30 Rock is named, is the home to Saturday Night Live and the
site from which the eerie 'Lunchtime atop a skyscraper' photograph
was taken. At the base of the GE building is the Rockefeller Ice
Rink with the golden statue of Prometheus at its head. Underneath
Rockefeller Plaza is the Concourse, an underground pedestrian mall
boasting designer brands and food outlets.Brooklyn BridgeThe sheer scope of New York City is hard to understand
until your traversed the Brooklyn Bridge, inaugurated in 1883,
which crosses 5,989 feet (1,825 m) of the East River and connects
two of New York's biggest metropoles, Manhattan and Brooklyn. At
the time the construction of the bridge was a feat of engineering
ingenuity, the longest suspension bridge at the time. Today it is a
treasured landmark of the city, colourfully illuminated at night to
highlight the architectural towers and hangings. There is a
pedestrian walkway from which visitors can savour vistas of both
Manhattan and Brooklyn.St Patrick's CathedralSt Patrick's Cathedral is a magnificent example of the
geometric style of Gothic architecture that was popular in Europe
in the 13th century. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic
archbishop of New York and the largest Catholic cathedral in the
United States. With its spires soaring 330 feet (100m) into the
air, and the ornately detailed entrance, this is undoubtedly one of
the city's most spectacular buildings. St Patrick's was built
between 1850 and 1878; its giant organ has over 7,300 pipes. To
most New Yorkers and harried tourists, St Patrick's is most valued
for its peace and tranquility - rare qualities indeed in this most
frenetic of cities.Grand Central StationOne of New York's most famous and best loved
landmarks, Grand Central was opened in 1913 opposite Rockefeller
Centre. It is the world's largest train station in terms of
platforms, with 44. Its true distinction, however, is its
magnificent architecture and striking ambiance, anchored by
enormous windows and the refurbished ceiling, covered by a detailed
astronomical fresco. The Terminal houses five good restaurants,
twenty value and lunch time eateries, and about fifty specialty
shops. The 12,000 sq ft Vanderbilt Hall regularly houses public
events. Don't miss the one-hour guided tour; book several weeks
ahead in peak season to avoid disappointment. Grand Central sees
around 250,000 commuters per day, but over 500,000
visitors.Central Park ZooHome to some exotic and beautiful animals the Central
Park Zoo is a must for all children and animal lovers visiting the
city. Residents at the zoo include the elusive red pandas, polar
pears, snow leopards and snow monkeys to name a few. The Tisch
Children's Zoo is a great place for young kids, where goats and
peacocks can be viewed and children can even pet the goats, sheep,
alpacas, potbellied pigs and other barnyard animals on
display.Toys R Us Times SquareKids love nothing more than a toy shop, and Toys "R"
Us in Times Square just happens to be the centre of the toy
universe with an indoor 60-foot (18 metre) tall Ferris wheel,
Barbie's Dollhouse filled with Barbie dolls and other Barbie
paraphernalia, and a 5-ton, 20-foot tall (7 metre), 34-foot-long
(10 metre) T-Rex animatronic to thrill and terrify children. With
so much to see and so many toys to choose from, kids will love Toys
"R" Us in Times Square, but parents should be advised to bring
their wallets!New York AquariumThe New York Aquarium is located on Coney Island and
boasts over 350 species of marine life. Children will love learning
about the aquatic life here, with predators such as reef sharks,
nurse sharks, and sand tiger sharks, or fuzzier creatures, such as
sea otters, sea lions, penguins and walruses. The New York Aquarium
makes a great day out for the whole family.Trump Wollman RinkThis public ice rink located in Central Park, and made
famous by many movies, is a fantastic place to take the kids for
the day during the winter months in New York City. Children can
even attend skating school or host a party or event here,
guaranteeing an unforgettable experience.Brooklyn Children's MuseumThe Brooklyn Children's Museum is a great place to
take the little ones while o holiday in New York City. It was
founded in 1899 and was the first museum in the United States. The
Brooklyn Children's Museum aims to educate and captivate children
who visit here with its world-class exhibits and
programs.
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