City Page Type: Destination

  The Prospect Park Zoo is home to more than 860 animals that represent more than 175 different species. Exhibits focused on interesting animal lifestyles include the Lettered Aracari, Golden Lion Tamarin, Geoffroy’s Marmoset, and Pallas’s Cat. For visitors interested in “Barn and Garden” animals, exhibits include Alpaca, Shetland Sheep, and Juliana Pigs. There are also many exotic animals to encounter on the Discovery Trail and the zoo’s Hall of Animals is home to some of its smallest residents.      The zoo’s noisiest residents arguably reside in Sea Lion Court. Visitors can get an up-close-and-personal glimpse of the sea lions during their daily “training sessions.” When planning your visit to the zoo, note that there are both indoor and outdoor exhibits. It’s important to plan ahead for the weather and know that most visitors spend an average of 1.5 to 2 hours exploring the zoo’s twelve total acres of exhibits and attractions. The zoo opens at 10 am every day and receives annual visitation in excess of 300,000 people.

NYU may have New York in the name, but it’s a university that operates on a global scale. It’s made up of three campuses: one in New York, one in Abu Dhabi, and one in Shanghai, and it has the highest number international students in the world. 50 000 people across the globe study at NYU, with students representing every American state and 133 different countries. A multitude of perspectives and voices are what make this university forward-thinking and competitive. NYU has come a long way since its first class of 158 students who began their school year in 1831. Nearly 200 years later, the university is still pumping out high profile graduates and enticing future students with some of the most respected facilities in the world. The Tisch School of the Arts, for instance, has turned out many critically acclaimed film and tv hotshots, and even a few A-Listers (we’re talking an Olsen AND a Baldwin!).

The New York Philharmonic is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States. It was founded in 1842 by local musicians. The group was led by American-born Ureli Corelli Hill. They first began broadcasting performances over the radio in 1922 and have recorded more than 2,000 performances since 1917. The Philharmonic is globally renowned and regularly plays live concerts all around the world. In their history, the Philharmonic has appeared in 435 cities in 63 countries on five continents. They showcase their musical talents in front of more than 50 million music lovers every year.   The Philharmonic is a consistent champion of the newest music of its time. It has been responsible for premiering a number of works from leading composers, including Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (1909), Gershwin’s Concerto in F (1925), and John Adams’ On The Transmigration of Souls (2002). Other premiered works include more modern compositions like David Lang’s prisoner of the state (2019) and Wynton Marsalis’ The Jungle (Symphony No. 4) (2016). The Philharmonic also regularly plays live free concerts in the city. These concerts include Concerts in the Parks Presented By Didi and Oscar Schafer and Philharmonic Free Fridays.

To celebrate the rise of modern art, MoMA was founded in 1929 by some of New York’s prominent families—think last names like Goodyear, Sacks, and Rockefeller. It all began with a gift of 8 paintings. The collection has since grown to over 200 000 works of modern art. But MoMA is so much more than a collection of pretty things in a building. It’s a space dedicated to the study, creation, and love of art. MoMA offers study centers, archives, a library, and several bookstores. In 2000, MoMA merged with P.S.1, a gallery in Queens dedicated to the most experimental art. Between its Manhattan and Queens locations, MoMA has become an essential part of the art world, one you won’t want to miss on your art-lover’s tour of NYC.

The Metropolitan Opera has been part of New York’s musical landscape since its inception in 1883. The opera’s first location was built at Broadway and 39th Street by several wealthy businessmen that essentially wanted their own private theater. The opera’s general managers have always put their own unique touches on the musical selections. There were times when all selections were performed in Italian and other times where German was the only language used in performances. The Met has also been running a very successful radio broadcast series for almost 90 years, which makes it the longest-running classical music series in the entire broadcast history of the United States.    Today, most selections are performed in their native languages and Peter Gelb, the 16th manager in the Met Opera’s history, has worked hard to increase new productions and expand the opera’s international reach. The opera moved to its current location in 1966, even though it was pretty clear to many involved in the opera’s operations that the original 39th Street venue was inadequate from the start. The Opera hosts more than 200 performances in the city every year and an estimated 800,000 people attend those performances every season. 

Both the New York Jets and the New York Giants call MetLife Stadium home. The only active stadium that hosts two NFL teams, it was designed to transform its look to celebrate whichever team is playing. The change from the Jets’ green to the Giants’ blue has become an attraction of its own. With 82 500 seats, MetLife is the biggest venue in the NFL. The stadium has even hosted some of the biggest entertainment events in the USA. We’re talking Super Bowl 48, Wrestle Mania 29, a Springsteen concert, a Taylor Swift concert, and more! But it isn’t just reserved for big names. MetLife is available to rent for any type of event—from galas to product launches, to school proms, and corporate events. If you’re planning your own stadium-style celebration, rent a school bus or charter bus to transport your guests.

Founded in 1870, the Met houses artworks that represent the last 5,000 years of art history. Get lost in the Greek and Roman Sculpture Court, browse the priceless collection of Vermeer paintings, or stand in awe at the Temple of Dendur. The museum is also home to the Anna Wintour Costume Center, named for the editor-in-chief of Vogue and the chair of the star-studded Met Gala. Three buildings make up the Met: the Met Breuer, dedicated to modern and contemporary art; the Met Cloister, dedicated to the architecture of medieval Europe; and the Met Fifth Avenue, the museum’s main building and biggest tourist attraction. Whatever brings you to the museum, be it the famous front steps or a little-known niche collection, you will leave with a true sense of NYC’s place in the world. The Met is a Manhattan must-see, and worth not one, but many visits. If you’re traveling with a group, be sure to call ahead for tour group reservations.

When artists and athletes play a game or show at Madison Square Garden, they join an elite group of A-List stars. History has been made time and time again at the place that Rolling Stone calls the “coolest venue in the world.” It all began with the first performance: Bob Hope and Bing Crosby performed in salute of the U.S.O. in 1968. Since then Madison Square Garden has hosted the “Fight of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, two papal visits (Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis), and Elvis Presley’s only New York City concert. In recent years, Madison Square Garden has become THE place to be seen. Acts like Taylor Swift and Billy Joel have graced the stage. The Knicks (NBA), Rangers (NHL), and Liberty (WNBA) regularly play home games in the arena. Madison Square Garden is part of music history, sports history, and most importantly New York history.

The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is home to multiple venues. The complex lies on more than 16 acres in Manhattan’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. Continuing acts that call the Lincoln Center home include the New York City Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera. But the complex also hosts film premieres, art displays, circus acts, and outside music performances. In total, the Lincoln Center complex boasts thirty indoor and outdoor performance venues and regularly hosts more than five million annual visitors.      The Lincoln Center hosts a surprisingly diverse number of shows every year, including dance, film, theater, opera, music, and family-oriented acts. They also host a number of festivals and other programs such as their American Songbook Festival, Midsummer Night Swing dance parties, and the Young Music Makers program, which features school bands, jazz ensembles, choirs, choruses, and orchestras from throughout the United States. The Lincoln Center also works hard to serve their community by offering a number of free shows and programs throughout the year. Since its inception in 1956, the Lincoln Center has been a New York hub for superb and riveting artistic programming.