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Recommended Reviews - Ford Foundation

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Hunter S.

The Ford Foundation is known for its social justice initiatives and philanthropy. Locally, they are known to have a beautiful, zen meditation garden that serves as a respite from the heat, noise, and rush. To enter the garden, use the 43rd st. Entrance so you can have your bag checked and provide an ID. You can then enter to check out the garden (there are bathrooms too). The air inside is cool and crisp. It's quiet. Lots of beautiful greenery. Most people visited for a short time. A few people came to work on their laptops. I came to see the garden, but also spent a while looking for my next stop for dinner and recovering from the 90 degree day. Please note there is a designated seating area and visitors should not sit on the various sets of steps (they will enforce this rule). Also, there is an accessible entrance and self-operated lift so those who are less mobile can enjoy the experience. Staff are helpful and professional. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this as a tourist attraction, but if you're in midtown, it's a pretty stop, and a great break from walking in the heat, or if you just need some time to reset.

Amy D.

We stumbled upon this indoor beauty as we were making our stroll to The United Nations. This indoor warm forest/garden is free to the public. It is cute, small, quiet and very peaceful. Great for those Insta photos. Also a great spot for a restroom break before heading back out into the city. No prior reservations needed. Simply walk in through 43rd street, check in with security and you're on your way. Stay as long as you'd like.

Stairs to central atrium pond
Anne R.

Most public visits are here for the garden or the gallery, and both will require a security check with ID and letting security look inside personal bags. That's pretty much the biggest reason for knocking off a star, because other "green atriums" like the Palm Court in Brookfield Place or David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center don't require the same security checks, and most galleries don't either. It just seems like a lot of security and security guards for such a space. Once you get beyond the whole surveillance issue and feeling and start to immerse yourself in the plants and the sensory aspects of the garden, as a little speaker invites you to do, the peace and lovely oxygenated qualities start to take over and lift the vibe. Some people stay and sit for a while along the upper level, and some just wander the garden, smelling plants, or touching the different qualities of leaves while looking for new blossoms and color. It's a tiny bit of green space in a cement city that can be enjoyed Year round.

Lizzy K.

Hidden gem right near the U.N. So glad I discovered this free space, perfect for unwinding and enjoying beauty, culture and art. You first walk in to find a decently sized relaxing sensory garden and down the hall, an art exhibit that is switched up every few months or so. Highly recommend.

Ford Foundation Garden
Min T.

Walking from building after building outside and into this garden inside the ground floor of the Ford Foundation building is the craziest transition. A definite NYC secret garden type of place. It's not exactly the type of garden you can sit and read or sit at all. It's a bit small and you can go around in 10 minutes if you want to, but still neat to check out. They also have a small gallery, which you can finish in 10 minutes if you walk slowly to admire each art. The security is a bit too tight in my perspective. My husband said they are constantly looking at him. It's understandable because it is a social justice building and it's a building for work and meetings, but this makes it a bit hard to relax with the garden.

Lucy L.

It's such a beautiful indoor green house in New York. Its for the public and free to enter and enjoy. I didn't expect this at all. I side a building in Manhattan for sure. It's so calm, peaceful, and serene. There's ferns, a pond, trees, and flowers. After you relax in the garden, the justice exhibit on the 1st floor on the right side once you enter. What an amazing place to relax, and just take a break from the busy buzzing streets of Manhattan.

Atrium
Christin M.

A stunning, hidden oasis amidst the concrete of Midtown East. 10/10 recommend this secret escape. The atrium will leave you feeling transported and bonus enjoyment if you're a fan of architecture. The current exhibit in the gallery is "Perilous Bodies" the highlight of which is Dread Scott's moving "The Blue Wall of Violence". You can hear the piece before you even enter the gallery and it continues to resonate with me on my train ride home. Extremely troubling and poignant. https://www.dreadscott.net/works/blue-wall-of-violence/ Also, this experience is ALL FREE OF CHARGE

Randall M.

I've passed this building many times and I did not realize that there was a public atrium. The Ford foundation building boasts a fabulous atrium in Tudor City. You can access it from either E 42 St or E 43 St. There are tall trees and a fountain. It is very peaceful and serene. A must visit.

Marcelle M.

Wonderful spot midtown east - public space with some seating and peaceful bird sounds

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3 years ago

Very disappointed as I tried to visit the garden on a dreary winter day to find it closed until March.

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Review Highlights - Ford Foundation

“t. Hidden allll the way down on 43rd Street* near Tudor City is the most lush indoor garden I've ever see”

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Bowery Savings Bank Building

Bowery Savings Bank Building

5.0(3 reviews)
0.3 mi•Midtown East, Murray Hill

Tour historic buildings and designated landmarks of New York. Bowery Savings Bank building is one…read moreof many historic. Any history buff or avid amateur architecture enthusiasts would have a full appreciation and admiration of this stone building as old world architectural craft is no longer in use. This building still stands with the passage of time and nature's elements. The correct location of Bowery Savings Bank Building is in Chinatown, Lower Manhattan- NOT Midtown East, Murray Hill. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=132531

You might find a few Bowery Bums in the doorway of the Bowery Savings Bank Building, but it's New…read moreYork, and more to the point it's the USA, and that goes with the territory. This building is very special to me because when I needed to get my citizenship it was here that my awesome lawyer (whose office is in the upper reaches of this magnificent building) helped me through the process and got me over the line - and I will always be grateful for that. He's David Gottfried of Gottfried & Gottfried, by the way. I would recommend him to anyone as the perfect immigration lawyer for my situation and I wish nothing but the best for him. As for the building it's a typical old rustic early 20th century New York stunner, and it seems haunted. They do make you go through a security check to get up inside here but then so does Barbie with her clients.

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Bowery Savings Bank Building - Exterior

Exterior

Bowery Savings Bank Building - Lil Bowery Wow

Lil Bowery Wow

Bowery Savings Bank Building

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Van Gogh's Ear - Van Gogh's Ear, a public art sculpture by Elmgreen & Dragset

Van Gogh's Ear

5.0(3 reviews)
0.7 mi•Midtown East, Midtown West

Don't look for this work of art. It's not there. If you were lucky enough to see it, write a…read morereview. It's pretty cool if you stare and stare. Then all of a sudden you realize what you're looking at! My photos are from April 14, 2016. It was a beautiful Spring Day. I am enjoying reminiciing about today during the Arctic Blast!

"Van Gogh's Ear", a public art sculpture by Elmgreen & Dragset, is in place at 30 Rockefeller…read morePlaza, right across the street from the entrance to Sak's 5th Ave. The sculpture, by the same duo that brought us the Prada Marfa Store in the middle of the Texas desert, is a tribute to the ready-made style of Marcel Duchamp. The sculpture is a 30 foot tall swimming pool, taken out of its normal context and displayed in its side with a diving board built in at the top. One of my favorite elements are the working lights on the inside left and right of the pool sculpture. Being that it's out of context - a recreational object in the middle of a commercial center - it creates a sense of longing and desire for recreation over industry and gives you an off-kilter feeling (why am I going to work when I could be swimming!). Overall a great piece of colorful public art at placed I a great spot for the perfect season. The piece is on display from April 13th though June 3rd, 2016. Catch it while you can!

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Van Gogh's Ear - The sign for Elmgreen & Dragset's piece "Van Gogh's Ear"

The sign for Elmgreen & Dragset's piece "Van Gogh's Ear"

Van Gogh's Ear - Van Gogh's Ear beautifully backlit by NYC last night.

Van Gogh's Ear beautifully backlit by NYC last night.

Van Gogh's Ear - They removed the street-side barricades.

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They removed the street-side barricades.

Chrysler Building

Chrysler Building

4.5(141 reviews)
0.3 mi•Midtown East

Did you know that Chrysler Building's iconic spire was secretly assembled inside the building and…read morethen raised into place to claim the title of the world's tallest building? The stunning stainless steel spire was constructed in secret within the building itself and then hoisted into position, giving it the final height needed to surpass competitors and become the tallest building in the world for 11 months after its completion in 1930. The building is a masterpiece of Art Deco architecture, featuring geometric patterns, lavish ornamentation, and a terraced crown with triangular windows and arches. ts exterior is adorned with stainless steel gargoyles shaped like American eagles, reflecting both Chrysler's automotive legacy and the era's design flair. Despite being named after the Chrysler Corporation, the company had no involvement in the building, and it was personally funded by Walter Chrysler as an investment for his children. The Chrysler Building remains the tallest steel-framed brick building in the world, standing at 1,046 feet. This combination of secret engineering, artistic design, and historical significance makes the Chrysler Building not only a New York City landmark but also a symbol of ingenuity and architectural ambition.

Love the architecture and the art decor here. The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper on…read morethe East Side of Manhattan. It is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel framework. It was both the world's first supertall skyscraper and the world's tallest building for 11 months after its completion in 1930.

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Chrysler Building - Lobby

Lobby

Chrysler Building
Chrysler Building

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Bryant Park - Carousel rules

Bryant Park

4.6(1.4k reviews)
0.7 mi•Midtown West

If there ever was a true New York hub, then this is it! A really lovely park right in the heart of…read moreeverything. Here are some facts I found out about it. Bryant Park in Manhattan has a rich, quirky history and many surprising secrets -- from its days as a poor person's cemetery to hosting over 12 million visitors a year. Between 1823 and 1840, the site was a potter's field -- a burial ground for the city's indigent. Bodies were later moved to Wards Island, and the land became the Croton Distributing Reservoir. The western lawn sits directly above underground stacks holding 3.2 million books and 50,000 reels of microfilm for the New York Public Library. In the 1920s, during subway construction, a replica of Federal Hall was built in the park to celebrate Washington's bicentennial In 1853, the New York Crystal Palace hosted a major world exhibition here. It burned down in 1858. Tesla spent time feeding pigeons in the park; one white bird allegedly inspired him. The park renamed 40th Street & 6th Avenue "Nikola Tesla Corner" in his honour. The Josephine Shaw Lowell Fountain - Visitors toss $3,000-$4,000 worth of coins yearly into this fountain, all going toward park maintenance. In winter, the park transforms into a Winter Village with an ice rink, shops, and restaurants -- built from scratch in just two weeks. Bryant Park is the most densely occupied urban park in the world, with daily visitors often exceeding 1,000 per acre. Guided tours reveal hidden mosaic installations and even a Buddha statue tucked away in the park.

Bryant Park had set up countless chairs on their courtyard to commemorate the ones who had passed…read moreduring 9/11. Today being 9/11, we were able to observe many family members coming to this park to place a flower on their loved one's chairs. I am not sure if I would call this place a park but technically I guess it counts as one because it has tables where people can come and sit down and eat or drink their morning or afternoon coffee. There are also random places where kids can play including a carousel and playground for little ones. There are other places where you can grab snacks, coffee, and hand held bites but we didn't try any of those today. We did sit around the table to enjoy our New York bagel and coffee from blue bottles. The trees around the park were super tall which I enjoyed looking at trying to crane my neck as far back as it would bend lol. I appreciated small birds and pigeons that seemed used to being around people. Overall it was a relaxing experience. This park is located nearby other landmarks you can choose to check out after experiencing the park.

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Bryant Park - Fountain view

Fountain view

Bryant Park - Skating rink

Skating rink

Bryant Park - Ice fountain

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Ice fountain

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Plaque

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Plaque

5.0(1 review)
0.4 mi•Midtown East

"Don't know much about history Don't know much biology…read moreDon't know much about a science book Don't know much about the French I took" (Sam Cooke) I guess you can call me a history nerd. After all, I did major in history and rarely walk past a plaque or memorial or marker that I don't stop to read and more than likely Yelp. So when we were walking out to the street from Grand Central Station's Park Avenue/East 42nd Street entry and saw a wall plaque with the portrait of a familiar woman, I just had to stop and check it out. The portrait was of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Those of my generation will always remember the traumatic and terribly sad photographs of her from Dallas on November 22, 1963 with her pink pill box hat and her blood splattered pink dress. Twelve years after JFK's assassination the former First lady was engaged in a high stakes 1975 battle to save one of her hometown's iconic landmarks. At issue was a plan to take the wrecking ball to New York City's Grand Station Terminal and demolish it, just as Penn Station has been demolished and rebuilt in 1964. She became outraged when she learned of the plan and led a coalition of New Yorkers and the the Municipal Art Society to stop it. She was the star of a famous press conference from Grand Central and declared "If we don't care about our past we can't have very much hope for our future, we've all heard that it's too late, or that it has to happen, that it's inevitable. But I don't think that's true. Because I think if there is a great effort, even if it's the eleventh hour, then you can succeed and I know that's what we'll do." She also wrote an eloquent letter to NYC 's Mayor Beame and asked him "...is it not cruel to let our city die by degrees, stripped of all her proud moments, until there is nothing left of all her history and beauty to inspire our children? If they are not inspired by the past of our city, where will they find the strength to fight for her future? Americans care about their past, but for short term gain they ignore it and tear down everything that matters..." The plaque was dedicated on June 24, 2014 to mark renovations to the station's main entrance. The renovations honor her legacy with photographs, a video display, and the plaque. The entry itself was renamed "The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Foyer".

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Plaque

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Empire State Building - Photo opportunity with King Kong himself

Empire State Building

4.0(2.4k reviews)
0.8 mi•Koreatown, Midtown West

I came here with my two 6 year olds, and they absolutely loved it. I did too. I remember coming…read morehere around their age and remember thinking this was a very boring experience with a lot of lines. They ended up making this a full interactive experience where you eventually make your way up to the upper viewing deck. The photo backdrops were all very fun and we especially loved the King Kong one where you craw into his hand. The process is something though. They aren't joking in the instructions with their airport like screening process. I recommend getting there well ahead of your tour time to get in line to move along quickly. Once you're through, there is plenty of space to wander. Most photo backgrounds, with the exception of the King Kong one, move along pretty quickly. There is an option to book going up to either 86th or 102nd floor. We went up to the 86th since it was much cheaper. I'm not sure we needed to do the very top since from that point, it's all pretty high. The prices are up there, like you'd expect for NYC. But this was pretty much our major day activity so felt like it was a good time.

when you get here you have two entrances. the back entrance is for the tour. It's a one way ticket…read moreto the top floor. On that floor there is a small museum and the famous observation deck. You must buy your tickets in advance. Option B is the cheap man's route that I opted for. I went to the front of the building so i can get some pictures of that iconic lobby. If I lingered there too long or tried to use one of the elevators for the residents I would immediately get shooed away by security. So if you do this do it quickly and quietly as to not irritate security.

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Empire State Building - King Kong poster

King Kong poster

Empire State Building - Ahhhh godzilla got me

Ahhhh godzilla got me

Empire State Building - Empire State Building image 2023

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Empire State Building image 2023

Ford Foundation - landmarks - Updated October 2026

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