Tired of crowded tourist destinations? Venture off the beaten track for a more intimate experience of New York City.
Berlin Wall Remnants
After the Berlin Wall fell its remnants were sold and sent to countries all over the world, with five pieces ending up in New York City. The artwork on those remnants was actually completed by Thierry Noir, an artist who painted the western Berlin Wall. Thierry Noir wanted to make the wall look less intimidating, and therefore painted colorful figures onto it. The five wall pieces are located at the United Nations Sculpture Garden, Kowsky Plaza in Battery Park City, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum in Times Square, 520 Madison Avenue, and Intrepid Museum.
Freedom Tunnel
A three-mile long tunnel running under Riverside Park, Freedom Tunnel was originally built as a Park expansion. In 1980, construction operations were indefinitely halted and the Tunnel eventually transformed into a safe haven for hundreds of homeless New Yorkers and graffiti artists. Artist Chris “Freedom” Pape was the only one who managed to complete a series of works within the tunnel. Unfortunately, Amtrak reopened the tunnel in 1991 and the homeless wanderers who treated the tunnel as home were forced to evacuate for good. Not all of Pape’s artworks lived on, but his “Venus de Milo” and “Coca-Cola Mural” can still be seen. To get to the Freedom Tunnel, take a subway ride all the way to 125th Street and slide through a hole in the fence. Afterwards, simply follow the tracks until the tunnel entrance is in sight.
Glass Waterfall Tunnel
Situated not too far from Times Square, this gem can be found in a mini-industrial park near the McGraw Hill Building. A little oasis of tranquility within the hustle and bustle of the big city, the Glass Waterfall is the perfect place to go to to soothe ruffled feathers and jumpy nerves. The Glass Waterfall is made up of a halved glass tube running through the middle of a waterfall, so one has the peculiar sensation of walking through water without ever getting wet. Do take note that the Glass Waterfall can get crowded on weekdays during lunch hour, as frazzled New Yorkers take their turn unwinding there.
Grand Central Terminal’s Whispering Gallery
Grand Central Terminal possesses a little secret known as the Whispering Gallery, an interesting acoustical oddity that arose due to the arrangement of the hall’s arches. Bring a friend and have a go telling secrets to each other right in the middle of a busy crowd—situate the whisperer at the arches and the listener 30 feet away, and observe how the smallest whisper into the arches can still be transmitted despite the distance away.
Tiny Little Doors
Not many notice the mysterious miniature doors that are secretly located all over New York City. These tiny fairy doors are actually put up by fans of the famous author, Cynthia Von Buhler, after taking inspiration from her book “But who will feed the cats?”. These hardworking fans have been at it for years and have put up around 150 doors all over the city, each one with a unique design—some even have impossibly tiny doormats with secret keys hidden below them, and a few doors can actually be opened. Keep your eyes peeled on the ground as you tour NYC—perhaps you may spot even a couple of fairies using these little doors.
Just dig a little deeper, and there's much more to be explored in New York City. Which are your favourite attractions?
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