Grand Central Terminal

Overview

Grand Central Terminal is a monumental Beaux-Arts masterpiece and one of the world's most beautiful railway stations. Its soaring main concourse is one of the most magnificent public spaces in America.

Highlights

• Main Concourse: The vast, cathedral-like hall featuring 75-foot arched windows, an iconic four-faced opal clock atop the information booth, and the painted celestial ceiling.
• Celestial Ceiling: A stunning backwards astronomical mural depicting 2,500 stars of the Mediterranean sky, with fiber-optic lights marking the brightest constellations.
• The Whispering Gallery: Stand in the arched diagonal corridor outside the Oyster Bar and whisper into one corner — the sound carries perfectly to the opposite corner 30 feet away.

History

Opened in 1913, designed by the firms of Reed & Stem and Warren & Wetmore. It narrowly escaped demolition in the 1960s, saved by a landmark preservation campaign led by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Visitor Tips

• Oyster Bar: The legendary Oyster Bar restaurant in the lower level has been serving since 1913 — try the pan roast.
• Dining Concourse: The lower-level food court offers surprisingly excellent diverse dining options.
• Duration: 30–45 minutes.