11 Best Sights in Midtown West, New York City

Set in the shadow of the giant Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (in season), the city's most iconic ice-skating rink is a quintessential winter experience for visitors and a long-standing tradition for many locals. General-admission, timed-ticket skating can be reserved in advance, in person or online. The Rink has changing specials and packages, so check the website for seasonal ticket deals.

At the New York outpost of this famous auction house, you could easily spend an hour or more wandering the free, museumlike galleries filled with impressive works of art, estate jewelry, furniture, and other rarely displayed objects that are usually housed in (and, most likely, soon to be returned to) private collections. One of the first items to be auctioned here, when it opened in 2000, was the "Happy Birthday" dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang to President Kennedy (it sold for more than $1.2 million). Yes, the auction house has come a long way since James Christie launched his business in England by selling two chamber pots, among other household goods, in 1766. The lobby's abstract Sol LeWitt mural alone makes it worth visiting the 310,000-square-foot space. Hours vary by sale, so call ahead to confirm.

Opened in 2020, Edge is the gleaming observation deck at the Hudson Yards development, and at 1,131 feet, it is the highest outdoor sky deck in the western hemisphere. Its angular floor juts out 80 feet from the tower's summit, wrapped in a clear wall, with a section of clear floor to watch the street traffic 100 stories below. The views here are a 360-degree panorama overlooking Central Park, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and beyond. A staircase connects Floors 100 and 101, home to a gift shop and champagne bar (you can take your beverage outside and sit on the observatory's steps). Floor 101's posh Peak restaurant and cocktail bar is spectacular for a magical dining experience, with an outstanding menu; plus deck access is included for dining guests. Weekends bring special lounge DJs nights and live performances. Besides regular adult timed tickets, there are packages with extras, such as the Flex Pass ($60), which includes flexible-arrival-time tickets and a digital souvenir photo. For $185, courageous visitors can harness in and join City Climb, an outdoor aerial-walk experience that leans out over the 1,200-foot-high edge.

Much of the fun here comes from photo opportunities—you're encouraged to pose with and touch the more than 200 realistic replicas of the famous, infamous, and downright super. Croon with Tina Turner and Taylor Swift, swoon to your favorite heartthrob (be it Justin Bieber or Justin Timberlake), strike a fierce pose with RuPaul and Heidi Klum, or enjoy a royal chat with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, aka William and Kate. 

The Marvel 4-D Experience includes wax likenesses of heroes like the Hulk, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, and Thor, as well as a short animated movie shown on a 360-degree screen. Other interactive options include a karaoke café, a celebrity walk down the red carpet, and a Sports Zone where you can see how you measure up to legends like Serena Williams and Lionel Messi. Note that closing hours vary during peak seasons, but the last tickets sold are always one hour prior.

Perhaps the most respected contemporary art dealer in town, the Marian Goodman Gallery has been introducing top European artists to American audiences since 1977. The stable of excellent contemporary artists in the Goodman fold includes Gerhard Richter, Jeff Wall, John Baldessari, William Kentridge, Chantal Akerman, and Steve McQueen.

The gallery has an international reputation, representing modern artists such as Magdalena Abakanowicz, Beverly Pepper, and Red Grooms; architect Santiago Calatrava; and photo-realist Richard Estes. Look for sculptures by Tom Otterness, whose whimsical bronzes are found in several subway stations. A Chelsea branch specializes in contemporary art.

The curtain lifted on the new Museum of Broadway in 2022, in its prime location next door to Broadway’s oldest venue, the Lyceum Theatre. Inside you’ll find three stories filled with 300 years of Broadway history, from early New York theater through vaudeville through daring, unforgettable 20th-century productions. The stage is set with a short film, with the next acts spotlighting hundreds of individual musicals and plays—and the people who make them. Expect to be dazzled by costumes, props, sketches, rare photos, videos, and groundbreaking moments from beloved shows, including West Side Story, Oklahoma!, The Wiz, Hair, Phantom of the Opera, Rent, Cabaret, and many more. The museum is very photo-friendly, so be ready to drop yourself into sets and strike the poses of your favorite characters. As you explore from the top to bottom floors (all of which are accessible), leave a good 20 minutes for one of the last exhibits, “The Making of a Broadway Show,” to learn about all the departments buzzing behind the scenes of each production, like song- and playwriting, set design, lighting and sound design, music, and the brilliantly talented pros who make Broadway shine.

You can join the gawking crowds watching news tapings outside the NBC studios (which are in the art deco GE Building on Rockefeller Plaza), or you can get even closer to the action (without having to elbow anyone) by taking a slick behind-the-scenes tour of the legendary studios. Tours depart every 20 minutes daily, delving into the history of television and the actual recording studios of some of the network's top shows, like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and NBC Nightly News. Tours start at the Shop at NBC Studios (49th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues); visitors must reserve tickets, which are sold online, in advance, and children must be at least six years old.

With an exhibition gallery, small cinema, screening room, and a computerized catalog of more than 160,000 television and radio programs, the Paley Center's New York outpost examines the constantly evolving state of media. Temporary exhibits on the first floor showcase anything from game shows to sporting events through photographs, recordings, and artifacts. The center also hosts public seminars, lectures, and screenings that explore the history of broadcasting. The fourth-floor library is the top draw: if you want to see an archived awards show, news program, sitcom, or historic event, simply check into a semiprivate computer terminal, enter your search terms, and enjoy. Possibly the most entertaining part of these TV shows from yesteryear is that the original commercials are still embedded in many of the programs. If ads are your thing, you can watch compilations of classic commercials.

This is the most energetic part of New York City, a cacophony of flashing lights and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that many New Yorkers studiously avoid. Originally named after the New York Times (whose headquarters has since relocated to 8th Avenue), the area has seen many changes since the first subway line, which included a 42nd Street station, opened in 1904. The area was once a bastion of the city's unseemly side, but today it's a vibrant, family-friendly destination, with pedestrian-only plazas that line Broadway with tables, chairs, and granite benches. There’s no longer a visitor center here, since the Official NYC Information Center is down at 151 West 34th Street in Herald Square, with maps, brochures, coupons, and a bilingual staff.

The focus of the entertainment might have shifted over the years, but live shows are still the heart of Midtown's theater scene, and there are 40 Broadway theaters nearby. (A few of the most historic theaters are spotlighted in this chapter's introduction.) Learn about Broadway's history and architecture on a two-hour Times Square walking tour by Manhattan Walking Tours ( $50  Daily at 10:30 am  www.manhattanwalkingtour.com) or join the two-hour guided Inside Broadway tour ( $39  Daily at 4 pm  www.insidebroadwaytours.com) that leaves from the George M. Cohan statue at West 46th Street and Broadway.

When it debuted in 2019, the centerpiece of the new Hudson Yards development was an instant city landmark serving as both an interactive artwork and photo-op paradise. Created by British designer Thomas Heatherwick, Vessel consists of 154 interlocking flights of stairs stretching 16 stories high, resembling a gigantic, woven copper basket. A visit might make you feel like you're inside an M. C. Escher drawing. Visits to the top are ADA-accessible via ramp and elevator, with stringent security screening. Buy tickets at Hudson Yards ticket kiosks, or reserve them online in advance.  Entry is free for NYC residents on Thursday.