Bryant Park, New York - What To See

Bryant Park in central Manhattan, is a little oasis of peace and greenery, surrounded by some of New York’s tallest skyscrapers. The park sits just behind the historic library on 42nd Street and although it’s small, it has a number of features to enjoy. There’s a children’s carousel and an iconic water fountain, but people come here mainly to sit on the grass and relax. Around the lawns are green chairs and tables, benches and chess tables. We loved just sitting here and relaxing.

Bryant Park was dedicated in 1912, but it had a chequered history after that and was not always the magnet for New Yorkers as it is now. In fact in the 1970s it was a place to avoid unless you wanted to get mugged! What you might not realise when visiting the park is that underneath your feet are the storage areas for books from the New York Public Library. There’s also a long subway pedestrian tunnel stretching from one side of the park to the other. There are regular events in the park with a large stage for performances and craft markets several days a week. There is also a free outdoor ‘Reading Room’ where you can pick up a book or publication from the carts and just sit and read it.

The Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain, stands on its own terrace and is one of the longest surviving features in the park. It’s thought to have inspired the scene in opening credits of the TV show ‘Friends’ where the characters splash around in it. The actual fountain used for filming was created on a backlot at Warner Bros Studios however. Another feature in the park is the terrace at the rear of the library which is partly occupied by one of New York’s fashionable restaurants. The rest of the terrace is available for park goers to enjoy and gives a lovely perspective on the lawned areas of the park, surrounded by 6 large flower beds.