Page 95 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

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£ American
Museum of Natural
History
Central Park West at 79th St. Tel (212)
769-5100. q B, C to 81st St. @ M7,
M10, M11, M79. Open 10am–5:45pm
daily. & Closed Thanksgiving, Dec
25. 7 8 Donation. 0 - =
∑ amnh.org

This is one of the largest natural
history museums in the world, The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex
attracting more than 4.5 million $ Lincoln Center
visitors each year. Since the David Geffen Hall, home to
original building opened in Broadway between W 62nd & W 65th the New York Philharmonic,
1877, the complex has grown to Sts. q 1 to 66th St. @ M5, M7, M10, America’s oldest orchestra. The
cover four city blocks, and today M11, M66, M104. best way to see the complex is
holds more than 30 million by guided tour.
specimens and artifacts. A giant cultural complex, built The American Folk Art
The most popular areas are in the 1950s, Lincoln Center Museum features an excellent
the dinosaurs, and the Milstein was conceived when both the and extensive collection of
Family Hall of Ocean Life. Metropolitan Opera House and traditional folk art, including
Enter at Central Park West the New York Philharmonic quilts, carvings, and paintings,
onto the second floor to view needed homes. At that time, dating from the 18th century
the Barosaurus exhibit, African, the notion of a single complex to the present. The gallery is
Asian, Central and South where different performing arts home to work by self-taught
American peoples, and animals. could exist side by side was artists from the US and abroad.
First-floor exhibits include considered both daring and Many pieces, from decorative
ocean life, meteors, minerals risky. Today, the Lincoln Center arts to detailed needlepoints,
and gems, and the Hall of draws audiences of over five celebrate US history and culture,
Biodiversity. North American million each year. and reveal a strong national
tribes, birds, and reptiles The Lincoln Center for the identity. The museum’s
occupy the third floor. Dino- Performing Arts was born in Contemporary Center,
saurs, fossil fishes, and early May 1959, when President established in 1997, is dedicated
mammals are on the fourth floor. Eisenhower traveled to New to folk art from the 20th and
The Rose Center for Earth York to turn a shovelful of 21st centuries, and includes
and Space has as its center- earth, composer Leonard everything from abstract
piece the Hayden Planetarium. Bernstein lifted his baton, and paintings and poignant self-
The planetarium contains a the New York Philharmonic and portraits, to embroidered
technologically advanced the Juilliard Choir broke into pillowcases and unique dolls.
Space Theater, the famous the Hallelujah Chorus. The The Hotel des Artistes,
Cosmic Pathway, and a Big center soon covered 15 acres nearby at 1 West 67th Street,
Bang Theater. (6 ha) on the site of the slums was built in 1918 as working
that had once been the setting artists’ studios. Past residents
for Bernstein’s classic musical have included Alexander
West Side Story. Woollcott, Isadora Duncan, Noël
Lincoln Center includes the Coward, Rudolph Valentino, and
David H. Koch Theater, home Norman Rockwell. The Café des
to the highly acclaimed Artistes is well-known for its
New York City Ballet and the misty, romantic Howard
American Ballet Theater in Chandler Christy murals and
the Fall; and the Metropolitan fine cuisine.
Opera House, the focal point of
the plaza. This fine building has F Lincoln Center for the
five great arched windows, Performing Arts
which offer views of the opulent Tel (212) 546-2656. 7 8 (212) 875-
foyer and two radiant murals 5350. 0 = ∑ lincolncenter.org
by Marc Chagall. All the greats E American Folk Art Museum
have sung here, including Maria 2 Lincoln Square. Tel (212) 595-9533.
Callas, Jessye Norman, and Open 11:30am–7pm Tue–Thu & Sat,
Luciano Pava rotti. The other two noon–7:30pm Fri, noon–6pm Sun.
Barosaurus, American Museum of significant institutions here are ^ 7 8 - = ∑ folkart
Natural History the Lincoln Center Theater and museum.org

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