Destinations / New York City / Top Things to Do in New York City for History Buffs in Times Square
Top Things to Do in New York City for History Buffs in Times Square
1. Times Square
Once Longacre Square, this crossroads was renamed in 1904 when The New York Times moved into its new tower. Today its bow-tie plaza, electric signage, and theater-blocks radiate a century of news flashes, Broadway lore, and New Year’s Eve traditions.
✓ Why Go:
It is the epicenter of NYC’s popular history, where media, theater, and city planning intersect in one dizzying, photogenic place.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Early morning (around sunrise) for quiet photos and unobstructed views; late night for the full neon glow without daytime crowds.
✓ Insider Tip:
Stand mid-plaza near 46th Street to see the original Broadway and Seventh Avenue bow-tie shape reveal itself in both directions.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Overwhelming yet unforgettable; even skeptics admit its energy and sense of living history are magnetic.
2. One Times Square
Completed in 1904 as the Times Tower, this slender skyscraper launched the New Year’s Eve ball drop in 1907. Though largely a billboard-clad landmark today, its facade and rooftop sphere embody more than a century of countdowns and civic celebration.
✓ Why Go:
To see the building that named the square and hosts the world’s most famous New Year’s tradition.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Dusk, when the ball and surrounding screens ignite and reflections pop in nearby glass.
✓ Insider Tip:
For a clean view of the ball high above, align yourself near the center of 43rd Street or from the TKTS red steps up at Duffy Square.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Compact and unassuming up close, but powerful in symbolism—people report goosebumps imagining the annual countdown.
3. Duffy Square
The northern triangle of Times Square honors WWI chaplain Father Francis Duffy and includes a statue of Broadway legend George M. Cohan. Beneath the TKTS red steps, it doubles as a public gallery of Times Square’s past and a grandstand for people-watching.
✓ Why Go:
It blends theater and military history with one of the best vantage points over the square.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon for golden-hour light on the statues and the surrounding marquees.
✓ Insider Tip:
Read the plaques at the base of the Father Duffy monument for context before climbing the steps for the panorama.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Beloved as a breather from the bustle—visitors linger for photos, views, and a sense of place.
4. Paramount Building
Built for Paramount Pictures, this 1920s tower once housed a grand movie palace where stars premiered films and crooners packed the balcony. Its clock-and-globe crown still telegraphs the era when film studios ruled Broadway.
✓ Why Go:
To trace the movie-palace age and studio power carved into Times Square’s skyline.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Morning, when sunlight sharpens the Broadway facade’s setbacks and ornament.
✓ Insider Tip:
Step back across Broadway to frame the four-faced clock and globe atop the tower in a single photo.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Architecture buffs rave about the Deco drama; casual passersby are delighted when they notice the clock and globe.
5. New Amsterdam Theatre
Opened in 1903, this Art Nouveau jewel fostered the Ziegfeld Follies and early Broadway stardom. A meticulous restoration revived its flowing floral motifs and gilded details, now glowing beneath a storied marquee.
✓ Why Go:
It’s a living time capsule of Broadway’s early glamour and stagecraft.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Around showtime when the marquee lights and crowds animate the historic facade.
✓ Insider Tip:
Peek along the street-level arcade to spot tilework and sculpted details many miss in the rush to curtain.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors admire its elegance and celebrate how faithfully the theater’s golden-age sparkle endures.
6. Lyceum Theatre
Opened in 1903 and landmarked, the Lyceum is among Broadway’s oldest operating houses. Its Beaux-Arts facade, classical columns, and mask motifs hint at a long lineage of performances within.
✓ Why Go:
To appreciate early 20th-century theater architecture that still frames modern productions.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Daytime for carved-stone details; evening to see the classic signage lit.
✓ Insider Tip:
Look up to the rooftop colonnade and study the theatrical masks woven into the ornament.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Theater lovers praise its intimacy and craftsmanship, calling it a must-see facade in the district.
7. Algonquin Hotel
Since 1902, the Algonquin has been a literary salon, home to the famed Round Table of writers and wits in the 1920s. Portraits, period furnishings, and the resident lobby cat keep the hotel’s storytelling spirit alive.
✓ Why Go:
To sip in a storied lobby and feel the Jazz Age intellect that once filled these rooms.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon for a quieter lobby before the pre-theater rush.
✓ Insider Tip:
Ask staff to point out the Round Table’s traditional spot and scan the portraits to put names to legends.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Guests describe it as atmospheric and timeless—a cultured refuge steps from the neon.
8. St. Malachy's - The Actors' Chapel
Serving the theater community for over a century, this parish is rich with memorials, dedications, and playbills that chronicle Broadway’s human side. Its quiet nave offers a contemplative counterpoint to the streets outside.
✓ Why Go:
To connect with the spiritual and communal history behind the footlights.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Midday on weekdays, when it’s typically calm and doors are often open for private reflection.
✓ Insider Tip:
Look for plaques honoring performers and note the well-worn kneelers engraved with names from the district.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors value the serenity and the sense of real lives and stories behind the marquees.
9. The Knickerbocker Hotel
Opened in 1906 by John Jacob Astor IV, this Beaux-Arts landmark hosted tycoons, celebrities, and larger-than-life tales—some say the martini’s legend swirled here. Restored spaces showcase Gilded Age bones with contemporary polish.
✓ Why Go:
To step into Times Square’s Gilded Age heritage at a building that helped define the area’s early opulence.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Early evening for lobby ambience and exterior lighting along 42nd Street.
✓ Insider Tip:
Circle the corner entrance to admire the carved stonework and original ornament high above eye level.
✓ What Visitors Say:
History-minded visitors love the blend of old-world grandeur and modern bustle at the square’s edge.
10. Sardi's
A Broadway institution since the 1920s, Sardi’s is famed for caricatures lining its walls and for hosting cast gatherings and opening-night lore. Dining here feels like paging through a living theater scrapbook.
✓ Why Go:
To eat amid decades of Broadway history and spot the faces that built the district’s legend.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late lunch or early dinner between performances for easier seating and time to admire the caricatures.
✓ Insider Tip:
Arrive a bit early for your reservation to wander the walls and find your favorite caricatures before you sit.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Nostalgic, buzzy, and quintessentially Broadway—guests cherish the tradition as much as the meal.
