Destinations / New York City / Top Things to Do in New York City for Street Art Fans near Wall Street
Top Things to Do in New York City for Street Art Fans near Wall Street
1. Fearless Girl
Face the iconic bronze that stares down the New York Stock Exchange. Installed on Broad Street, this compact but powerful work turns the canyons of finance into an open-air gallery and sparks conversation about who gets represented in public space.
✓ Why Go:
Street art fans gravitate to strong statements in the streetscape—this piece is a rare example of message-driven public art in the Financial District and pairs perfectly with nearby sculptural heavyweights.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Early morning or weekend mornings for clear photos before trading-day crowds; evening visits add drama from facade lighting across the street.
✓ Insider Tip:
For a centered, architectural backdrop, shoot from the steps of Federal Hall across Wall Street; then walk two blocks to Charging Bull to compare tones and reactions.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Uplifting and photogenic; visitors love its symbolism and quick-hit accessibility in the middle of FiDi.
2. Charging Bull
Arturo Di Modica’s guerrilla-installed bronze anchors Broadway just above Bowling Green. The swaggering pose and polished surfaces make it a kinetic, tactile landmark of Lower Manhattan.
✓ Why Go:
It’s the neighborhood’s most famous piece of public art. Street art lovers appreciate its renegade origin story and the way crowds interact with it daily.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Sunrise for unobstructed shots; after dark for moody, traffic-lit images on the cobblestones.
✓ Insider Tip:
Stand slightly uphill on Broadway toward Morris Street to capture the skyline rising behind the horns; then detour to nearby Bowling Green for a quieter breather.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Always busy and buzzy; despite lines, most leave charmed by the scale and spectacle.
3. Red Cube
Isamu Noguchi’s tilted, 24‑foot red rhomboid at 140 Broadway is pure color and geometry, punctured by a circular void that frames the Financial District’s verticals.
✓ Why Go:
Minimalist form meets skyscraper canyon—an essential stop for fans of sculptural interventions that transform everyday plazas into art spaces.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Midday for even light on the Cube; blue hour to catch reflections in surrounding glass.
✓ Insider Tip:
Step across Broadway for a symmetrical shot that aligns the circular aperture with neighboring towers; puddles after rain create striking mirror images.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Unexpected and playful; many call it their favorite photo from FiDi.
4. Group of Four Trees
Jean Dubuffet’s monumental, cartoon-like forms rise in black‑lined white at 28 Liberty’s plaza, inviting you to wander between curves that feel drawn into 3D.
✓ Why Go:
A master of art brut brought to Wall Street’s doorstep—perfect for street art fans who love bold outlines, graphic scale, and immersive public work.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late morning when the plaza brightens and shadows soften; weekends are quieter for lingering.
✓ Insider Tip:
Circle the piece to find frames with One Chase’s grid behind the organic shapes; combine with Noguchi’s nearby Sunken Garden in the same plaza.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Surprising in scale and delightfully approachable; feels like stepping into a drawing.
5. Sunken Garden
Isamu Noguchi’s contemplative stone-and-water composition sits below the 28 Liberty plaza, a serene counterpoint to FiDi’s rush.
✓ Why Go:
It shows how public art can slow a city down—meditative, minimalist, and a beautiful study in texture and negative space.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Midday for clear views into the recessed garden; weekday lunch hours add ambient city sound without overwhelming the calm.
✓ Insider Tip:
View from multiple angles along the plaza rail to appreciate the geometry; pair with Dubuffet next door for a two‑artist mini‑trail.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Calming and quietly powerful; many call it an oasis in the Financial District.
6. Joie de Vivre
Mark di Suvero’s 70‑foot, fire‑engine‑red steel beams soar over Zuccotti Park, echoing the neighborhood’s vertical energy.
✓ Why Go:
If you love big, photogenic interventions in everyday space, this kinetic, crane-like sculpture is a Lower Manhattan must.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Golden hour for long shadows across the granite plaza; nighttime lights add bold contrast.
✓ Insider Tip:
Frame the sculpture with passing yellow cabs on Broadway for a classic New York shot; then explore the park’s other sculpture, Double Check.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Bold and optimistic—visitors love the color pop and dramatic scale.
7. Double Check
John Seward Johnson II’s hyper‑real seated businessman—scarred yet restored after 9/11—sits at Zuccotti Park, blending art and memory.
✓ Why Go:
Street art aficionados appreciate lifelike pieces that surprise you at eye level; this one also carries deep local history.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Daytime for detail shots of the briefcase and textures; evenings for a reflective mood under plaza lighting.
✓ Insider Tip:
Sit nearby and people‑watch; candid interactions with the sculpture are part of the experience.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Moving and relatable; often described as a small but unforgettable stop.
8. Sky Reflector‑Net
Inside Fulton Center’s soaring atrium, a 952‑panel cable‑net funnels daylight deep underground—an engineered artwork that paints the station with sky.
✓ Why Go:
It’s public art as infrastructure, marrying design, light, and daily life—catnip for fans of site‑specific, experiential pieces.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late morning to early afternoon when the sun is highest and the oculus glows.
✓ Insider Tip:
Head to the mezzanine for a straight‑up view through the oculus; reflections on the stainless panels are most vivid on bright days.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Unexpectedly beautiful; commuters and visitors alike linger to look up.
9. Pier
On the East River, Pier 17’s terraces and riverdeck host rotating installations and large‑scale graphics against a blockbuster Brooklyn Bridge backdrop.
✓ Why Go:
Street art fans get color, scale, and water views—plus plenty of open space to photograph pieces with the skyline.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon into sunset for golden light on murals and the bridge; evenings when the pier’s lighting schemes activate.
✓ Insider Tip:
Walk the Heineken Riverdeck for wide‑angle compositions; check the concourses for seasonal art pop‑ups.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Vibrant and scenic; visitors love how the art, river, and bridge line up for show‑stopping photos.
10. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza
A luminous glass‑block wall and etched texts create a reflective, typographic installation tucked just off Water Street—a poignant mix of design and remembrance.
✓ Why Go:
For lovers of text‑based and conceptual public art, this plaza shows how typography and light can transform a civic space.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Dusk and evening when the glass is lit from within; weekday mornings are quiet for contemplation.
✓ Insider Tip:
Stand at an angle to catch layered reflections of trees and towers in the glass; the elevated ‘Elevated Acre’ nearby offers another quick cityscape view.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Solemn yet beautifully crafted; praised for thoughtful design and a calm, respectful atmosphere.
