Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)
Explore contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design in a lovely setting overlooking Central Park.
đ¨ Peek in resident artists’ and designers’ studios on the sixth floor. During open studio hours (Wed, Fri & Sat 10:30 amâ5:30 pm), ask questions, view works in progress, and gain firsthand exposure to the creative process.
đ See jewelry from mid-century to today with surprising inspiration âfrom a material or found object to pressing social and political issues – in the fascinating 45 Stories in Jewelry: 1947 to Now
𧾠Look for sequins, glitter, feathers, beads, ping pong balls, hoop skirts, slinkies and soup cans among over-the-top living sculptures in Queer Maximalism x Machine Dazzle
đ Get 50% off admission on Thursdays
Stop by the well curated, colorful gift shop for homeware, toys, books for all ages, jewelry and more
 Dine at Robert, the chic (but kid-friendly) top-floor restaurant with amazing Central Park views
 Get delicious dessert and hot cocoa at Italian Venchi Chocolate & Gelato (1796 Broadway) across the street
Also lots of food options at Shops at Columbus Circle and creative fun at Art Camp
imagiNATIONS Activity Center
Solve puzzles, perform experiments, play state-of-the-art computer simulations and find out how corn is like a dog in this interactive, family-friendly space. Explore scientific principles behind Native innovations and technologies that are so ingenious, many remain a part of our daily lives.
Krispy Kreme Times Square Flagship
Get hot, fresh addictively delicious doughnuts 24/7 at Krispy Kreme’s Times Square Flagship store. The 4,500 square-foot shop features a doughnut-making theater, a Glazed Waterfall with digital projection, a giant conveyor belt that runs throughout the store and and a doughnut themed seating area. Choose from a variety of flavors, including an exclusive Big Apple Doughnut, filled with a Red Delicious flavored cream and dipped in a sweet, shiny red shimmer mirror glaze.
Levain Bakery
Everything is baked on-site throughout the day at this legendary bakery, from an array of rustic breads to the world-famous, super-gooey, six-ounce cookies in five flavors: Two Chip Chocolate Chip, Walnut Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip & Oatmeal Raisin (plus a gluten-free chocolate chip option).
Other options include sour cream coffee cake, brioches, whole wheat walnut raisin rolls are also yummy (and a little healthier).
Outposts also in Harlem, the UES, NoHo and Williamsburg.
Daily 7 am – 9 pm
Eataly NYC Downtown
The 40,000 square feet outpost of Italian marketplace Eataly is focused on bread, but you can also find delizioso pizza, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, pasta, rotisserie chicken, chocolate, gelato and (post-pandemic) weekend kids cooking classes.
Choose from five restaurants, nine take-away counters (including gelato), two caffès, and one wine bar. Shop more than 10,000 high-quality imported Italian and local seasonal products spread over the f , including salt, extra virgin olive oil, dried pasta, fresh truffles, aged balsamic vinegar and a mix-and-math Venchi chocolate bar.
Watch fresh pasta shapes, gooey mozzarella cheese and other products being made.
Look for more than 500 signs that tell the story of different products, from ancient tradition to modern place in Italian cuisine, plus a cool pasta shape map of Italy. Shop for kid-friendly kitchenware and books.
Conservatory Gardens
Enter the magnificent 1894 Vanderbilt Gate to Central Parkâs only formal garden, a six-acre oasis within an oasis with European charm.
Climb onto the wisteria pergola in the Italianate Center Garden overlooking a yew hedges-bordered large lawn and 12-foot jet fountain. To the north, the French-style garden offers spectacular seasonal displays of tulips and Korean chrysanthemums and a fountain featuring the Three Dancing Maidens sculpture.
In intimate English-style South Garden, Mary and Dickon from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved childrenâs book The Secret Garden stand at the end of a small waterlily pool, bordered by trees, shrubs, and perennial and annual flower beds.
Friendly gardeners are often planting and happy to chat with young nature lovers.
Angelina Paris NYC
Travel to Belle Epoque France at an outpost of an iconic Parisian tea room and dessert cafÊ founded in 1903.
Get pastries, macarons, the iconic Angelina hot chocolate and the signature Mont-Blanc (meringue, light whipped cream, chestnut cream vermicelli) to go, or sit in the gorgeous dining room for brunch (served all day), afternoon tea, sweet treats and savory brasserie classics: Niçoise salad, Croque-Monsieur, onion soup, or the Angelina Croissant filled with scrambled eggs and cheese, ham, or smoked salmon. Light and modern seasonal dishes, from seasonal vegetable soup to a vegan quinoa salad, include gluten-free and vegetarian options, but the hot chocolate, served in a dramatic presentation, is worth the indulgence.
Keep the Parisian vibes going at Bryant Park across the street.
Monday-Friday 8 am â 8 pm
Saturday-Sunday 9 am â 7 pm
Kitchen closes thirty minutes before close
Aliceâs Tea Cup
Enjoy scones in rotating flavors as magical as the decor, sandwiches, salads and treats with optional fairy wings and glitter at a whimsical tea house inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Choose from hundreds of teas served in charming mismatching pots and cups.
Gets crowded on weekends; reservations recommended. Go early to beat the crowds (or take the scones to go for a Central Park picnic).
Also in the East 60s.
WednesdayâSunday 11 am â 6 pm
Serendipity 3
Get the famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, a creamy secret blend of 14 exotic cocoas, and other decadent, over-sized desserts at this legendary restaurant and store with whimsical antique-store-meets-ice-cream-parlor decor. Heraty burgers, foot long hot dogs, mac ânâ cheese variations, salads and sandwiches are also available. A favorite of actors, artists and tourists for the last 67-years.
Minimum food or drink purchase of $16.95 per person so bring an appetite – portions are huge.
Daily 11 am â 11 pm
Max Brenner
Select from nine hot chocolates – Italian Thick, Oreo, Peanut Butter and more – at this huge cafe and store that feels like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, with tubes of liquid chocolate criss crossing the space. Choose from a variety of creative, high-quality chocolate concoctions to fo, gift or to eat on site.
Salads, paninis, pizza, cocoa spiced waffle fries etc. available on the extensive menu, but the real draw is the over-the-top desserts from marshmallow chocolate pizza to three types of chocolate fondue to a melting s’mores sundae to a syringe full of chocolate goodness. Lots of cocktails, including a chocolate peppermint martini, available for grown-ups.
Advance reservations recommended.
Mon-Fri 12 pm-11 pm
Thu-Sat 11 am â midnight
Sun 10 amâ11 pm
Pick up chocolates & hot cocoa to go at the Times Square outpost (720 7th Ave at West 48th St).
Dumpling Galaxy
Choose from than 100 kinds of delicious dumplings plus noodles & other Chinese dishes in a striking, modern interior with bold Chinese red across walls. Deep semiprivate booths have individual TV screen showing highlights of the extensive menu.
Gilded Lady Mural
The myriad of details in this colorful 97 by 40-foot mural by famed street artist Tristan Eaton on the side of a residential building on Fifth Avenue in reference the rich history of the NoMad neighborhood from the Gilded Age onward. The womanâs face is based on early 20th-century model, chorus girl and catalyst for the “Trial of the Centuryâ Evelyn Nesbit, with references to the Tenderloin District, the Gibson Girl, a notorious police inspector and more thorughout.
Jim Henson’s World
Explore Jim Hensonâs groundbreaking work for film and television and his transformative impact on popular culture and learn how Henson and his team of builders, performers, and writers brought to life the enduringly popular worlds of The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.
Among the nearly 300 objects on view are 47 puppetsâincluding Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, The Swedish Chef, Big Bird, Elmo, Cantus Fraggle, and other popular favorites, character sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs, and iconic costumes.
See film and television clips and behind-the-scenes footage and try interactive experiences like designing a puppet character.
Join 45-minute guided tours Saturdays at 1 pm ($5).