Upon its debut in 1952, 21-story Lever House was at the height of the cutting-edge. The UN Secretariat Building was the only other skyscraper to feature a glass skin, an innovation that would redefine urban architecture. The building's form was equally bold: two counter-posed rectangular shapes consisting of a slender tower atop a low-rise base. The open courtyard features marble benches envisioned by Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, while the lobby exhibits contemporary art especially commissioned for the space.
Lever House
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.45 MILES
What started with a handful of paintings brought over from Europe or donated by a coterie of philanthropically minded robber barons in the 19th century…
1.63 MILES
One of the world’s most renowned green spaces, Central Park comprises 843 acres of rolling meadows, boulder-studded outcroppings, elm-lined walkways,…
5.44 MILES
Located in New York Harbor, Ellis Island is the US's most famous and historically important gateway and is home to one of the country’s most moving…
1.02 MILES
The Chrysler Building may be prettier, and One World Trade Center taller, but the queen bee of the New York skyline remains the Empire State Building. NYC…
3.84 MILES
Spanning three levels at the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, One World Observatory offers dazzling panoramic views over Manhattan's…
1.79 MILES
A New York icon, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, more commonly known as the Guggenheim, is an internationally-renowned art museum and one of the most…
6.14 MILES
It’s been over a century since Lady Liberty made her debut appearance on the New York skyline, but this iconic statue is still one of the city’s most…
National September 11 Memorial Museum
3.91 MILES
When the twin towers of the World Trade Center toppled during the awful events of 11 September 2001, it led to years of soul-searching about what would be…
Nearby attractions
0.06 MILES
A textbook regular, the 38-floor Seagram Building is one of the world's finest examples of the international style. Its lead architect, Ludwig Mies van…
0.13 MILES
With its striking triangular-cut roof and candy-like striped facade, Hugh Stubbins' 59-story Citigroup Center signaled a shift from the flat-roof sobriety…
0.16 MILES
It's a case of 'thin is in' with the arrival of this 1396ft-tall, $1.3-billion residential tower by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly. Its clean, white,…
0.19 MILES
America's largest Catholic cathedral graces Fifth Ave with Gothic Revival splendor. Built at a cost of nearly $2 million during the Civil War (and spiffed…
0.2 MILES
Immortalized in film and song, Fifth Ave first developed its high-class reputation in the early 20th century, when it was known for its 'country' air and…
0.26 MILES
Superstar of the modern-art scene, MoMA's galleries are a Who’s Who of artistic heavyweights: Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Rothko,…
0.26 MILES
This pop-culture repository offers more than 160,000 TV and radio programs from around the world on its computer catalog. Reliving your favorite TV shows…
0.32 MILES
This 22-acre 'city within a city' debuted at the height of the Great Depression, with developer John D Rockefeller Jr footing the $100-million price tag…