Central Park Statues: Which Ones to See and Where

Central Park is huge, and spread across its grounds you'll find several monuments and more than 30 statues, some more famous than others.

Here I'll tell you which ones matter most and which you shouldn't miss.

1. Bethesda Fountain

The most iconic monument in Central Park is Bethesda Fountain, filmed thousands of times in movies and TV shows shot in the park.

Follow the link for all the details on visiting this angel, considered the heart of Central Park.

2. Literary Walk

Between Bethesda Fountain and 65th Street you'll find the Literary Walk, part of Olmsted's original plan to house most of the park's sculptures.

Since nearly all the statues depicted poets and writers, people started calling it the Literary Walk.

There you'll find statues of key figures in English letters, with Shakespeare in pride of place, of course.

Alice in Wonderland

Northeast of the Literary Walk, around East 74th Street, stands the Alice in Wonderland statue.

Alice is surrounded by the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and other characters from Lewis Carroll's story.

The group sits at the north end of the Conservatory Water, a shallow pond where kids and adults alike sail their model boats.

This enormous sculpture was designed specifically for children to climb, which makes it an ideal stop if you're traveling with little ones. So go ahead and climb right up onto Alice's lap for a fun photo.

At the base of the sculpture you'll read several quotes, among them: «‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe.» It's a line from The Jabberwocky, another of Carroll's works.

Another fun one is the poem recited by the Mad Hatter: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat!

As you can see, there are plenty of literary tributes in Central Park.

Hans Christian Andersen Statue

Very close to Alice stands the Hans Christian Andersen statue.

It was erected in 1956 to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of this beloved Danish author of children's tales.

Kids love this monument too, since climbing on it is allowed, just like with Alice.

On some summer afternoons there's a lovely tradition: group readings of Andersen's stories are held around the statue. Join in and you'll hear The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Match Girl or The Emperor's New Clothes in a charming setting.

Strawberry Fields

Although it isn't a statue as such, the Strawberry Fields Memorial (near Central Park West and 72nd Street) is one of the most visited monuments in Central Park.

The famous Imagine mosaic, a tribute to John Lennon in Central Park, sits at the center of a plaza that draws crowds of visitors and where you'll often hear street musicians playing.

If you're a Beatles fan, it's a must.

The Central Park Obelisk

«Cleopatra's Needle» is the name of this authentic Egyptian obelisk, the oldest public monument in New York. It stands behind the Met around 81st Street.

It's nearly 22 meters tall and weighs close to 200 tons. It's worth walking up to it just to feel the weight of the centuries.

This genuine Egyptian obelisk was commissioned by Thutmose III 3,500 years ago. It was donated to New York City by the Egyptian government in 1869 as a thank-you for help in building the Suez Canal.

Duke Ellington Statue

This statue is a tribute to jazz, and it often goes unnoticed because it sits far from the usual tourist routes (Fifth Avenue at 110th Street).

If you love jazz, it's a nice gesture to stop by Ellington (or go hear Woody Allen and his clarinet).

Other spots worth seeing in Central Park:

This park takes many visits to see in full. It's enormous! And every season in New York gives it a different look. These guides will help you get to know it:

🌳 Guide to the green spaces of Central Park

⛲ Discover the most important bridges in Central Park

💧 Get to know the lakes and ponds of Central Park

🦁 Did you know there's a zoo in Central Park?

🏃‍♂️ Read where to play sports in Central Park

🎭 Check out the events held in Central Park

🎬 List of famous movies filmed in Central Park