Flushing Meadows Corona Park: What You Shouldn’t Miss

Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the most important park in Queens and one of the largest parks in New York.

It was designed by the well-known New York urban planner Robert Moses as the site of the 1939 World's Fair.

In 1964 it hosted another World's Fair, whose structures went on to become the park's icons: the Unisphere and the New York State Pavilion, which you'll surely recognize as the alien spaceships from Men in Black (1997) 😉

What to See in Flushing Meadows Park

Inside Flushing Meadows Park you'll find stadiums, museums, the Queens Botanical Garden and the famous structures from the 1964 World's Fair. Here are the details for visiting these attractions.

1. The Unisphere

The park's icon is the Unisphere, the huge steel globe originally designed to welcome visitors to the 1964 World's Fair held in New York.

That event, staged in the middle of the space race, was a tribute to the technological promises of the future.

This edition was a celebration full of faith in scientific progress, with futuristic pavilions and space-age robotic fantasies in the style of The Jetsons, the animated series from the same era.

And the resemblance is no joke. Look at how much the towers of the New York State Pavilion look like the apartment buildings in The Jetsons 😉

2. New York State Pavilion

The New York State Pavilion, with its signature towers, also survives in Flushing Meadows Corona Park from the New York World's Fair.

It was designed by the celebrated American architect Philip Johnson, inspired by rocket launch pads.

The complex included a circular amphitheater and plaza, crowned by the observation towers.

You'll surely recognize the towers, since they were turned into alien spaceships in Men in Black (1997).

Notice the rails along the sides of the towers. Those were the tracks for the high-speed elevators that carried visitors to the top of the pavilion, where they could take in the whole fair and part of New York.

Today it's in terrible shape. If it were restored, the pavilion would surely become one of the wonders of New York again. Here's hoping!

3. Queens Museum

Another of the most visited attractions in this Flushing park is the Queens Museum.

There you can walk around the Panorama: the scale model of New York City built by Robert Moses, the same planner who designed the park, to map out the development of various parts of the city.

This is the enormous model of New York that Fran Lebowitz walks through in the documentary directed by Martin Scorsese, Pretend It's a City (2021).

4. New York Hall of Science

If you're traveling with kids, you might want to visit the New York Hall of Science, the other museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Its interactive exhibits are all about science and technology. It's also housed in one of the original buildings from the 1964 New York World's Fair.

You'll find visiting information on the museum's website.

5. Sports Stadiums

The park is home to major sports venues like Citi Field, the modern home of the New York Mets.

It also houses the USTA National Tennis Center, where the US Open is played at the end of summer in New York.

The History of Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Before it became a fairground, it was a massive garbage dump, one that F. Scott Fitzgerald christened a «valley of ashes» in The Great Gatsby, thanks to the pollution spewing from its enormous incinerator.

Park Hours

The park is open 24 hours, but visiting at night isn't a good idea. It's easy to get lost across such a huge expanse, and security isn't great.

During the day, take your time exploring. It's a peaceful place, perfect for lying on the grass and watching the planes take off from nearby JFK and LaGuardia.

To cap off a perfect day, head to Flushing's Chinatown and eat like you're in Asia.

Remember that you can see it quickly and comfortably on the Contrasts of New York tour.

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Address

I recommend starting your visit at the Queens Museum (Meridian Rd, Queens, NY 11368)

Transportation
Line 7. Willets Point-Mets station