You need to register a day in advance. That is not open to the public. The registration is not posted clearly online anywhere. read more

I visited this place 10 years ago & came back last week on a whim while im doing errand in the area. The experience was still as fascinating like the first time. A green oasis in the middle of midtown. A nature lover New Yorker would really appreciate this place. What a break from the concrete & skyscraper that sorrounds it. Might be a little intimidating for some to enter. Although it's free to visit, you have to check in. Security guards out number the visitors & the staff don't look welcoming at all. But i would not things like that deter me! And the bathroom is spotless ! read more

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Ford Foundation Building 320 E. 43rd. St. New York, NY 10017 Take a stroll through this indoor rainforest. It is precisely detailed that you will forget you are actually in the city. Please see below reel excerpt. #fordfoundationbuilding #fordfoundation #securitycheck #sensorygarden #indoorgarden #audiotour #artificialpond #squarepond read more

The Ford Foundation is known for its social justice initiatives and philanthropy. Locally, they are known to have a beautiful, zen meditation garden that serves as a respite from the heat, noise, and rush. To enter the garden, use the 43rd st. Entrance so you can have your bag checked and provide an ID. You can then enter to check out the garden (there are bathrooms too). The air inside is cool and crisp. It's quiet. Lots of beautiful greenery. Most people visited for a short time. A few people came to work on their laptops. I came to see the garden, but also spent a while looking for my next stop for dinner and recovering from the 90 degree day. Please note there is a designated seating area and visitors should not sit on the various sets of steps (they will enforce this rule). Also, there is an accessible entrance and self-operated lift so those who are less mobile can enjoy the experience. Staff are helpful and professional. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this as a tourist attraction, but if you're in midtown, it's a pretty stop, and a great break from walking in the heat, or if you just need some time to reset. read more

Ford Foundation - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

Sadly, I came from very far away to see this.And learned that I have to go online, first, sign up to get in even though it's a public space.And then come back the next day, which would cost me more money. It says that it's open at eleven and it's not open if you haven't signed up online the day before. read more

Very beautiful spot. 1) It is like an indoor oasis in NYC. 2) The garden area is open only Monday-Friday, which is a little inconvenient for those who come to the city in the weekends. 3) However, if you are around in the area in the weekday, it is worth a visit. read more

We stumbled upon this indoor beauty as we were making our stroll to The United Nations. This indoor warm forest/garden is free to the public. It is cute, small, quiet and very peaceful. Great for those Insta photos. Also a great spot for a restroom break before heading back out into the city. No prior reservations needed. Simply walk in through 43rd street, check in with security and you're on your way. Stay as long as you'd like. read more

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Most public visits are here for the garden or the gallery, and both will require a security check with ID and letting security look inside personal bags. That's pretty much the biggest reason for knocking off a star, because other "green atriums" like the Palm Court in Brookfield Place or David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center don't require the same security checks, and most galleries don't either. It just seems like a lot of security and security guards for such a space. Once you get beyond the whole surveillance issue and feeling and start to immerse yourself in the plants and the sensory aspects of the garden, as a little speaker invites you to do, the peace and lovely oxygenated qualities start to take over and lift the vibe. Some people stay and sit for a while along the upper level, and some just wander the garden, smelling plants, or touching the different qualities of leaves while looking for new blossoms and color. It's a tiny bit of green space in a cement city that can be enjoyed Year round. read more

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Terrible. The security there are guy who have a too cool for you attitude. I did not care for the staff or security treated me. Rude. Holier than thou. Sanctimonious. read more

Hidden gem right near the U.N. So glad I discovered this free space, perfect for unwinding and enjoying beauty, culture and art. You first walk in to find a decently sized relaxing sensory garden and down the hall, an art exhibit that is switched up every few months or so. Highly recommend. read more

Ford Foundation - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

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The entrance has security but it's a very fast and small exhibition. The garden is nice but not much to look at. And the art is quick look I'd skip this place. It is nice but not worth the hype people are making it out to be. read more

It's such a beautiful indoor green house in New York. Its for the public and free to enter and enjoy. I didn't expect this at all. I side a building in Manhattan for sure. It's so calm, peaceful, and serene. There's ferns, a pond, trees, and flowers. After you relax in the garden, the justice exhibit on the 1st floor on the right side once you enter. What an amazing place to relax, and just take a break from the busy buzzing streets of Manhattan. read more

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Walking from building after building outside and into this garden inside the ground floor of the Ford Foundation building is the craziest transition. A definite NYC secret garden type of place. It's not exactly the type of garden you can sit and read or sit at all. It's a bit small and you can go around in 10 minutes if you want to, but still neat to check out. They also have a small gallery, which you can finish in 10 minutes if you walk slowly to admire each art. The security is a bit too tight in my perspective. My husband said they are constantly looking at him. It's understandable because it is a social justice building and it's a building for work and meetings, but this makes it a bit hard to relax with the garden. read more

Ford Foundation - Ford Foundation Garden - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

A stunning, hidden oasis amidst the concrete of Midtown East. 10/10 recommend this secret escape. The atrium will leave you feeling transported and bonus enjoyment if you're a fan of architecture. The current exhibit in the gallery is "Perilous Bodies" the highlight of which is Dread Scott's moving "The Blue Wall of Violence". You can hear the piece before you even enter the gallery and it continues to resonate with me on my train ride home. Extremely troubling and poignant. https://www.dreadscott.net/works/blue-wall-of-violence/ Also, this experience is ALL FREE OF CHARGE read more

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When I was in college (many years ago) my art history professor raved about the Ford Foundation building. He said it was a combination of science and botany that celebrated the spirit of the charitable work done by the Foundation. He was pretty poetic ... Science, because the architects prescribed un-painted core-ten steel for the external framing (it skins over and doesn't rust through) and behind the glass, they have a multi-story atrium filled with tropical plants ... wow. Like so much of the NYC that I enjoy, visiting this gem is free. I love going in during the colder months to briefly recharge my summer batteries. People walk by all the time and never explore the inside - don't be like these folks. Make it a destination and then continue on 42nd street to see the other fun attractions offered to the curious. read more

I've passed this building many times and I did not realize that there was a public atrium. The Ford foundation building boasts a fabulous atrium in Tudor City. You can access it from either E 42 St or E 43 St. There are tall trees and a fountain. It is very peaceful and serene. A must visit. read more

Ford Foundation - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

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Wonderful spot midtown east - public space with some seating and peaceful bird sounds read more

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this place was very nice! its impressive how the garden looks on the inside of a building. it looks so peaceful. its a little stuffy in there though but i guess it needs to be. you have to get your bags checked before you go inside. staff was very helpful. read more

When they talk about 'hidden gems' within the city - this is the type of place they're talking about. Hidden allll the way down on 43rd Street* near Tudor City is the most lush indoor garden I've ever seen. And the architecture of the building is pretty fantastic too. Wander in to see the trees and flowers and flowing fountain... but make sure you look up too. So beautiful. So peaceful. Such a gem. *Main entrance to the space is 43rd, but there is a rotating door on 42nd St as well. read more

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This was an amazing stop to bring our visiting guests to NYC. It's free and it's beautiful inside. We toured the art exhibition which was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here and highly recommend. read more

Very disappointed as I tried to visit the garden on a dreary winter day to find it closed until March.

If there were ever a time to use the overused phrase "hidden gem," this is it. Upon entering the beautiful naturally-lit lobby, we were greeted by the sweetest and most welcoming security guards who encouraged us to walk around the atrium, take it in, and stay as long as we liked. The atrium is teeming with close to 50 different plants and trees. Sunlight naturally pours in from the magnificent skylight ceiling twelve stories high. Visitors are encouraged to interact with some of the plants, feeling their textures and smelling the herbs. A tranquil reflective pool sits at the bottom of the atrium. The environment is stunning. The atmosphere is quiet, still, and you feel like it belongs to you. If you ever feel blue or at your wit's end with New York, and you happen to be in the area, stop by and take a break. read more

Just spent hours getting here to find out it's closed due to construction. The website does not give updated information. It only states the 42nd st entrance is closed. Very disappointed kids, and wasted time. read more

It's super pretty and a really cool place to go to! I attended a forum there and it was amazing. The staff is lovely and I recommend going if you want beautiful scenery in your instagram pictures. read more

Spin through the heavy revolving doors of the Ford Foundation atrium and you're no longer in crazy-paced Midtown East; you've transported to a hanging garden of Babylon. Live plants and trees cover nearly every square inch of ground! It's whisper quiet with the only soundtrack a bubbling fountain, and polished brown brick lines the paths. Air is fragrant with the scent of flowers. All is serene. The atrium is the perfect indoor lunch escape, but keep in mind the only seating is the bench running alongside the perimeter, or the steps. There are no trash cans either. Keep it clean, kids, and pick up your stuff after you. It's open Monday to Friday, 8 - 4, not including holidays. This landmarked building also captures water for the garden from their roof and steam condensation, and when water supplies are low, the garden is watered from stored water, not wasting any NYC utilities. All indoor gardens should do this! The offices that run along the sides of this high-ceilinged space surely have the most peaceful view in Manhattan! read more

There's a magazine I sometimes look at called "Metropolis" that covers architecture and design. It published a piece recently about the Ford Foundation Building on E. 43nd Street in Midtown. The article described the building as a modernist gem and also as a great example of green architecture. When I read the piece I thought to myself, "I've got to go up there and check it out!" The centerpiece is an atrium spanning the entire height of the building, with a tropical garden located at ground level. You walk through the garden to get to the building's offices. If only every office building were as beautiful as this one, I wouldn't hate to work in an office! The design is a million miles removed from the typical, dreary cubicle-filled, fluorescent-lit, fibreboard wall office. Each of the offices face out toward the atrium, so they have beautiful views of the tropical garden. From the perspective of the garden, visitors see the offices, softly lit with warm, indirect lighting. The entire atrium is lit by a skylight and large windows facing onto 42nd and 43rd Street. On a freezing cold, icy sidewalk day like today, it was a particular pleasure to visit. It's open to the public Mon-Fri, 8AM-4PM. read more

Absolutely beautiful garden/office building. This is my oasis (I hate that word too) from the craziness and pollution of midtown. Going inside is like stepping into a Japanese garden with amazingly fresh air and quiet serenity. Even though Ford is notorious for their historical involvement with baddies and their current stance on destroying the environment, at least they have carved out a piece of it in their building. read more

I was thoroughly surprised there were already a few reviews on the Ford Foundation, until I walked through the doors for an internally-lead after-hours tour (on which I won't elaborate here) and did some subsequent research on the building itself. A national landmark, largely due to the vast atrium (open 8-4 on weekdays to the public; greets you as you enter), none of it can be altered from its original state. Consequently, offices reflect mid-'60s, Mad Men-ish vibes. Said offices are also furnished with artwork owned by the Foundation, a selection from which is housed for employee selection. It's a beautiful space and "top floors, the view alone will leave you breathless". read more

A beautiful secret garden in the middle of Manhattan. At first I wasn't sure if it was worth going all the way out there because it's on 2nd ave and there isn't really much to see out there, but it was worth it. I love all the trees (I actually thought they were fake) and I got to take some lovely photos of a friend. This is a must see, but don't tell everyone! It's a beautiful secret read more

Ford Foundation - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York