East Midtown and Turtle Bay

Understanding East Midtown and Turtle Bay

Japan Society’s headquarters was designed by Junzo Yoshimura and opened to the public in 1971. The institution itself dates to 1907, giving the neighborhood a long connection with cultural exchange between Japan and the United States.

Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza was named in 1961 for the UN secretary-general. Later reconstruction added fountains and the Katharine Hepburn Garden, making the space a memorial landscape as well as a place for public assembly.

Places to explore

• Grand Central Terminal

  East 42nd Street

  Look up at the Main Concourse ceiling and use the information-booth clock as a recognizable meeting point. The Guastavino-tiled Whispering Gallery is another architectural detail in the working terminal.

  Read the NYFE place guide

• Japan Society

  333 East 47th Street

  Choose a gallery exhibition, film or performance from the current calendar. Gallery opening follows the exhibition schedule; check the session you want.

  Read the NYFE place guide

• Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza

  East 47th Street between First and Second avenues

  Choose the plaza and garden for an outdoor pause. The name and memorial landscape connect this part of Turtle Bay with the United Nations nearby; plaza entry is separate from access to UN premises.

Planning a visit

Japan Society lists the 4, 5, 6, 7 or S to Grand Central, the 6 to 51st Street, and E/M to Lexington Avenue–53rd Street. Check current service and choose the approach that suits your destination.

Japan Society states its public performance spaces, classrooms and restrooms are ADA compliant. Check the station and street approach separately.