From the City of New York/Parks & Recreation Historical Signs Program: Madison Square Park is named for James Madison (1751-1836), a Virginian who was the fourth President of the United States (1809-17). Madison earned the title “father of the Constitution,” from his peers in the Constitutional Convention. He also co-authored The Federalist Papers (1787-88) with New Yorkers Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. Madison was Secretary of State from 1801-09, serving through both of President Thomas Jefferson's terms. As President, he was Commander-in-Chief during the War of 1812 with the British. Madison was the rector of the University of Virginia from 1827 until he died in 1836. The largest parcel of this land was first designated as public property when Royal Governor Thomas Dongan revised the City Charter in 1686. Since then, this area has been used for a variety of public purposes. A potter's field was established here in 1794, and then was moved in 1797 to Washington Square. By 1811 the land was home to a United States Army Arsenal (1806) and laid out as part of a military parade ground (named for Madison in 1814), bounded by 3rd and 7th Avenues and 23rd and 34th Streets. The arsenal fell out of military use, and served as a “House of Refuge” for juvenile delinquents from 1825 until 1839, when it was destroyed by fire. After being leveled, sodded, and enclosed, Madison Square Park opened to the public on May 10, 1847, with boundaries of Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenues and 23rd and 26th Streets. Citizens quickly claimed the public park as their own. Their protests against plans to erect the Crystal Palace here in 1853 resulted in its relocation to Bryant Park. Nevertheless, the park has been host to grand celebrations, replete with temporary decorative arches, to commemorate historic occasions and anniversaries such as the centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1876 and the triumphant return of Admiral Dewey from the Spanish American War in 1899. The original Madison Square Garden was located adjacent to the park at Madison Avenue and 26th Street. It was owned by William Vanderbilt, and opened in 1879. The building was razed in 1899 and replaced with a Moorish style building designed by Stanford White. The second Madison Square Garden stood until 1925 when it was demolished and replaced by the headquarters of the New York Life Insurance Company. Promoter Tex Rickard built the third Garden that same year at 8th Avenue and 50th Street. Soon after the creation of the Department of Public Parks in 1870, the square was relandscaped by Ignatz Pilat, Chief Landscape Architect, and William Grant. The new design brought in the sculptures that now highlight the park. One of the works capturing a politician in bronze is Randolph Ranger's statue of William H. Seward (1876), the Secretary of State who purchased Alaska in 1867. He was the first New Yorker to have a monument erected in his honor. Others include J.Q.A. Ward’s sculpture of Roscoe Conkling (1893), a reconstructionist politician; and George Edwin Bissell’s monument to Chester Alan Arthur (1898), the 21st American President. War heroes are represented by James Goodwin Batterson's monument to General Worth (1854-1857), the Mexican War veteran who is buried just west of Madison Square, and the Admiral Farragut monument, Augustus St. Gaudens’ first major work that was dedicated in 1881 to the Civil War naval officer. Other features are the ornamental fountain (1867) and the Eternal Light Flagpole (1923). In an effort to recapture its tradition of splendor, Madison Square Park underwent a complete renovation and was reopened in June 2001. To recapture the park’s magnificence, Parks asked the City Parks Foundation to organize a revitalization campaign. Funds for capital construction were secured through $2.5 million from MetLife, New York Life Insurance Co., Credit Suisse First Boston, Rudin Management Company, Inc. and the Union Square Hospitality Group. These funds were matched by the city from the Mayor’s Executive Budget, City Council Speaker Peter F. Vallone, and Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields. Most recently, an additional $750,000 was allocated by Mayor Giuliani for the renovation of the park’s playground in its northeast sector. The park now features an expanded south-east corner, lush lawns and flowering plants, a restored 19th fountain, a contemporary reflecting pool, new benches, and ornamental lighting. Additionally, the park’s $6 million permanent fund will provide for its ongoing security, maintenance, and programming in the years to come.

The National Arts Club is a private club whose membership is dedicated to furthering art and artists in America. They accomplish this by fostering educational programs and awards, while creating opportunities for artists to connect. The Club was founded in 1898 by Charles de Kay. Charles de Kay was the literary and art critic for The New York Times for 18 years. He and a group of distinguished artists and patrons conceived of agathering place for artists, patrons and audiences in all the arts. American art at the turn of the century had begun to look inward for inspiration, rather than to Europe, and the American art world was alive with energy. The National Arts Club is located in the historic Tilden Mansion. 15 Gramercy Park was built in the 1840's and its original flat-front, iron-grilled appearance matched the style of the houses still maintained on the west side of Gramercy Park. Samuel Tilden acquired 15 Gramercy Park in the 1860's, and in the 1870's gave the house a massive overhaul. Tilden hired Calvert Vaux, a famed architect and one of the designers of Central Park to "victorianize" the facade with sandstone, bay windows and Gothic Ornamentation. John LaFarge created stained glass ceilings for the inside of the mansion, and Italian wood carvers made the fireplaces. Glass master Donald MacDonald wrought a unique stained glass dome for the building. All of this prompted architect Philip Johnson to call the mansion, "among the most beautiful in New York." Spencer Trask and the Board of Governors acquired the Tilden Mansion in 1906 as the new home for the National Arts Club. The Tilden Mansion is both a designated New York Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. In the 1960's, New York declared 15 Gramercy Park South a New York Landmark, and in 1976, the Federal government declared it a National Historic Landmark. The Tilden Mansion continues to inspire artists from around the world. NAC member Albinus Elskus undertook a restoration of the MacDonald dome in the 1970's, and recently, in 2000, Danish sculptor Tycho Flore created a piece inspired by and from the same material as the Calvert Vaux facade. The National Arts Club admitted women on a full and equal basis from its inception. The National Arts Club has a long history of exclusivity through inclusivity. Charles Spencer Trask, Charles Rollison Lamb, Charles de Kay and the other co-founders recognized the importance of many female artists and saw no reason to treat them differently from male artists. The National Arts Club continues its tradition of inclusivity by welcoming minority artists and fighting for the rights of minority students. The Club's Membership has included three presidents, and some of the most important artists and arts patrons in America. Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Dwight D. Eisenhower were all Members of the National Arts Club. Among the distinguished painters who have been Members are Robert Henri, Frederic Remington, William Merritt Chase and Cecilia Beaux. Sculptors have included Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French, Anna Hyatt Huntington and Paul Manship. Many renowned literary figures have also been members. The National Arts Club is proud of its early recognition of new media artforms, like photography, film and digital media, and counts Alfred Stieglitz as one of its early Members. Musicians Victor Herbert and Walter Damrosch were Members, as were architects Stanford White and George B. Post. The Dramatic Arts are currently represented by Members Martin Scorcese, Ethan Hawke, Dennis Hopper, Robert Redford and Uma Thurman. The National Arts Club fosters young artists with a number of awards and scholarships. Many of the committees award scholarships to young artists, writers and singers. The Joseph Kesselring Award supports promising playwrights, some of whom have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes. The National Arts Club Opera Competition attracts international applications. The Club is as committed to nurturing young talent as it is to recognizing established artists. The National Arts Club is run by volunteers. The National Arts Club hosts some of the most exciting events in New York—art unveilings, award dinners, film screenings, lectures, dances and anything else you can think of. All of these programs, as well as the scholarship competitions, exhibitions and other activities are coordinated by the Membership as volunteers who act out of their love for the arts and the Club, and thus broaden the public's understanding of our broad cultural community. Click on the schedule tab above to see what's currently on.

New York's premier sports arena located atop Penn Station dates back to the late 19th century and has gone through several makeovers since then. Home to the New York Knicks, the New York Liberty and the New York Rangers sports teams, the Garden also serves as a destination venu for all sorts of events. Some notable celebrity performances of yesteryear have included Elvis Presley, Billy Joel, Bob Hope, Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand. And the band that's played there more than any other? The Grateful Dead. As for what is happening today, just click on the schedule link! Insider TipMadison Square Garden’s All Access Tour allows fans to get an insider’s view of the inner-workings of the World’s Most Famous Arena, providing them with little-known information and rarely seen viewpoints on the legendary showplace. Visitors taking part in the “All Access” one hour tour become a part of one of the busiest and most exciting sports and entertainment facilities in the world and are treated to a host of unique experiences. Visit the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty locker rooms; tour backstage of the Theater at Madison Square Garden; go inside the Star dressing rooms; learn how a basketball court becomes a sheet of ice; witness all the seldom seen build-up to a live event – players practicing, performers in production, casts in rehearsal or crews staging events! You’ll never know what you’ll see on the All Access Tour. Visit their website for up-to-date information on times and price.

This world famous concert venue is a New York City landmark and must-see music attraction. Carnegie Hall presents classical, jazz, folk, world, and popular music with breakthrough and veteran performers. Since opening in 1891, this concert hall has become the emblem of musical achievement around the world; and has showcased the world's finest artists—from Tchaikovsky to Mahler, Horowitz to Callas to Bernstein, even Judy Garland and the Beatles. Experience a concert, take the tour or visit the Rose Museum all at Carnegie Hall. Come share in the history of America's most famous concert hall! The three major halls housed in the complex are: Isaac Stern Auditorium The largest hall at Carnegie Hall, dedicated the Isaac Stern Auditorium in 1996, has been the premier classical music performance space in the United States since its opening in 1891, showcasing the world's greatest soloists, conductors, and ensembles. Throughout its century-plus history, it has also hosted important jazz events, historic lectures, noted educational forums, and much more. Designed by architect and cellist William Burnett Tuthill and renovated in 1986, the auditorium's striking curvilinear design allows the stage to become a focal point embraced by five levels of seating, which accommodates up to 2,804. The auditorium's renowned acoustics have made it a favorite of audiences and performers alike. "It has been said that the hall itself is an instrument," said the late Isaac Stern. "It takes what you do and makes it larger than life." Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall Located on the third floor of Carnegie Hall, the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall is an intimate auditorium ideal for recitals, chamber music concerts, symposia, discussions, master classes, and more. Seating 268 people, the elegant auditorium evokes a Belle Epoque salon and is "remarkable for the symmetry of its proportions and the beauty of its decorations," according to a review from 1891, when the hall was known as the Chamber Music Hall. In 1986, the Chamber Music Hall was renamed in recognition of the generosity of the Chairman of the Board of Carnegie Hall, Sanford I. Weill, and his wife, Joan. Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall The Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall opened in September 2003 as the site of a broad spectrum of performing and educational events. When it first opened its doors In 1891, Carnegie Hall comprised three auditoriums: the Main Hall, the Chamber Music Hall, and the Recital Hall, located underneath the Main Hall. The Recital Hall was leased to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1895 and was used as a theater by various groups until the early 1960s, when it was converted to a cinema. In 1997, a process began to reclaim the space for its original purpose, and construction began to create a versatile auditorium generally seating 599, with alternate stage configurations of different capacities. Zankel Hall is named in honor of the generosity of Carnegie Hall Vice Chairman Arthur Zankel and his wife, Judy. History: Somehow 57th Street between Fifth and Seventh Avenues has always managed to strike an urbane balance of activity, attractions, hotels and restaurants without the hustle or garish neon of the rest of Midtown. While the many art galleries have a magnetic draw on the sophisticated crowd during the day, Carnegie Hall has the intense pull in the evenings. In the late nineteenth century, the wealthy steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie, was a member of the board of the Oratorio Society, whose German immigrant founder, Leopold Damrosch, desperately sought a benefactor for a large concert hall. After Leopold’s death, his son Walter convinced Carnegie to fund the venture; some years later, Damrosch’s dreams were realized when Carnegie Hall opened on May 5, 1891. Numerous legendary titans of classical music of the past hundred years—including, Dvorák, Mahler, Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns, Strauss and Tchaikovsky—conducted and/or premiered their works at Carnegie Hall. Jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Billie Holiday peformed innumerable concerts here. Its larger-than-life conductors have included Leopold Stokowski, Arturo Toscanini and Leonard Bernstein. The 1950s were a difficult period for Carnegie Hall; its location and very existence were called into question by the plans to construct nearby Lincoln Center. Demolition was fortunately prevented through the timely purchase of the Hall by the City of New York and the formation of the Carnegie Hall Corporation. The 1970s saw an increasing number of rock artists performing here, and major renovations were undertaken in the 1980s. Into the 1990s and beyond, Carnegie Hall continues every season to offer diverse and superior programming. This area of 57th Street has several tourist draws in the food category that are perennial favorites, whether the simple yet polished Café Europa; the beloved, flamboyant Russian Tea Room; the loud and showy Hard Rock Café, complete with a cadillac jutting out from the façade; and a popular theme restaurant, the Jekyll & Hyde Club. Several boutique and larger hotels compete for the tourist crowd—little wonder the area is so popular!