DK Travel : New York : Times Square and Theater District

Times Square and Theater District

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Known as the “Crossroads of the World,” Times Square is New York’s most famous intersection and the symbol of the lively surrounding theater district that includes Broadway. It was called Longacre Square until 1904, when the New York Times built a 25-story tower on the site. Its occupancy on New Year’s Eve was marked with fireworks, a celebration that continues today. Currently, a giant crystal ball descends the building at midnight to herald the new year, cheered by the millions packed into the square. The reputation of Times Square was sullied when the adjacent 42nd Street grew seedy in the 1970s. The 1990s saw the peep shows and X-rated movie houses closed, and with a massive government and private effort, the street and neighborhood have again been transformed.
For more entertainment venues (see Performing Arts Venues)

Top 10 Exhibits

1. Broadway Lights

The city’s longest street is known best for the section north of 42nd Street dubbed the “Great White Way” for its dazzle of neon.
2. Times Square News Ticker

2. Times Square News Ticker

In 1928, the New York Times erected the world’s first moving electronic sign to post news, a fixture that remains although the Times has moved to 43rd Street.
3. Nasdaq Headquarters

3. Nasdaq Headquarters

The headquarters of this over-the-counter stock market dominates its corner with a screen that regularly broadcasts financial news.
4. MTV Headquarters

4. MTV Headquarters

It isn’t unusual to find crowds of teenagers beneath the second floor studios of this music TV network hoping to spot an idol on the way in, or a camera crew descending to tape crowds in the street.
5. Brill Building

Everyone from Cole Porter to Phil Spector has produced hits in this legendary music industry building, a long-time home to famous music publishers and arrangers.
6. Condé Nast Building

6. Condé Nast Building

The 48-story skyscraper opened in 2000 to house this magazine empire is a sign of the resurgence of Times Square.
7. New 42nd Street

With the renovation of the New Amsterdam Theater in the 1990s, 42nd Street took a dramatic upturn. The New 42nd Street Studios and several theaters now line the block.
8. Madame Tussaud’s, New York

8. Madame Tussaud’s, New York

George Washington, Fergie, and Madonna are among the wax inhabitants of 42nd Street’s new tenant. The museum has exterior glass elevators and a huge hand holding the illuminated sign.
9. Port Authority Bus Terminal

One of the busiest mass transit terminals in the world, Port Authority is used by nearly 60 million commuters and bus passengers every year.
10. Off-Broadway

Before the rest of 42nd Street was rejuvenated, this block between 9th and 10th Avenues was resurrected by Off-Broadway companies needing inexpensive homes. New plays are premiered at Playwrights Horizons, one of the better known tenants.

Practical Information

Go to the TKTS booth in Times Square at Broadway and 47th for half-price tickets to all kinds of Broadway shows. Discount coupons for shows are often available at the Times Square Information Center, 1560 Broadway between 46th and 47th streets. Try to see Broadway at night, when the lights are on. Times Square is located where Broadway and 7th Avenue intersect at 42nd Street. www.timessquarenyc.org Madame Tussaud’s New York: 234 West 42nd Street 1 800 246 8872, open 10am–8pm Mon–Thu, 10am–10pm Fri–Sun, admission charge, www.nycwax.com