We’ve been intrigued with hidden bowling alleys ever since Time Out New York compiled the favorite secrets of NYC bloggers. For the piece, we talked about pneumatic tubes and the portrait of Nabokov hidden in a mural at the Museum of Natural HistoryScouting NY‘s favorite secret was the Ridgewood Bowling Alley and taking his cue, we rounded up five hidden bowling alleys in New York City ranging from vintage to brand new.

1. Henry C. Frick Museum Bowling Alley

A gem of the Frick Museum in the Upper East Side is a bowling alley and billiards room they recently discovered, after having been hidden away for a century in their cellars. The room has a storied history, as curator Colin Bailey will have you know. The museum only allows a select few to view the eclectic and historic addition to the Henry Clay Frick’s mansion from 1914, which cost him the large sum of $850–about $19,856 when adjusting for inflation. NY Times’ Alan Feuer had the chance to visit this area of the museum under the guidance of Mr. Bailey, observing: “the pine-and-maple lane beds, the gravity-driven ball return, or the antique balls themselves, which strangely have two holes instead of the standard three. But what’s most impressive, what truly brings the whole thing into focus, is Mr. Bailey finally saying that the alley is out of use.”

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Michelle Young (@untappedmich)