10. The Model Rooms at Bloomingdale’s

Bloomingdale’s “Model Rooms” came into being in 1947, but received worldwide acclaim starting in the 1970s with its over the top installations and star-power curators that included Frank Gehry and filmmaker Federico Fellini. One room, entitled “The Cave,” was sprayed completely in white polyurethane. According to The New York Times, the Model Rooms on the fifth floor “became a mecca in the 1950s for those who aspired to learn what was stylish, sophisticated, well-made but not too expensive in a living room set or a window treatment.” The most famous of the decorators was Barbara D’Arcy, author of the book Book of Home Decorating which featured photographs of the rooms in the 1960s and 1970s.

On Queen Elizabeth’s visit, she walked through model rooms that had American reproductions of English antiques, and she stared at the Chippendale chairs and remarked “What wide chairs!”

Next, check out the top 10 secrets of the Plaza Hotel.