5. Guastavino Tiles
Guastavino Tiles, constructed by the Guastavino Company of father-son Spanish immigrants, appear all throughout the city and in a number of locations in Grand Central Terminal. On the lower level at the Oyster Bar & Restaurant, Guastavino Tiles adorn the eatery’s interior in a herringbone pattern, with lights running up and across the grand vaults. Since 1913, the restaurant has been serving oysters and seafood dishes to locals and tourists alike.
Just in front of the Oyster Bar, the Whispering Gallery provides amusement for passersby, as the acoustic pockets of the Guastavino-tiled vaults allow for messages to be heard clearly by people standing at opposite diagonals of the base. The way the gallery was built makes it seem as though people are standing right next to each other.
Another interesting spot you can find on the lower level of Grand Central Terminal is the Metro-North lost and found facility. This space, full of lost AirPods, umbrellas, gloves, and a few more unique finds, is where every item left on Metro-North ends up, whether it was lost on a train in the Hudson Valley or a station in Connecticut.