The Panorama of the City of New York is one of the best hidden gems of New York City! Here, we reveal 10 secrets of this unique model that represents all five boroughs of New York City including the rivers, bridges, parks, and buildings within them. You can see the Panorama in person on one of our upcoming walking tours of Flushing Meadows Corona Park!
Remnants of the World’s Fairs Tour
1. It is a Remnant of the 1964-1965 World’s Fair
Like many attractions in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, such as the abandoned New York State Pavilion, the Column of Jerash, and the Hall of Science, the Panorama of the City of New York is a leftover of one of New York City’s World’s Fairs. Located within the Queens Museum, which was built for the 1939 fair, the Panorama was the brainchild of World’s Fair President Robert Moses. It was constructed for the 1964-1965 fair to celebrate the City’s municipal infrastructure and was originally viewed from above on an indoor helicopter ride.