Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall Transforms into a Movie Theater for Free, One-Day Film Festival

Following its recent light show honoring women in science and engineering, Grand Central Terminal is being transformed yet again. This time, Vanderbilt Hall will serve as a movie theater for the first-ever “Grand Central Cinema,” a free, one day event taking place on October 19th.

Hosted in partnership with Rooftop Films and the Museum of the Moving Image, the all-day event will take place from 7am to 5:30pm, presenting a montage of classic film scenes that were filmed inside Grand Central Terminal. Meredith Conti from the Metro-North Railroad will be on hand from 11:30am to 12:30pm to answer questions regarding the history of film projects inside the Terminal.

In addition to the screening and Q&A, architect James Sanders—co-writer with Ric Burns of the PBS series, New York: A Documentary Film, and author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies

—will also present an illustrated talk about Grand Central’s role in American film history. The presentation begins at 12:30pm and includes dozens of rare and unusual images from Sanders’ collection.

Photo courtesy Goodman Media

But if that’s not enough, the jam-packed day will conclude with a full Rooftop Films screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest

, which features Cary Grant’s classic Grand Central getaway scene. Since no movie is complete without snacks, make sure to grab a bite from the various vendors inside the Terminal, including Shake Shack, The Campbell Bar, Zaro’s Family Bakery, Beer Table To Go, the Great Northern Food Hall and Wok Chi, its brand new restaurant.

RSVPs for the event have sold out, but you can join the wait-list here. For more information and to check out the full schedule, click here.

Next, check out The Top 10 Secrets of Grand Central Terminal and read about the Lost Movie Theater of Grand Central Terminal.