Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16.3-acre (6.6-hectare) complex of buildings. It is located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Jed Bernstein began as president in 2014.

History and facilities

A group of civic leaders led by John D. Rockefeller III built Lincoln Center. It was part of the "Lincoln Square Renewal Project" during Robert Moses's program of urban renewal in the 1950s and 1960s. Respected architects were contracted to design the major buildings on the site. Over the next thirty years the area around Lincoln Center became a new cultural .

Rockefeller was Lincoln Center's first president in 1956. He became its chairman in 1961. Rockefeller is credited with raising more than half of the $184.5 million in private funds needed to build the complex. The center's three buildings, Avery Fisher Hall (formerly Philharmonic Hall), David H. Koch Theater (formerly the New York State Theater) and the Metropolitan Opera House were opened in 1962, 1964 and 1966, respectively.

The center may have been named because it was located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. It is unclear whether the area was named as a tribute to U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. The name was bestowed on the area in 1906 by the New York City Board of Aldermen. The records give no reason for choosing that name.

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
BuzzFeed
23 August 2016
Whether it’s fashion week, a performance by the Metropolitan Opera, or the NYC Ballet, Lincoln Center is always bustling with excitement. Zoom pass the breathtaking fountain and enjoy crisp, cool air.
Ivy Li
22 April 2013
In the summer time, grab some gelato from a nearby vendor and walk around the plaza. Be sure to snap a photo at the fountain and walk around to experience the finest cultural center in NYC.
Serg
2 August 2013
This is one of my favorite places in NYC. If you're a culture fan visiting NY: catch a B-way show, hit up MoMA or the Met, and watch something at Lincoln Center. Also, the fountain is spectacular.
Caro Aguilar
11 November 2014
If you're not from New York, bear in mind that New Yorkers arrive at movies 20-30 minutes early to ensure getting a good seat. Arrive on time for a flic in NYC and you'll sit in the front row.
AFAR Media
12 August 2014
As a New Yorker, I'm always looking for peaceful, intriguing places to sit and see the city from, and Lincoln Center is definitely a jewel of the city.
FRITZ fritztheyodeler
20 June 2015
Here's a real tip... be nimble. Be quick. You gotta be crafty too to make your way around all of the old people at intermission & at the conclusion of any performance there. Wow, there's a lot of 'em.
Load more comments
foursquare.com
6.2/10
Junior Martins, Laurence Hewitt and 36,830 more people have been here

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Lenox Ave Unit 1 by Luxury Living Suites

starting $397

Upper West Brownstone Unit 1 by Luxury Living Suites

starting $345

Lenox Ave Unit 2 by Luxury Living Suites

starting $0

Lenox Unit 3 by Luxury Living Suites

starting $0

Lenox Ave Unit 4 by Luxury Living Suites

starting $371

Lenox Ave Garden Unit by Luxury Living Suites

starting $345

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera Association is a big organization in New York

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Broadway

Broadway is a 20.6-mile (33.2 km)-long main street in New York

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Trump International Hotel and Tower (New York City)

The Trump International Hotel and Tower is a high-rise building,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Columbus Circle

Columbus Circle is a traffic circle named for Christopher Columbus.

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Strawberry Fields (memorial)

Strawberry Fields is a 2.5-acre (1.0 ha) landscaped section in New

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall is a concert hall in New York. The money for building it

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Russian Tea Room

The Russian Tea Room is a restaurant in New York City, located at

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
CitySpire Center

CitySpire Center is a skyscraper in New York City, United States. It

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Roundhouse (venue)

The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue situated at the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Hearst Greek Theatre

The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, known locally as simply the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle, also nicknamed The Tabby, is a mid-size concert hall

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall is an arts venue situated in the Knightsbridge

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre

The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (originally the Grand Canal Theatre) is

See all similar places