William the Hippo
New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden’s beloved Holiday Train Show might be the one exception to the rule. Every year, visitors queue to watch tiny trains chug down a track lined with 150 plant-based scale models of New York landmarks. This year’s display puts the spotlight on classic Midtown skyscrapers like the Empire State Building and St. Bartholomew’s Church!
Rockefeller Center
The first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center went up in 1931, starting a holiday tradition that is still going strong more than eight decades later. This year’s 78-foot, 10-ton Norway Spruce at Rockefeller Center is certainly the biggest Christmas tree in the five boroughs, if not the country.
American Museum of Natural History
Like many New York landmarks, the American Museum of Natural History has its own holiday tree. Instead of glass baubles and colorful ribbons, this 13-foot tree is decorated entirely with paper origami ornaments folded by hand. This year’s tree features models inspired by the new exhibit on the five senses, such as hands, eyes, balancing figures and optical illusions. Volunteers started folding the ornaments (more than 1,000!) in March.