Central Park

Central Park Arsenal Glowing In Holiday Spirit

On Thursday, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, members of the Friends of the Arsenal, students from all five boroughs in the All City High School Chorus and park visitors flipped the switch on the holiday season with energy-efficient decorative lights at the Central Park Arsenal.

“Thanks to a generous contribution from the Friends of the Arsenal, the Arsenal lights are a festive seasonal addition to this historic building,” said Commissioner Benepe. “After a year of renovations to construct a new roof, repoint the brickwork and restore the windows, the Arsenal is greener than ever. We even have the energy-efficient LED lights emitting the holiday spirit through the night.”

The Friends of the Arsenal is a group of dedicated New Yorkers who advise on strategic improvements, provide financial support and expand the public activities that take place in the Arsenal.

The historic Arsenal Building is one of two buildings within the borders of Central Park that predate the park. Built between 1847 and 1851 as a repository for munitions, the Arsenal is a fortress-like structure, with a crenellated cornice and rooftop turrets. In 1857, the City purchased the Arsenal, removed all arms, and established park administrative functions on the premises. Over the ensuing decades it has served as a menagerie, a police station and as the first home of the American Museum of Natural History.

- 30 -

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center