The Unisphere or Globitron
Unisphere is the world's largest globe
Located in beautiful Flushing Meadows-Corona Park of Queens, New York, the Unisphere has the distinction of being the largest globe in the world. It was designed and built to serve as the major focal point and reflect the theme of the of the 1964 World's Fair which was "Peace Through Understanding".
At 140 feet, the Unisphere stands 12 stories tall. The globe itself is constructed with 700,000 pounds of stainless steel and spans 120 feet, making it the largest globe on earth. There are three rings circling the perimeter of the globe that represent the orbits of three significant leaps in space flight; the first man in space, the first American to orbit the earth and the first communications satellite.
During the World's Fair the Unisphere featured lights showing the location of capital cities around the world. At night special effects lights also simulated the rising and setting of the sun around the globe. The globe is also surrounded on the ground by a ring of flood-lit fountains. The lighting effects on the Unisphere are are no longer in place, however the fountains which where shut off since 1970 where completely restored and put back in service in 2010. The globe itself was also thoroughly cleaned and repaired in 1993/94.
The Unisphere sits right in front of another great attraction, the Queens Museum of Modern Art.
Nearby attractions include Queens Museum of Art and New York Hall of Science
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: No
Hours: 24/7
Address: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY
Directions
| Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Mets-Willets Point | 12 Minutes |
How to get to Unisphere by Subway
Take the 7 Train to Mets-Willets Point. Follow the signs, walking through the park to the Unisphere.
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Accommodations near Unisphere:
Photo Gallery
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How the Unisphere looked during the 1964 World's Fair in New York City cc licensed photo by Anthony Conti -
Photo Credit: Francisco Anzola - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: JFGryphon - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: bkabak - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: bkabak - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: JFGryphon - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: haahr - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: xiian - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: JFGryphon - cc license via Flickr
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