On any given day, a visitor to New York can choose between a stroll through a Renaissance gallery, a Broadway show, an exotic performance art piece at a gallery, or an Italian opera, a range of options that can seem overwhelming. Best to pick up a local entertainment guide such as Time Out New York or New York magazine to search for what you really want. Alternately, just stroll into whichever theatre or gallery looks interesting and surprise yourself.

New York has nearly a hundred official museums, as well as acres of parks, scores of historic monuments, and expansive public areas. Here are ten of the most popular landmarks and tourist sites.

The Empire State Building
The tallest building in New York, the Empire State building is as famous for its Art Deco design as its height. Nearly four million people visit its 86th floor and 102nd floor observation decks every year, enjoying a view that could only be made better if the Empire State Building itself was visible.
http://www.esbnyc.com/

Times Square
It's noisy and chaotic, but there's an undeniable energy to Times Square, a nexus of streets, subways, and cultures that sees 1.6 million people pass through every day. Take in the manic scene after dark one night, then retreat to a cosy bar or restaurant for a breather.
http://timessquare.com/

The Statue of Liberty
This gift from the people of France opened in 1886 and remains the defining icon of the city. Located on Liberty Island, visitors take a short ferry ride to the monument, which looms 75 meters above New York Harbour.
http://www.nps.gov/stli
http://www.statuecruises.com/

Metropolitan Museum of Art
The biggest and finest art museum in the country, the Met ranks with the Louvre, Prado, and Hermitage as a global art destination. Filled with masterpieces at every turn, it's especially known for its Medieval Art, Greek and Roman art, and European paintings, but the striking Temple of Dendur makes the Sackler Wing feel like Egypt in 15 B.C.
http://www.metmuseum.org/

Rockefeller Center
This complex of 19 buildings and public spaces represents the largest privately-held area of its kind, with millions of people coming to see shows at Radio City Music Hall, go ice skating at the skating rink, and see the amazing views from the Top of the Rock observation deck every year. The modernist Art Deco buildings provide a home to assorted media companies, whose shows and jingles emanate from its many studios across the country and around the world.
http://www.rockefellercenter.com/

Central Park
This lovely 341 hectare park is entirely surrounded by tall buildings, making it an essential natural escape from the chaos of the city. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, it has a variety of playgrounds and open spaces, as well as a running track, equestrian trail, sports fields, a zoo, and the famous Delacorte Theater, home of the annual Shakespeare in the Park series.


Ellis Island Immigration Museum
New York is a city entirely built by immigrants, and this museum provides a vivid look at the people whose first experience of America was in the austere buildings of this island fortress. In 62 years, over 12 million people passed through this portal to a new world, most to never return to their homelands.
http://www.ellisisland.org/

Museum of Modern Art
Fresh from a top-to-bottom renovation, MoMA remains the gold standard in contemporary art in the city, with masterpieces ranging from Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night to Picasso's Bathers in a Forest. The Modern, the museum's restaurant, is a sophisticated place to splurge on a meal overlooking the sculpture garden.
http://www.moma.org/
http://www.themodernnyc.com/

American Museum of Natural History
Great for kids but fun for adults too, this world class museum has dinosaurs, mammoths, and a 29-meter blue whale. Take in a show at the planetarium or watch the light reflect on the colourful gemstones.
http://www.amnh.org/

The Guggenheim Museum
Completed in 1959, this striking corkscrew-shaped building on the Upper East Side was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who created a space that, framed the beauty of the museum's collection of Impressionist, post-Impressionist, modern, and contemporary art. Start by taking the elevator to the top and gradually descend to the ground floor, taking in the artwork on the way down.
http://www.guggenheim.org/