Filming Locations in New York City: Visit the Places of History

3:56 pm  |  10.01.2022

Almost every visitor to New York has seen the city on the big screen at least once. Many places seem familiar and you can’t shake the feeling that you’ve been there somehow, right?


The giant gorilla on top of the skyscraper, the museum that comes to life at night, the diner that Sally brought to its climax, or the many corners of Manhattan that the Sex and the City Girls made unsafe. The list is endless – we have found our favorites and in this article, we will take you behind the scenes of the most beautiful locations and film locations in New York City:

1. I’m Legend (2007)

11 Washington Square, Manhattan

Will Smith as Robert Neville, the doctor who declares war on the measles virus. In the film, Smith lives with his shepherd dog in Washington Square, diagonally across from the Arc de Triomphe (11 Washington Square, Manhattan).

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2. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

Tiffany & Co., 727 5th Avenue, Manhattan

A legend: Audrey Hepburn, who enjoys her croissant as elegantly as ever in front of Tiffany & Co on Fifth Avenue. (Tiffany & Co., 727 5th Avenue, Manhattan).

3. Manhattan Love Story (2002)

Jennifer Lopez plays the maid at the pompous New York Hotel Waldorf Astoria and falls head over heels in love with a rich hotel guest. The two spent their first date in the beautiful white cashmere coat in Central Park. (Central Park The Mall, Mid-Park 66th – 72th Street).

4. Friends with Benefits (2011)

The comedy about two people who lie to themselves that they are just friends was filmed in many parts of town. The final scene in which the flash mob is danced for Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake confesses his love to her takes place in Grand Central Station. Films like Lord of the Tides, King of the Fishermen, Days Like This, and Armageddon. Were also filmed here (Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan).

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Sure, Sex and the City is New York and New York is Sex and the City. One of the most memorable scenes in the first part of the film about the New York single ladies takes place in the New York Public Library. Carrie almost married her Mr. Big there if he had shown up. Take the main entrance and then look to the right – a must for fans. (New York Public Library, 5th Ave at 42nd Street, Manhattan).

6. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Anne Hathaway worked for a Runway fashion magazine in the famous McGraw Building. (McGraw Building, 330 West 42nd Street, Manhattan).

7. At Night at the Museum (2006)


American Museum of Natural History

In the footsteps of Dinos and Ben Stiller in the Natural History Museum of New York. Here you meet all the characters from the funny Hollywood flick again including the gigantic T-Rex skeleton. (American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West & West 79th Street, Manhattan).

8. Black Swan (2010)

Natalie Portman on 10 Lincoln Plaza, Manhattan

Great ballerina? Not in Black Swan. The gripping thriller about the life and depths of a ballerina in New York City is set in the world-famous Lincoln Center. (10 Lincoln Plaza, Manhattan).

9. Madagascar (2005)

The three sympathetic residents of Central Park Zoo, the giraffe Melman, the zebra Marty, and the lion Alex, manage to escape onto the streets of New York City. Their home can be admired in Central Park. (Central Park Zoo, 64th Street, Manhattan).

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10. Hitch – the Date Doctor (2005)

The film about the single helper in need takes place in many corners of New York. His apartment is in SoHo and his first date with the beautiful Eva Mendes is at the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. On the steps of the Metropolitan Museum, however, Will Smith takes what is arguably his worst case – the film’s key scene. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Avenue, Manhattan).

11. Harry & Sally (1989)

In the city’s most famous diner on the Lower East Side, Sally, played by Meg Ryan, surprised her Harry with what is probably the most believable orgasm in film history. You can even eat today at the table that was used for the filming back then. (Katz Delicatessen, 205 E Houston Street, Manhattan).

12. West Side Story (1961)

The perfect love story? Romeo and Juliet in their fifties: In the middle of East Harlem, the two rival youth gangs meet on a basketball court, the white Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. (209 E 110th Street, Manhattan).

13. Men in Black (1997)

Men in Black scene

The science-fiction comedy starring Will Smith as the savior of the world from aliens and agents has hidden the secret entrance to the MIB headquarters in the ventilation tower of the Holland Tunnel. You can find it north of Battery Park in Battery Place. (Battery Place, between Washington Street & Greenwich Street, Manhattan).

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14. Spiderman (2002)


Spiderman and Flatiron Building

As the headquarters of the Daily Bugle newspaper, the Flatiron Building is a central film motif in Spiderman films. Of course, Spiderman always liked to shimmy down here as well. (Flatiron Building 175 5th Avenue).

Where is Filming in New York Right Now?

It is very likely that you will stumble during a film shoot during your stay in New York because something is actually always being filmed somewhere. Be it a commercial in SoHo, CSI New York, or a new blockbuster. It is always easy to recognize by the colored little paper slips on the streets, which indicate that parking is then prohibited or the streets are completely closed. There you will always find a reference to the series or the film that is being made.

If you are in New York and want to know where the film crews are right now, you should keep an eye on these pages:

  • onlocationvacations.com has a list of all the movies and series currently being shot in New York. The community also reports the latest filming locations in the associated Twitter account.
  • There is also a list of current locations at backstage.com. Current castings are also displayed here.

Our Insider Tip: The New York TV and Film Tour

If you are a real film fan, you should definitely not miss the New York TV and film tour. Take a tour that will take you through New York’s most popular film and series locations, including Friends, Birdman, Girls, and Glee. On this tour, an actor with insider knowledge (the tour guide!) Shows you – dozens of locations known from film and television.

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