Elevated Thinking: The High Line in New York City

GREAT MUSEUMS: ELEVATED THINKING: THE HIGH LINE IN NEW YORK CITY celebrates the stunning transformation of an elevated, abandoned railway into a widely acclaimed public park. Once an active train line that existed to bring food through the region and into the city, the High Line had long ago been neglected and left to decay. With only months to go before the railway was to be torn down, local groups banded together to save the hulking steel structure.

Rising thirty feet above street levelon Manhattan’s west side, the reimagined High Line winds through streets and bygone eras, providing at once an intimate glimpse of neighborhoods and buildings, and an elevated view of New York street activity.

Narrated by Oscar™ award winning actress SUSAN SARANDON, this program details the remarkable efforts of a group of neighborhood activists, real estate developers, philanthropists and city officials and the architects, designers, and landscapers who created this model of urban imagination. Also featured are up-close looks at some of the High Line’s special places and of the people who call this area home.

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VIEWS FROM THE HIGH LINE AND VIEWS OF THE HIGH LINE

The High Line opens vistas across broad avenues and busy cross streets. Here, park visitors get an elevated view of midday traffic in Chelsea.

RELAX AND SIT A WHILE

The 23rd St. Lawn and Seating Steps slow down the pace of the path. Here it is natural to “pull over” and rest for a while.

A MOMENT OF RESPITE IN THE CITY

The 23rd Street Lawn becomes a private backyard for land-hungry New Yorkers.

“STARCHITECTS’” ROW

Colorful blooms frame some of New York City’s most stunning new architecture.

IMPROMPTU PLAYGROUND

Peel-up benches become playground equipment for the park’s young visitors.

LINES, ANGLES AND SOFT CURVES

Carefully curated wildflowers soften the City’s harsh edges.

THE CITY REVEALED

The High Line winds through neighborhoods, buildings, and years of New York City history.

NUTS, BOLTS AND BEAUTY

Railings and rivets of the old railroad trestle ground the showy woodland rising from the overlook at Gansevoort St.

DESIGNED FOR MOTION

A split path under the Standard Hotel shows off the matrix planting style of the landscaping. A mix of colors, textures and sizes, and the natural wind tunnel effect teases motion out of every blade and leaf.

“WILD” TAKES A LOT OF WORK

Staffers work year-round to maintain the highly cultivated “wild” landscape.

LANDSCAPE AND DESIGN TOURS

High Line staffers explain the park’s landscape design and the challenges of tending a garden elevated 30 feet above street-level.

HISTORIC MEATPACKING DISTRICT

The daily activity of the Meat-Packing District is woven into the lush greenery of the High Line’s southern end.

I SEE YOU, YOU SEE ME

One of the High Line’s most popular features, the Sunken Overlook creates a two-way peep show. From the street, park visitors can be seen gazing at the activity below.

SEASONAL FOLIAGE FASHION SHOW

Fall colors glow in a tangle of design elements, landscaping and historic buildings.

A PARK FOR ALL SEASONS

A coating of snow and winter-bare limbs highlight the structure of High Line plantings.

YOUNG FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE

Children’s programs, led by High Line staffers, provide opportunities for the neighborhoods’ youngest members to be involved in the community.

Elevated Thinking: The High Line in New York City​