This month, when you scuff your shoes on the marble floors of Grand Central Terminal, you can feel satisfied knowing that commuters like you have been doing so for a whole century. The current incarnation of the terminal opened its doors at 12:01 am on Sunday, February 2, 1913. More than 150,000 people showed up for the occasion—though that’s peanuts to us, as now 500,000 to 700,000 people pass through every day.
But, just as with its opening, Grand Central won’t let a milestone pass without fanfare. Centennial events will happen throughout the year—we’re looking forward to May’s “Parade of Trains,” featuring historic train cars—but the big birthday bash happens on February 1. There, you can peruse the Grand By Design multimedia exhibit about the terminal’s history (presented by the New York Transit Museum), hear live music performances in the Main Concourse (opera superstar Jessye Norman is the event’s artistic director), and witness a public rededication ceremony with local New York dignitaries in attendance. We don’t know if there will be a cake, but you can always get a cupcake from the Magnolia Bakery outpost on the lower level.
To keep track of all of the Grand Central Terminal centennial events, visit grandcentralterminal.com/centennial. And for more on Grand Central Terminal, check out our guide to the iconic train depot at: westchestermagazine.com/grand-central
