Strange Places and Oddities in NYC

Kathryn Yu: This distinctive sculpture consists of a 30’ x 8’6” wine bottle resting on its side, with interiors taken from a stateroom of the original ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary.

Kathryn Yu: This restaurant has a false wooden tooth which purportedly once belonged to the Father of our Country.

BLOUIN ARTINFO: Marking its 30th anniversary this year, De Maria's epic installation fills a second-floor loft with a quarter-million pounds of dirt.

Kathryn Yu: This building's rooftop Lenin was sculpted in the 1980s, but the USSR collapsed before he could be displayed. The statue was discovered in a back yard in Russia, and moved here in 1994.

Kathryn Yu: The first 7 digits show time in a 24-hour format as hours, minutes, seconds, tenths of a second. The center digit represents hundredths of a second. The remaining digits display time left in the day.

Kathryn Yu: Chrome-plated 10-ft. tall statue of Andy Warhol stands near a former Factory location, and where he was shot. Scheduled to remain until October 2, 2011.

Michael Liebowitz: The globe hasn't been updated in many years. Gives it kind of a retro feel.

TVLand: Unveiled in 2000, this is TV Land's very first landmark! Ralph Kramden: Bus Driver, Racoon Lodge Treasurer, Dreamer. Confidante of crazy people that try to talk to a bronze statue on the street.

Kushal Dave: "Max Neuhaus's Times Square is an invisible, unmarked block of sound at the north end of the pedestrian island. A rich harmonic sound texture emerges from a large underground vault covered by a gratin Read more.

Carrie Burns: Sandwiched between 520 Madison Ave bldg & Burger Heaven & mirroring Paley Park a couple of doors down this small respite w/ tables & chairs boasts something special...4 segments of the Berlin Wall! Read more.

Avi Drissman: To get in here, you need to become a member of, and take a tour organized by, the New York Transit Museum. Read more.

Urban Oyster: The New York Marble Cemetery is open to the public on the 4th Friday of every month, Apr. thru Oct. Admission is free, and they offer tours, or you can relax on the grass and in the beautiful gardens.

HUGO BOSS: Run by Dia Art Foundation, for which HUGO BOSS PRIZE juror Yasmil Raymond is curator, this installation by Walter De Maria features, yes, a full kilometer of metal, broken into pieces.

Kathryn Yu: Check out the huge mural, made up entirely of old keys.

Kathryn Yu: Visit the remains of the mummified Mother Cabrini.

Time Out New York: While you’re there, check out the 5 Pointz Aerosol Art Center, which houses more than 350 murals.

BLOUIN ARTINFO: This jewel of a museum sports a 9,335-square-foot model of New York called the Panorama, making its choice art exhibitions icing on its curatorial cake.

Kathryn Yu: Ask the museum staff to show you the film of Topsy's electrocution.

Emily Sears: The baby fetus skeletons are real. Go upstairs and contemplate.

BC 😎🎶: Oddities and antiques in abundance. Ventriloquist dolls, dentist equipment, teeth, stuffed birds, skulls, old pharmacy bottles, you name it, it's here.

Joe Hall: Check out the John Mossman collection of bank vault & time locks

Eleanor Miller: Soak in some quiet time in this pretty, isolated, outdoor museum and visit the statues of some famous Americans that came before.

Kathryn Yu: Look for the remains of the sunken Italian Line cruise ship Andrea Doria.

Kathryn Yu: Periodically, Murray's offers a tour of their cheese caves below the store, called Mystery of the Caves.

Kathryn Yu: The Hilton Times Square features art from Tom Otterness. Look for one of the boy (who appears to be possibly homeless) and his dog tucked away in a corner.

Kathryn Yu: The lobby of this luxurious, five-level theater has been built inside the shell of the old Empire Theater. Look up at the murals on the ceiling as you walk inside.

Kathryn Yu: One of the few remaining adult businesses in the Times Square district.

Kathryn Yu: Ian Schrager hotel designed by Philippe Stark. Use the bathrooms in the lobby and admire the design. Sit in a chair with a picture of a snarling dog on it.

Kathryn Yu: Check out the entirely black and white lobby, including books on the shelves. Look for the risque B&W photographs as well.

Kathryn Yu: This triangle is all that remains of a five story building owned by a Mr. David Hess, who had his property taken away through eminent domain to widen 7th Ave.

Kathryn Yu: The site-specific work is located right next to the “Garment Worker” sculpture by Judith Weller. It's on top of the Fashion Center Business Improvement District (BID) information kiosk.

Kathryn Yu: Since 1987, the REAL Winnie the Pooh and four of his best friends--Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Tigger--have been living at The New York Public Library's Children's Center.

Michael Bauser: Go to the New Yorker and find the plaque (near the Bolt Bus stop) dedicated to inventor Nikola Tesla. He spent the last 10 years of his life at the hotel, dying there in 1943. Read more.

Kathryn Yu: New York's small Holocaust Memorial is a fake column added to the Beaux-Arts Appellate Division Courthouse of New York State.

Lou Paskalis: Opens to the public four times a year. Lovely spot.

Kathryn Yu: During the month of August, Lilac is open from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Thursdays and from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays.

Kathryn Yu: Bring a friend for a self-guided Canoe trip sponsored by the Gowanus Dredgers to raise awareness of Harbor Issues. Wednesdays at 6pm and Saturdays at 1pm.

The Criterion Collection: "Royal Tenenbaum bought the house on Archer Avenue," claims Wes Anderson's film, but if you're heading south from the 375th Street Y, we suggest stopping by the corner of 144th and Convent instead. Read more.

Kathryn Yu: Wedged between 75 and 77 Bedford, 75½ is only nine-and-a-half-feet wide on the outside, eight-and-a-half-feet wide on the inside, and 32 feet deep.

Mike Singleton: Inspired by the nearby New York Public Library at Bryant Park, it's a book-lined oasis turned on it's side so that the bookshelves become the floor and ceilings

Kathryn Yu: In the lobby of the apartment building at 2 Fifth Avenue is a clear tube through which Minetta Brook used to bubble up out of the ground.

Kathryn Yu: While it was in operation, the Fox Meserole theater debuted with silent films before being converted to a roller disco in the 1970s. Look for the disco ball, still inside.

Kathryn Yu: A tractor-trailer owned by a pallet company that has been painted up to look like a vintage silver subway car, complete with colorful graffiti by Smart Crew.

Kathryn Yu: The Elk is one of the last remaining old school roach motels in Times Square.

Kathryn Yu: Machpelah Cemetery is the final resting place of, amongst many others, magician Harry Houdini.

Kathryn Yu: Chelsea Market is built inside the old Nabisco Factory. The first Oreo was baked here in 1912.

Kathryn Yu: Once Tuesday a month, they offer a public tour of the Digester Eggs. The tour is led by Jim Pynn, the superintendent of the plant. Reservations are required.

Kathryn Yu: This 25000-square-foot former eighties nightclub (and, before that, a church) was converted into a shopping emporium in May 2010. Check out the stained glass windows.

Kathryn Yu: When the Ace moved into the the landmarked 1904 Breslin Hotel, they were not allowed to modify the existing walls. If you look carefully, you can see that the lobby is actually a set.

Kathryn Yu: Wear good shoes, contact lenses instead of glasses, and dress lightly. Be prepared to go up and down several flights of stairs. And follow the man with the bloodstains on his clothing.

Kathryn Yu: Set in Paris and inspired by Roland Topor’s book, The Tenant is a site-specific theater piece in this dilapidated 19th century church. The play runs through Sept. 17.

Tristan Louis: Stand in one corner in front of the Oyster Bar at Grand Central and have a friend stand on the other side and whisper. the other person can hear you...

Kathryn Yu: Museum is viewable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or by appointment only. To make an appointment please send an email to info@mmuseumm.com

SS+K's Guide to Downtown NY: Take the outdoor escalators at 55 Water up behind the building to discover a hidden elevated park. Free wi-fi makes this a great summer working spot.

Kathryn Yu: Located in the former N.Y. County National Bank Building.