Welcome to Madison Square Park! / Caring for Your Park

Madison Square Park, a 6.2-acre public green space in the heart of New York City, has been public land since 1686 and a designated park since 1847. It has played a vital role in the city's history, from the birth of baseball in 1845 to the fundraising campaign for the Statue of Liberty from 1876 to 1882 to America's first public Christmas tree lighting in 1912, and it has long served as a gathering place for parades, veterans, suffragettes, friends, and diverse communities and ideas. Surrounded by landmark architecture in a vibrant live-work neighborhood, it is an urban oasis known for acclaimed public art, horticulture, and recreation, with over 300 trees, many hundreds of years old, five perennial collections, status as the only Level II arboretum in Manhattan, outdoor contemporary art commissions since 2004, and spaces such as a playground, dog run, and the original Shake Shack. The park stands on Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape (Delaware) people, whose land was forcibly taken, resulting in displacement and genocide, and the Lenape people continue to live, work, and connect to this space. Efforts tied to the park include sustainability and restoration initiatives aimed at reducing carbon impact, promoting sustainable land management, reintroducing species indigenous to Lenapehoking, nurturing delicate ecosystems, and reducing waste and consumption.

New York, New York · United States