New York

On this day: The Coney Island Cyclone Opened

Remain seated and keep your hands inside at all times … On June 26, 1927, the Coney Island Cyclone wooden roller coaster opened to a public that had recently developed a passion for thrill rides. Fully restored in the 1970s,…

Posted by
Thursday, 26th June 2014

On this day: The Baseball Hall of Fame Opened

On June 12, 1939, the Baseball Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown, NY. The attraction - originally developed as a ruse by a local hotel owner to attract tourists - was boosted by a myth that the game was invented…

Posted by
Thursday, 12th June 2014

On this day: Construction Started on Fort Hamilton

On June 11, 1825, the cornerstone was laid for Fort Hamilton in New York City. Although a site of military significance since 1776, the War of 1812 spurred the construction of defensive forts along the coast. Today it is the…

Posted by
Wednesday, 11th June 2014

On this day: The Main Branch of the NY Public Library Opened

On May 23, 1911, the imposing Main Branch of the New York Public Library was opened to the public, with more than a million volumes filling the 75 miles of shelving. In addition to being one of the world's foremost…

Posted by
Friday, 23rd May 2014

On this day: The Empire State Building was dedicated

On May 1, 1931, the Empire State Building was dedicated. The 103-storey skyscraper was the tallest building in the world - a record it held for almost 40 years. President Herbert Hoover turned on the building's lights with the push…

Posted by
Thursday, 1st May 2014

Michael Heizer’s Landscape (and other) Art

Michael Heizer is a contemporary artist known for creating landscape art on a massive scale in isolated locations. His largest work, and one of the largest sculptures ever created, is City - an immense project which he has been working…

Posted by
Thursday, 24th October 2013

Welcome to Google Sightseeing!

Google Sightseeing takes you on a tour of the world as seen from satellite or street views using Google Maps. Our team of authors present weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

Like this site? We published a photo book of the best entries, you should buy a copy.