260 Madison: 50+ Artists Take Over an Abandoned Midtown Office Floor
Walk through a former Duane Reade and an entire 14th office floor transformed by 50+ contemporary artists, then stroll up Fifth Avenue to the landmark Schwarzman Building.
Midtown Route & Stops
🏢 Step into 260 Madison
Midtown office towers aren't where you expect to find an art show—let alone one in a gutted drugstore and an abandoned cubicle floor. Downstairs, art replaces the drugstore's makeup aisles under toxic-green paint and leftover lightboxes reading "WHAT I NEED NOW" and "HOW I LOOK." Upstairs, ripped-out toilets, exposed HVAC and corporate-logo wallpaper frame work about AI, surveillance and office life, by names like Matt Mullican, Josh Kline, Simon Denny and Eva & Franco Mattes. Upstairs access is by security escort, so you may wait a few minutes in the storefront; bring a photo ID just in case. Open Fridays to Sundays only, noon–6 PM—just two weekends left: Nov 13–15 and Nov 20–22. If You Come on a Weekday: The show is closed Mon–Thu, so skip it and pair the library with Bryant Park's Winter Village rink and holiday shops instead.
🏛️ Stroll Over to the Schwarzman Building
From 39th Street, a brief six-minute stroll up Fifth Avenue brings you to the monumental Beaux-Arts facade of the New York Public Library. Walk past the marble lions into Astor Hall, then head up to the Rose Main Reading Room for its gilded ceilings. Afterward, check out the free Treasures exhibition on the ground floor—think Gutenberg Bible and the original Winnie-the-Pooh toys. The landmark public halls and collections remain entirely free for public exploration, making it a natural, contemplative second stop.
🗺️ Complete the Midtown Afternoon
Both are free. On Sunday the library only opens 1–5 PM, so see the show first and get to the library by 3:30. Sunset is around 4:30, so you'll walk out just as Bryant Park lights up. Pairing the raw corporate carcass of 260 Madison with the timeless marble halls creates an effortless two-hour loop between Madison Avenue and the park.
