Under Bethesda Terrace, Shoot a Ceiling of 16,000 Minton Tiles
Walk down the terrace stairs into a covered arcade where 49 patterned tile panels stretch overhead, free from 6 AM to 1 AM.
🏛️ The Ceiling Under the Terrace
Bethesda Fountain is switched off for a restoration of about a year, and the terrace around it stays open to walk and sit. The better frame is one level down. From the north end of the Mall, a set of stairs drops under the drive straight into the arcade.
Look up. Nearly 16,000 encaustic tiles, made by the Minton company in Stoke-on-Trent, England, form 49 panels of geometric pattern. Tiles like these were usually laid as flooring, and this is the only ceiling in the world covered in them. The Conservancy took them down in 1983 and restored them, finishing in 2007 with new steel supports and lighting.
Stand on the center line and tilt the camera upward, letting the panels run away from you toward the arches. The park is free and open daily from 6 AM to 1 AM. Find the arcade Mid-Park at 72nd Street.
