Manhattan · New York County
Alice in Wonderland Statue
NYC Parks
- Location
- North end of Conservatory Water, East 75th Street, Central Park
- Size
- Part of Central Park acres
- Hours
- Central Park hours
- Type
- NYC Parks
The Alice in Wonderland statue is a bronze sculpture on the north shore of Conservatory Water in Central Park, depicting Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and other characters from Lewis Carroll's story. It is the most climbed-on sculpture in the park.
The sculpture was commissioned by philanthropist George Delacorte in 1959 as a gift to the children of New York City, in memory of his wife Margarita. The bronze has been polished to a golden sheen by decades of children climbing over Alice's mushroom, the Mad Hatter's hat, and the Cheshire Cat's grin.
Conservatory Water, the formal pond adjacent to the statue, is the site of model sailboat racing, a Central Park tradition since the 1920s. The pond's calm waters and the boat house on its western shore create a genteel atmosphere.
The Hans Christian Andersen statue on the west side of the pond depicts the Danish storyteller reading from 'The Ugly Duckling,' and hosts free Saturday morning story hours during the summer. Together, the two statues create a literary landscape for children.
The Alice in Wonderland statue is the most beloved children's destination in Central Park, a bronze fantasy where generations of New York children have climbed through the looking glass on a mushroom overlooking a pond of miniature sailboats.