Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
New Amsterdam Pavilion Opens On The Battery
By
John Del Signore
Published May 12, 2011
Modified May 12, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 10
By
John Del Signore
Published May 12, 2011
Modified May 12, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Starting tonight and continuing every night until Lower Manhattan is submerged in water, there will be a dazzling free light show at midnight down at the new Peter Minuit Plaza by the Staten Island ferry terminal. The groovy nightly show is brought to you by a $2.3 million gift from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which today opened the space age-looking New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion to the public. Designed by Ben van Berkel of UNStudio, it's intended to serve as an "'outdoor living room' for spontaneous and scheduled activities, information, public markets, seating and shade."
Van Berkel describes his creation as "a flower opening to its surroundings... a landscaped intermodal transportation hub of the 21st century, where bicycles, buses, the subway and water transportation intersect with cultural offerings in a singular expression of daring but lyrical design." As you can see from Katie Sokoler's photos, there's an interactive map on the pavilion with touch screens that enable visitors to find restaurants and events going on in the area. But why do we have to wait until 12 a.m. for the light show? We're told that's because Minuit's name translates to 'midnight.' So now you have a fun conversation starter while you're waiting for the show to start.
Tagged
gallery
new amsterdam pavilion
peter minuit plaza
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .