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Times Square Is Getting A Miniature World To Gawk At
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Nov 17, 2015
Modified Nov 17, 2015
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Nov 17, 2015
Modified Nov 17, 2015
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A tiny version of the world is coming to Times Square in 2017, and though there are very few reasons to set foot in that hellscape save for a Dave & Buster's trip, a miniature Antarctica seems worth braving a few squillion slow-moving tourists.
The exhibition, dubbed "Gulliver's Gate" (get it?) is helmed by Eiran Gazit, an Israeli entrepreneur who commissioned the very popular Mini Israel park in the Ayalon Valley. Like that impressive attraction, Gulliver's Gate aims to create an intricate, realistic Lilliputian universe, with teensy built-to-scale models of everything from Rome to Manhattan. Designers are also taking inspiration from Miniatur Wunderland, a miniature model railway in Hamburg, Germany, so you can expect tons of teeny planes, trains and automobiles, too.
Best of all, though Mini Israel and Miniatur Wunderland are a "look but don't touch" kind of thing, designers say Gulliver's Gate will be a more hands-on experience, with smartphone apps, remote controls and other doodads that'll help visitors operate some of the attraction's more movable parts. You'll also be able to make a couple mini-versions of your own person, thanks to a full-body scanner and 3D printer that'll be on deck.
The bad news is, you won't be able to play with all the tiny cities until April 2017, when the exhibition is expected to open at 216 West 44th Street—it'll also cost you $30 to get into the attraction, which sucks, since you'll probably be paying like $5K/month in rent by then. Ah, well! In the meantime, enjoy this video for a glimpse at some of the miniatures to come, along with some less-than-scintillating renderings:
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gulliver's gate
miniatures
Times Square
Rebecca Fishbein
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