Beginning October 6, the breathtaking Grand Central Terminal becomes home to one of New York City’s most ambitious art installations in years. Dear New York invites visitors to experience a moving, large-scale exhibition created by Humans of New York founder Brandon Stanton. Running through October 19, the installation turns the terminal’s timeless beauty into a celebration of the city and the people who give it life.
For the first time in decades, Grand Central Terminal and its connected subway station have been cleared of commercial advertising and reimagined as a gallery of human stories. More than 150 digital screens now feature thousands of portraits and moments from Stanton’s Humans of New York archive, forming one of the largest and most diverse collections of New York life ever presented by a single artist.
MTA Director of Commercial Ventures Mary John called the project “a powerful reflection of who we are,” adding that it transforms one of the city’s most iconic landmarks into a space for connection and shared humanity. It is also the first time an artist has unified the digital displays throughout both the terminal and the subway station below.
Photo: Taurat Hossain
Serving as Creative Director of Experience for Dear New York is David Korins, the Emmy-winning and Tony-nominated designer known for Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and Immersive Van Gogh. Korins designed the journey to merge storytelling, visual art, and sound on a scale rarely seen in public installations. “This is the largest public work the city has seen since The Gates,” he said. “It is for everyone, humbly holding a mirror up to society and reminding us that we are all human.”
Photo: Taurat Hossain
Inside the Main Concourse, 50-foot projections surround visitors with portraits and stories set to more than 100 hours of music curated by The Juilliard School. Performances on a Steinway & Sons grand piano feature students, faculty, and alumni across classical, jazz, and contemporary styles, filling the space with sound and emotion.
Photo: Taurat Hossain
The Dear New York experience extends below ground, transforming Grand Central’s subway station into a sweeping art installation that marks the most extensive use of physical space in the subway’s history.
This large-scale design collaboration was created with Andrea Trabucco-Campos, Creative Director of Design for Dear New York and a celebrated Pentagram partner whose award-winning work spans global brands and cultural landmarks.
Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design studio, contributed its creative expertise entirely pro bono, helping bring Brandon Stanton’s vision of a citywide love letter to life beneath the streets of Manhattan.
At its core, Dear New York celebrates the strength, compassion, and spirit of the city. Inspired by Stanton’s new book of the same name, the project introduces a new model for public art that serves as both a creative and financial gift to New York. All proceeds from Stanton’s Dear New York book, beyond the cost of producing the installation, are being donated to local charities, giving back to the community that inspired it.
“New York is humanity in its purest form,” said Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton. “Every culture, every belief, every walk of life exists here—and somehow, through all the chaos, we make it work. In a world that often feels uncertain, New York reminds us there’s still hope.”