Views & landmarks
MetLife Building
Overview
Completed in 1963 and originally known as the Pan Am Building, this skyscraper towers over Park Avenue directly above Grand Central Terminal. It once served as the headquarters of Pan American World Airways. Travellers visit to see its distinctive modernist architecture and its prominent visual position straddling the midtown avenue grid.
Getting There
Located in Midtown Manhattan, the structure sits directly over Grand Central Terminal. From central Manhattan locations, you can reach it via subway lines 4, 5, 6, 7, or the S shuttle train, with travel times typically taking between 5 and 15 minutes.
Time to Spend
Allow approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Because it functions as a commercial office building rather than an observation deck, most visits consist of viewing the exterior facade from street level and passing through the integrated concourses.
When to Visit
Weekday mornings and late afternoons bring dense commuter crowds through the connected transit levels. Midday hours and weekends are significantly less crowded, making it easier to view the building from the surrounding streets without navigating rush-hour pedestrian traffic.
What to Combine It With
Its central location makes it easy to combine with other key sites on foot:
- Chrysler Building: 0.2 km
- St. Patrick's Cathedral: 0.6 km
- Rockefeller Center: 0.6 km
- Midtown Manhattan: 0.7 km
Updated September 8, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
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