Have a one-of-a-kind conversation at Grand Central Terminal's 'Whispering Gallery'

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – Did you know you can have a one-of-a-kind conversation in New York across an arch at Grand Central Terminal?

Whisper, say, or sing something, and someone 30 feet away can hear you. One person stands at the end of one arch and whispers into the wall so that the person on the other side can hear them, according to Away MTA.

This little fun thing that tourists and New Yorkers can experience is called the Whispering Gallery. 

“Perhaps the best-known feature of Grand Central Terminal is the Whispering Gallery,” reads the Away MTA site. “Located near the Oyster Bar. This area is a beautiful site on its own, featuring iconic Guastavino tilework, but the vaulted ceiling is also an acoustic wonder, acting as a whispering gallery.”

How to get there

To find the Whispering Gallery, head to Grand Central Terminal and make your way below the main concourse. 

As you walk beneath the main concourse, you’ll come across the iconic Oyster Bar. In front of the Oyster Bar, you'll find a domed intersection of walkways. This is where the Whispering Gallery is located. 

How the Whispering Gallery works 

Stand facing one archway with a friend diagonally across from you. Whisper into the corner, and your message will be heard despite the crowds rushing to catch their trains or head to work.  

The Whispering Gallery explained

“The tiles that make up the curved ceiling are tightly set, and there are no vents, thus no place for the sound waves to disappear into. Meanwhile, there are no rugs, thus no place for the sound waves to be absorbed into. The sound waves are trapped and have no choice but to shoot up and follow the arch to another corner,” according to All That’s Interesting. “The waves, which are sometimes called whispering-gallery waves, cling to the walls as they travel around the arch’s circumference.”