Marcus Garvey Park Park

Address: Marcus Garvey Park, Madison Avenue & 120th Street, Harlem, New York, NY 10027, United States

Website: https://www.marcusgarveypark.com

Hours: Daily dawn-dusk (specific facilities vary)

Marcus Garvey Park is a public park in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, established in the mid-19th century and renamed for Marcus Garvey in the 1970s.

The park is best known for the 19th-century Mount Morris Fire Watchtower, a Gothic Revival stone structure built in 1856 that stands on the park’s rocky outcrop and is a focal point for visitors. The park also includes lawns and an outdoor amphitheater used for concerts and community events.

The green spaces and recreational facilities provide year-round use for walking, passive recreation, and organized performances, attracting local residents and visitors from the wider Harlem area.

Originally created as Mount Morris Park in the 19th century, the site included the watchtower which served as a fire lookout for the surrounding neighborhood. The park was renamed in the 1970s for Marcus Garvey and has been the focus of preservation and community restoration efforts since the late 20th century.

The park sits in central Harlem in Manhattan within the Mount Morris Park Historic District in New York City, surrounded by residential streets and urban blocks and served by nearby city transit.

• Watchtower date: The watchtower dates to 1856 and is the park’s most prominent historic structure; it sits atop the park’s rocky hill and is visible from surrounding blocks.
• Events and use: Outdoor performances and community events occur seasonally in the park’s amphitheater and lawns, with the park used year-round for recreation.

What to See#

• Mount Morris Fire Watchtower: A 19th-century Gothic Revival stone watchtower built on the park’s high rocky outcrop, constructed in 1856 and historically used as a fire lookout.
• Amphitheater: An outdoor performance space used for summer concerts and community events, located on the park’s sloped lawn and serving as a local cultural venue.

Marcus Garvey Park sits between 120th and 124th Streets, bounded roughly by Madison and Mount Morris/ Fifth Avenues in Harlem. Subway: 2/3 to 125th Street and walk east, or 4/6 to 125th Street and walk north; several MTA bus lines run along Madison and 125th. The park is an easy walk from the 125th Street corridor.

• Visit on weekdays or early mornings to avoid weekend crowds and events; the park has many scheduled programs and festivals that draw large groups.
• Walk the higher paths for views over Harlem's cityscape-there is a small overlook that is good for skyline photography at golden hour.
• Check the Marcus Garvey Park Conservancy website for concerts and ice rink schedules (seasonal).