Riverside Church Church

Address: 490 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10027, USA

Website: https://www.trcnyc.org

Hours: Varies; services and visiting hours posted on website

Admission: Free to enter; donations requested; guided tours may have fees

Riverside Church is an interdenominational Protestant church located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, completed in 1930. The building is noted for its Gothic Revival architecture and prominent tower.

Key visitor features include the large sanctuary, the ornate stonework and the church’s tall bell tower which forms a notable part of the Riverside Drive skyline. The church is active for worship and also hosts concerts, lectures and community events.

The church was funded by philanthropic patrons and designed by the architectural firm Allen & Collens, opening in 1930 as a center for progressive Christian social action and the arts. Its construction and programming reflected early 20th‑century religious philanthropy in the city.

Riverside Church stands at Riverside Drive and 120th Street in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood, close to Columbia University and the Hudson River. It is accessible by subway and city transit.

• Tours and concerts: Guided tours are available and the church hosts concerts, with the large tower providing distinctive city views from its base area rather than a public observation deck.

What to See#

• Bell tower and sanctuary: The tall Gothic Revival bell tower and carillon that dominate the church’s skyline and contain the building’s organ and significant stained glass installations.

Riverside Church sits in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan near Columbia University. The easiest public-transit route is the NYC Subway 1 train to 116th Street-Columbia University; from that station it’s about an 8-10 minute walk west and slightly north to the church. By car it is in upper Manhattan (Morningside Heights); local street parking and taxi/ride-hail are the usual options for direct drop-off.

• Use the main entrance on Riverside Drive at West 120th Street to enter the church and then check the noticeboard or the church website for guided-tour times to avoid visiting when the interior is closed for services or events.
• If you want quieter time inside the sanctuary, visit during weekday mornings or mid-afternoons outside major service times; weekend worships and major concerts draw the largest crowds.
• Plan around the church's public concert and lecture schedule - attending a scheduled recital or talk is an efficient way to see the interior and hear the famous organ without relying on ad-hoc tours.