The Ceiling of Grand Central Station: A Fascinating Piece of History

Grand Central Terminal's ceiling is a sight to behold, especially with its new LED lights that were recently unveiled. The announcement was made by Metro-North, which also shared the story behind the old ceiling, a fascinating tale for history buffs in New York City.

The ceiling's new light-emitting diodes not only add a twinkle to the constellations but also reduce the MTA's energy costs. Yesterday afternoon, 59 of the brightest lights were illuminated, making the ceiling even brighter than before.

For those who may not know, the MTA spent $200 million from 1994-1998 to clean the ceiling, leaving only a small dark patch in one corner to remind passers-by of its former state. Today, the ceiling shines with rich green hues that backdrop winter constellations, reversed to show them from the sky's perspective.

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the ceiling is also part of an initiative called Unseen Stars, which aims to increase representation of women in science and engineering. From September 22 until midnight, GE will be projecting the faces of pioneering women, such as Millie Dresselhaus, Laurie Leshin, and Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski, across the Grand Concourse ceiling.

The event is part of GE's Balance the Equation initiative, which seeks to promote female representation in science and engineering. If you're in New York City this weekend, be sure to look up at the ceiling and admire not only its beauty but also the achievements of these trailblazing women.

As Jay Walder, chair and CEO of the authority, said, 'We hope people won’t run into one another as they crane their necks and peer skyward in admiration.' With Unseen Stars, we are reminded to look up physically and figuratively, celebrating the intersection of architecture, education, and art.

Ceiling grand central station