The Headquarters of the United Nations in New York

What You Should Know About the UN in New York

• The United Nations was founded on October 24, 1945 in San Francisco, California. Yet New York is where the UN chose to establish its headquarters. The UN headquarters sits in Midtown, at the corner of 1st Avenue and 42nd Street, along the East River.
• The UN headquarters houses the organization’s main bodies. The New York building contains the Secretariat, the General Assembly, the high-profile Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council.
• The headquarters comes alive especially in mid-September during the annual General Assembly. Each year, world leaders travel to deliver speeches before international delegations. If you’re in New York in September, you’ll notice the convoys of official vehicles throughout the city.
• Interestingly, the territory where the UN headquarters stands is considered international territory. US laws don’t apply there. That said, UN police keep watch, so don’t get any ideas.

What to See at the UN

• To visit the UN headquarters, you must book a guided tour in advance. I explain the process in an article about how to book a UN tour in New York. Tours are available at specific times throughout the day.
• The tour lets you learn how the UN works and visit the main chambers. Don’t miss the Security Council and General Assembly—the rooms you’ve seen on the news.
• After your tour, browse the bookstore and gift shops in the basement. They stock books and items from around the world.

Visitor Reviews

• Alain Vie: “On our last trip to New York, we planned to visit the UN. We went there and… disappointment. You have to buy tickets online and print them yourself. We didn’t know that, so I managed to get a photo of the UN flag. Small consolation until next time…”
• Caro Vegas: “I’ve visited 3 times across 4 trips. I love this place and I always mail postcards from here!”

Map to the UN