Flashback Friday: Visiting the United Nations in New York City

When M and I started planning our first overnight getaway after becoming parents, I’m pretty sure neither of us could have guessed that we would end up visiting the United Nations in New York City. But somehow there we were, five years to the day since our wedding and kid-free for the first time in almost a year, staring up at the huge, pancake-flat building that houses one of the most influential organizations on the planet.

I couldn’t believe we were about to go inside.

(Note: some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission from your purchase at no additional cost to you. You can find the full disclosure here. Thank you for supporting Full Life, Full Passport!)

It was actually the Broadway musical Come From Away that drew us to New York City for our anniversary overnight, and we had tickets for the next day’s matinee performance*. In the meantime, we were intentionally eschewing a plan and seeing where the day took us. Our only goals were to eat some great food, enjoy each other’s company, and perhaps take in a few sights we hadn’t seen before.

Because we had both been to the Big Apple many times, both together and independently, we had already visited a lot of the city’s greatest hits. As we were considering nearby attractions in our hotel room, however, I noticed how close we were to the headquarters of the United Nations.

Completed in 1952, the United Nations headquarters complex sits along the East River in Manhattan and serves as the meeting place for such bodies as the General Assembly (the main policy-making arm, where every nation has a seat) and the Security Council (the branch tasked with facilitating worldwide peace and security, with five permanent and ten rotating member nations). This is where the world comes together to discuss and act upon matters of global importance, from trade to humanitarian crises to international development. Whatever its failings – and there have been many – there’s no doubt that the organization has played a critical role in international diplomacy over the past seven decades.

When I mentioned that I had always been interested in seeing it, M suggested we check it out. We booked our tickets and set off.

It was a gorgeous, blue-sky day in the city as we walked the mile or so to the headquarters. My heart leapt a little as the famous flat tower came into view and we soon started passing a seemingly endless row of flags.

Although we had already reserved our tour time, we still had to check in across the street and begin the security screening process. As you can imagine, security is no joke at a place like the United Nations.

After M checked us in, we crossed the street and made our way through another security screening before emerging onto a plaza emblazoned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. These seventeen long-term goals are aimed at combating some of humanity’s greatest threats and problems, from poverty to justice to environmental protection.

It was here that we also got our first look at some of the many, many works of art that decorate the UN complex, as the courtyard was also lined with statues. I hadn’t realized – but shouldn’t have been surprised – that it is commonplace for countries to give gifts to the UN in the form of statues, paintings, tapestries, and other works of art. It was fascinating to see all of the art as we went along and to see who had given what, when, and why.

At any rate, our first stop was the General Assembly Building, where we waited until our tour began. We weren’t bored, though, as there were numerous artistic and informational exhibits as well as a little observation gallery where we could watch a meeting in progress. Even just that small glimpse felt so surreal! I had no idea what the people below were discussing, but I couldn’t believe that I was actually watching the United Nations at work.

And then finally our tour began! We spent the next hour walking the hallowed halls of the United Nations, led by a very polished, multilingual guide who shared tons of information about the history, processes, customs, and culture of the global organization.

One of our first stops – way to start with a bang! – was the Security Council Chamber.

If watching that meeting earlier was surreal, looking down upon the curved table where the Security Council meets was a bit mind-blowing. It’s crazy to think about what kinds of conversations, debates, arguments, and agreements have happened at that table and how the world has been affected at varying levels by all of them. Of all the bodies of the United Nations, the Security Council might just have the most difficult job.

The most impressive and impactful part of the tour, however, was visiting the General Assembly Hall. To look out over this grand hall where so many speeches, resolutions, hopes, pleas, and dreams have been shared… there was something about it that you could feel in your bones. How many times had I seen a photo or video of someone standing in this exact space to argue for the betterment of the world or his or her people?

Even though we stayed far to the back of the room, I felt really grateful to be there at all.

The tour continued through a number of other corridors, chambers, galleries, and displays, including some on the UN’s peacekeeping missions (by one of which I was once protected during a dangerous situation abroad… stay tuned for that story) as well as nuclear disarmament. For a one-hour tour, they really packed a lot in!

All in all, while it wasn’t the most romantic thing we could have done with our anniversary trip to New York City, I’m really glad that M and I decided to take a tour of the UN headquarters. My university degree is in international relations, Latin American studies, Spanish, and anthropology, so suffice it to say that the United Nations factored pretty heavily into my college courseload. (There was even a point where I could name all of the secretaries-general in order… I was super popular at college parties.) While I am certainly aware of and often frustrated by the shortcomings of the UN, it was nonetheless deeply moving to visit a place that I had spent so much time studying and that still represents our best hope for transglobal cooperation.

If you find yourself wondering what to do in the Big Apple, and especially if you’re an international relations nerd like me or even remotely interested in global politics, I highly suggest taking an hour or two and visiting the United Nations in New York City.

There are thousands of places to stay in New York City, but we enjoyed our time at The Roger Hotel, which we discovered through a great travel deal.

*Ok, I know this post is about visiting the United Nations in New York but I can’t mention Come From Away without noting that it was, without a doubt, one of the most incredible musical theater performances I have experienced in my life. I have never seen an audience leap to its feet and react with such overwhelming joy and applause at a curtain call, and every bit of it was completely deserved. I could continue to gush about this show for a few thousand more words, but suffice it to say that if you find yourself in New York City looking for a Broadway show to attend, make sure that Come From Away is at the top of your list.

Like the post? Pin to save or share!

What It’s Like to Have Visited Over 110 Countries… and Counting!
A Long Weekend Getaway to the Finger Lakes
Travel Career Snapshot: The Olympics

Need some help planning your visit to the United Nations in New York? Full Life, Full Passport offers customized planning services for all kinds of vacations and budgets!