This post lists all the various ways you can visit the sites where Superhero movies and TV shows were filmed including locations from Spider-man, Superman, Batman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, X-Men, Ghostbusters, and more!
- Do-It-Yourself Superhero Tour
- Guided Superhero Tours
- Free Tour Options
- Comic Book Stores in NYC
- Other Film & Movie Locations
- Things to Do in NYC
DO-IT-YOURSELF SUPERHERO TOUR
More than any other city in the world, New York City has more sites that show up in superhero movies, TV shows, and comic books.
With so many sites to see, we have divided the locations by different parts of NYC. This should help make visiting so many sites more manageable.
Since you will likely be taking the subway to these locations, you should take a look at our posts on navigating the Subway and which MetroCard to buy.
Also, consider getting around the city by a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, as these tours stop at or near most of the locations.
Do-It-Yourself-Super Hero-Tour
A - Low Memorial Library at Columbia University
One of the most important events ever in the fictional world of superheroes happened here. Well, not at the Low Library, but rather at the Empire State University Science Lab.
Spider-man’s Peter Parker goes with his high school to see the genetics lab and it is where he is bitten by a radioactive spider, changing his life forever.
Though the lab interior scenes were filmed in Los Angeles on a set the exterior shots of the lab took place on the steps of Columbia University‘s Low Memorial Library (map).
Columbia’s campus also features often in Ghostbusters. While you are at Columbia University, take a short walk over to the colorful neighborhood of Harlem, using our Harlem Visitor's Guide.
B - Central Park Bethesda Fountain
So many movies and TV shows have been filmed in this picturesque park, and the world of superheroes is no exception.
In The Avengers, the famed Bethesda Fountain was used as the setting for the final scene when The Avengers bid farewell to each other.
In Jessica Jones, Season 1, Episode 12, Jessica follows a courier through Central Park toward Bethesda Terrace.
As they near the fountain, the courier impales himself on garden shears lying around and Jessica is too late to stop him.
Use our guide to Central Park to explore the park. Or why not join us on one of our pay-what-you-like Central Park Tours or try our GPS-enhanced Central Park Audio Tour?
C - The Frick Museum
The museum, located at 1 E. 70th St., was the inspiration for The Avengers mansion.
The legendary Stan Lee (who passed away in November 2018 at the superheroic age of 95!) admired the elegant Frick Museum which he walked past during his commute to Marvel Comics offices.
You can visit the Frick for free on certain days of the week (map). To find out more, visit their website.
Many of these locations are included in our pay-what-you-like tours of Midtown Manhattan.
If you want to complement your DIY Superhero tour, you might like our GPS-enhanced Audio Tour of Midtown Manhattan.
See our Guide to Midtown Manhattan as well.
D - Roosevelt Island Aerial Tram
In the first Spider-Man movie with Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and Willem Dafoe, this is where the Green Goblin held people hostage and threw Mary Jane into the water near the end of the movie (video below).
You can ride the Roosevelt Island Tram and you will get breathtaking views of NYC. And once you are on Roosevelt Island it is a lovely place to spend an hour or so.
See our Self-Guided Roosevelt Island Tour for information on what to do on the island.
E - United Nations Headquarters
This iconic NYC rectangular building is a mainstay in many Marvel Comics.
In the original Batman movie from the 1960’s the Joker, Penguin, and Riddler try to kidnap the members of the United World Organization’s security or the United Nations.
In Superman IV, Superman addresses the General Assembly at the U.N. to voice his wishes to rid the world of all nuclear weapons.
Our Self-Guided Midtown Manhattan Tour includes the United Nations, and if you’d like you can take a tour of the UN building. Find out how here.
F - Tudor City Place
In the Spider-man movies, the top floors of stylish 5 Tudor City Place (map) were used as the exterior of Norman Osborn’s rooftop mansion.
The interior shots were filmed in L.A. As a side note, non-superhero Katherine Hepburn lived in Tudor City for many years.
G - NY Daily News Building
In the first Superman movie starring Christopher Reeves as Superman and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, this building's lobby serves as the lobby of the Daily Planet, the newspaper where Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego works.
This building, located at 220 East 42nd Street between 2nd and 3rd Ave. (map), is also where other Superman characters like editor-in-chief Perry White, reporter, and love interest Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen also work.
H - Overlook Bar
This bar, 225 E. 44th St. (map) was formerly Costello's, a bar that attracted authors, newspapermen, and cartoonists.
In the early 1970s, the bar’s owner asked Bill Gallo, who was the president of the National Cartoonists Society at the time, to create a mural to go along with already existing cartoons by the famous humorist James Thurber.
According to legend, Thurber drew on the walls of the bar to pay for his drinks during the Great Depression.
In, 1976, Bill Gallo agreed to make the mural on the wall at Costello’s in exchange for free food and drink for all the cartoonists who joined in.
That May, 40 cartoonists spent 20 minutes doodling on a 4’ x 20’ wall.
Some of the characters you’ll see on the mural are Popeye, the Phantom, Bullwinkle, Beetle Bailey, Archie, Little Orphan Annie, Betty Boop, Fred Flintstone, and Felix the Cat.
I - Chrysler Building
In the movie, Percy Jackson the Lighting Thief, Percy has a battle on top of the beautiful spire of the Chrysler Building.
In The Avengers, Thor uses the spire of the building to bring down an even bigger-than-usual lightning bolt.
In Spider-Man, when Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben is shot by a robber, Peter slings webs across the skyscrapers of the city to get revenge.
When the robber accidentally kills himself, Peter leaves and ends up sulking on top of one of the gargoyles perched on the top of the Chrysler Building.
See our post to learn more about visiting the Chrysler Building.
J- Grand Central Terminal
In the original X-Men movie, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants have a big fight scene in the Great Hall inside the terminal.
In The Avengers there is the epic battle scene in which all of the Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Hulk come together to hold off the Chitauri Alien invasion.
In the first Superman, Lex Luthor’s lair is directly below the train tracks of Grand Central.
In fact, someone tries to sneak into his hidden lair and steps into a trap involving the train lines!
Use our Self-Guided Grand Central Tour or our Audio Tour to see what else is inside this incredible and historic sight.
K - Metlife Building
This is Stark Tower, the headquarters for Tony Stark (Iron Man) in The Avengers.
In real life, it's the Metlife Building located at 200 Park Ave. and E. 45th Street, adjacent to Grand Central Terminal.
L - Intersection of 42nd Street and Madison Avenue
This is where the Fantastic 4’s Baxter Building is supposed to be (map). In the comics, the landlord originally wanted the team there, because of the publicity.
In both Fantastic 4 live-action movies, the building comes under attack.
M - New York Public Library
In the Spider-Man movie, it was outside this prestigious institution at 42nd St. and 5th Ave. (map), that Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben gives some important advice to Peter who has just discovered he is a superhero.
Uncle Ben tells him, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”
Words of wisdom spoken in front of one of the most significant and stunning institutions in New York City history.
You can take a free tour of the inside of the New York Public Library (where a scene from Ghostbusters was also filmed!)
N - Times Square at 42nd Street and Broadway
In the original Spider-Man, the Green Goblin and Spider-Man battle each other in Times Square.
In Amazing Spider-Man 2, there is a giant battle scene between Spider-Man and Electro.
In Captain America, Steve Rogers comes out of his coma, runs away from the soldiers, and arrives in a modern Times Square which is a secret Shield compound.
In Superman 2, Superman battles Zod and his crew in Times Square and throughout NYC.
You can find out everything about this electrifying location from our post Things to do in Times Square.
O - Marvel Comics Headquarters
at 135 West 50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues
While you can’t take a tour of Marvel’s headquarters, the video below shows Marvel mastermind Stan Lee taking a tour through their offices.
For more Marvel madness, you can go to Madame Tussauds and see their popular Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience.
Find out about this exhibit and more from our Madame Tussauds post. We also include ways to get cheaper tickets.
P - Hell’s Kitchen
This neighborhood runs from West 34th Street to West 57th Street and from 8th Avenue across to the Hudson River.
Decades ago, the area was known for being crime-ridden and run down. This made it perfect to be Daredevil’s stomping ground.
You won’t find Josie’s Bar here, where Daredevil and his friends hang out. The exterior shots of Josie’s were filmed at Turkey’s Nest Tavern in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
To get a feel for the old neighborhood visit a few of the gritty bars still around 42nd Street and 9th Avenue.
To explore the neighborhood, use our Self-Guided tour of Hell’s Kitchen.
We have several pay-what-you-wish tours that cover most of these locations. You might also like our self-guided tour of Lower Manhattan Film and TV Locations.
Q - Flatiron Building
In the Spider-man movies, this building, at 23rd St. and Broadway (map), serves as the Daily Bugle where Parker worked as a photographer.
Read all about this famous and much-photographed triangular building in our post about the Flatiron Building.
R - Joe’s Pizza
The building at 117A Bleecker Street served as the locale for the Sanctum Sanctorum of Dr. Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme for Marvel.
Joe's Pizza was the pizzeria with a 29-minute delivery service in Spider-Man 2. Go inside to see pictures of Tobey Maguire shooting the scene.
Our pay-what-you-like tours of Greenwich Village pass by Joe’s Pizza and also walk along Bleecker Street.
Take a look at our Guide to Greenwich Village as well.
S - Intersection of Delancey and Essex Streets
You may have heard The Thing of the Fantastic Four refer to Yancy Street.
That’s a combination of Delancey and Essex Streets, the big intersection in the Lower East Side where the co-creator of the Fantastic Four, Jack Kirby, grew up.
The Lower East Side is one of the most interesting and fun neighborhoods to visit in NYC.
In addition to the Fantastic Four, you can find fantastic food there. You might consider taking our Lower East Side Food Tour.
Check out our Guide to the Lower East Side to find out the hot spots.
T - Nom Wah Tea Parlor
In Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker dines here with Gwen’s family. Outside on the street (map), Gwen breaks up (for the first time) with Peter.
Though not a superhero, Justin Timberlake filmed his video, Take Back the Night on Doyers Street.
Nom Wah is one of our favorite places to eat in Chinatown, as the food is good and the history is quite interesting.
Our Chinatown Food Tour walks along Doyers Street and past this restaurant.
U - JP Morgan Building
In The Dark Knight Rises, this building is used as the Gotham Stock Exchange. It is diagonally across the street from the actual New York Stock Exchange.
In the movie, Bane storms the Gotham Stock Exchange and drains Bruce Wayne's bank account.
This is also where the final battle between Bane and Batman takes place.
This intersection is included in our Lower Manhattan tours. In addition, to seeing the JP Morgan building, we also show you the New York Stock Exchange and Federal Hall.
V - Staten Island Ferry
Spider-man: Homecoming, features the Staten Island Ferry in a battle scene between Spidey and the Vulture.
You can ride the Staten Island Ferry for free and see pretty stunning views of New York City.
Our post, Riding the Staten Island Ferry can help you plan your ride.
W - Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
In the first X-Men film, the climactic battle against Magneto takes place on Liberty Island.
Ellis Island was also used as a location in the film.
It served as the event venue for the gathering of the world’s leaders whom Magneto planned to mutate using a machine hidden in the Lady Liberty’s torch.
Thus, it made perfect sense then that the New York premiere of X-Men was held on Ellis Island.
If you plan on visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, our post, How to Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island has all the information you need to plan a smooth visit.
All these locations are in the neighborhood of DUMBO. There is a lot to see in this trendy and historic neighborhood, where many other films have been filmed.
To see more of DUMBO, you should check out our pay-what-you-like walking tour of Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights, and DUMBO.
We also have a useful Guide to DUMBO sights to see and suggestions of where to eat and shop.
X - Brooklyn Bridge
In Amazing Spider-Man 2, the Brooklyn Bridge is where Spiderman professes his love for Gwen Stacey by writing “I LOVE YOU” in webbing across the bridge.
In The Dark Knight Rises, this was one of the two bridges you saw having a surgical demolition to prevent people from leaving Gotham.
Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the best free things to do in NYC.
You can use our free Guide to Walking the Brooklyn Bridge or try our (almost free) GPS-led audio tour of the Brooklyn Bridge.
We offer several pay-what-you-wish tours that include the Brooklyn Bridge including our Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO Tour and our 9/11 Memorial and Brooklyn Bridge Night Tour.
Y - Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
This park in DUMBO is the location in Amazing Spider-man 2 where Peter Parker and his friend Harry skip stones on the water as they catch up with each other.
This Brooklyn waterfront park offers a stunning view of downtown Manhattan and both the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges.
Z - Power Plant at John Street & Pearl Street along the East River
This power plant, which can be seen from both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, is the setting for the climactic final battle between Electro and Spider-man in Amazing Spider-Man 2.
While in Brooklyn, use our post on things to do in Brooklyn, to see what else there is to do in NYC’s most populated borough.
GUIDED TOURS
Super Hero Bus Tour by On Locations NY
This 3-hour guided bus tour takes you to 40 superhero and comics-related locations in NYC. This is a family-friendly tour for all ages.
When your bus arrives at the locations, you will watch short clips from the specific movie and television shows filmed at that spot.
This helps you connect the movie scenes and the place you are seeing with your own eyes.
- Schedule: Fridays and Saturdays at 12 p.m. Additional times scheduled during the holiday season. See their calendar.
- Prices: Adults $56 | Children $35
- More information and to purchase tickets
This tour is highly rated by reviewers on TripAdvisor. Guests say that guides are incredibly enthusiastic and have a vast knowledge of the world of superheroes and comics.
The buses are comfortable and the tour is suitable for all ages. Admittedly, this tour is a bit pricey but guests comment that it is worth the money.
TIP: You can save $20 off this tour if you are a New York City Explorer Pass holder.
Read below on how you can save money on this tour and many other attractions by getting an Explorer tourist concession pass.
Superheroes Walking Tour by Top Dog Tours
This two-hour superhero and comic book-themed walking tour visits the city’s most famous superhero movie locations.
It also covers sites that inspired the writers and artists who developed so many of the superheroes you know and love.
This tour is highly rated by Get Your Guide and Trip Advisor. Tour guests say the guides are both knowledgeable and funny, making the tour well-rounded.
Guides also share lesser-known facts and stories about the world of the creators of superhero characters. Some guests were not even superhero fans yet loved the tour.
- Tour schedule: Runs daily at 3:30 pm
- Prices: Adults: $35 | Children 5-12 $26 | Children under 5: Free
- More information and to purchase tickets.
TIP: This tour is included in several New York tourist concession passes. Read below to find out about how getting a tourist concession pass can save you money on this tour and dozens of other attractions.
Free Tours By Foot
These pay-what-you-wish walking tours include many of the locations included in the self-guided tour:
- Lower Manhattan
- Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO Tour
- SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Tour
- Greenwich Village
- Midtown Manhattan
- Grand Central Terminal Tour
- Central Park
- DUMBO
- Lower East Side Food Tour
- Greenwich Village Food Tour
- Chinatown Food Tour
Several of these tours are also available as self-guided tours and GPS-enhanced Audio Tours.
SUPERHERO TOURS INCLUDED IN NYC TOURIST PASSES
If you are looking for a way to save money on a guided superhero tour and superhero-related sites, as well as other NYC attractions, you should consider buying a tourist pass.
The Superheroes Walking Tour by Top Dog Tours listed above is included in both the New York Pass and the New York Explorer Pass.
Many tourist passes include VIP entry to Madame Tussauds which has the Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience.
Also, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (in the X-Men movies) are also included in most tourist passes.
If you plan on visiting these sites, taking a superhero tour and visiting other top attractions, you may find that purchasing one of the many different passes available will save you money.
Find out more from our post comparing New York City Attraction Passes.
You might also want to see if there are any deals on Groupon.
COMIC BOOKSTORES
Midtown Comics
This is one of the best comic book stores you will ever encounter! Comic book lovers can buy new releases and find vintage issues.
They also sell graphic novels, sci-fi books, and collectibles. Fun to browse even if you are not a comics connoisseur!
See their website for more information. They have several locations in NYC:
- Times Square (flagship store) - 200 W. 40th Street (corner of 7th Ave).
- Lower Manhattan - 64 Fulton Street (corner of Gold St.)
- Grand Central - 459 Lexington Avenue (corner of 45th St.)
Here is a virtual tour of their Midtown location.
