The Rocket Thrower.

The Rocket Thrower

A beefed-up bronze giant, unclothed except for a modesty rag, stands in an uncomfortably awkward position as he hurls a rocket heavenward while reaching for a constellation of stars. At 43 feet tall, "The Rocket Thrower" was one of America's largest sculptures; it looks like something out of the old Soviet Union. Sculpted by Donald De Lue especially for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, it's supposedly based on a space sculpture De Lue had wanted to create since the 1950s -- so why did he make the rocket look like a jellyfish? The New York Times slammed the sculpture as a "lamentable monster" that made "Walt Disney look like Leonardo Da Vinci," but it still stands today.

Also see: 1964-65 New York World's Fair

The Rocket Thrower

Flushing Meadows Park

Address:: 111th St., Queens, NY
Directions:: Flushing Meadows Park. By subway (recommended) take the #7 train to 111th St. in Queens. Walk downhill on 111th St. (south) for four blocks. Just after you cross under a bridge, you'll see the rockets to the left; you can cut diagonally through the parking lot to get to them. To get to the Rocket Thrower, walk past the rockets, turn right at the supersonic jet sculpture, walk behind the building, then make a left at the geodesic dome and walk across the bridge over the Grand Central Pky. You'll see the Unisphere ahead to the right. Walk to it, Walk to it, then turn left. Follow the broad promenade until you reach The Rocket Thrower, which will be straight ahead.
Admission:: Free

Nearby Offbeat Places

Whispering Column of Jerash, Queens, NY - < 1 mi.

World's Fair: The Unisphere, Queens, NY - < 1 mi.

1964-65 New York World's Fair Attractions, Queens, NY - < 1 mi.

In the region:

Chunk of Plymouth Rock, Brooklyn, NY - 9 mi.

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