Diana Ross Playground

Diana Ross Playground, located near Central Park’s West 81st Street entrance, is well-known for its setting at the base of Summit Rock, the highest natural point in the Park.

Its slopes provide a verdant and shaded backdrop for the playground. The playground, just steps from the American Museum of Natural History, features a large wooden climbing structure with multiple levels of platforms and decks linked to ladders, slides, and tire swings, all set in a sand area. The playground also includes toddler swings and a water-spray feature.

Diana Ross Playground is named for the famous singer, who funded the construction of the playground following her concert in 1983 on the Great Lawn.

Central Park has 21 playgrounds that are unique in design and character. Most of them were built in the 1930s as part of a system of playgrounds located along the Park perimeter. The Central Park Conservancy regularly updates these spaces to include new equipment and infrastructure that reflect changing ideas about children’s play and safety and accessibility standards. Since 2011, the Conservancy has been working to rebuild or renovate all the Park’s playgrounds, with the goal of bringing each of them up to the same standard of excellence at the same time and focusing on making them feel more connected to the Park’s landscapes and experiences.