The Adopt-A-Bench program was established in 1986 to create a permanent fund to maintain and endow the care of Central Park's more than  9,000 benches and their surrounding plantings. To date about 2,000 benches have been adopted.

Most benches can be adopted for $7,500; a hand-made rustic bench can be adopted for $25,000.  Donors can have an engraved plaque with an inscription of their choice on the bench they select. The Conservancy will maintain the bench for the life of the Park.

If you are interested in information on adopting a bench, please call 212-310-6617, or e-mail us at: benches@centralparknyc.org.  To adopt a bench, please click on, fill out and return the Adopt-A-Bench PDF.

INSCRIPTIONS
Benches are adopted for a variety of occasions, below are a few noteworthy inscriptions:

C'est Lui Pour Moi, Moi Pour Lui, Dans La Vie (In life, there is only him for me, and me for him).

In the Shakespeare Garden, a bench was adopted in memory of Richard Burton and his father, Phillip Burton: For Phillip Burton (1904-1995), Father and Mentor, and Richard Burton (1925-1984), Son and Actor, from Loving Friends in Key West.

A woman adopted a bench at the Carousel in memory of her husband.  They always loved to sit there and watch children play: My Beloved was Mine and I was His.

To show their appreciation for the cooperation and help received from Central Park staff, Columbia Pictures donated two benches after filming "Stuart Little" and "Stuart Little 2."  In 1999: In Memory of E.B. White, Columbia Pictures, Red Wagon Productions and the Cast and Crew of Stuart Little: in 2002: The Way I See It You're As Big As You Feel, Stuart Little 2, Columbia Pictures July 2002.

A man proposed to his future wife at a bench he adopted near the Zoo. The inscription: Michelle, Will you marry me? Love, John. Needless to say, she said yes.

122 people gave money toward adopting a bench where a man who had spent many hours holding court and had become a beloved figure on the Upper West Side: Remembering With Love Larry Polshansky (1942-1996), Honorary Mayor of the Neighborhood.

Conservancy Trustee E. John Rosenwald adopted a bench for Bill Cosby, who featured the Adopt-a-Bench program on his series "The Cosby Mysteries." At Cosby's request, the plaque honored his father-in-law, Guy Hanks.

An anonymous donor adopted two benches to honor two Central Park Conservancy zone gardeners.

BENCH FACTS
Central Park has approximately 9,000 benches, which would stretch seven miles if placed end to end.

Styles include:
Central Park Settee (wood & iron): Based on historic benches originally used in the Park, this bench has a simple design without armrests. It is found in informal, pastoral landscapes.

World’s Fair Bench (wood & iron): Designed for the 1939 World's Fair, it is more ornate and features circular armrests. It is used in formal areas such as plazas;

Wood and Concrete: the prototypical park bench, it is found throughout the Park and along the perimeter;

Rustic Bench (wood): This handmade bench is found in the Park's woodlands and other picturesque areas; each one has a unique design and is usually made of locust or cedar.