American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
Upper West Side, Manhattan
On the location manager’s list of places the show shot. Book timed tickets on the museum’s own site.
Plan a visitNBC · 1999 to now · shot in New York and New Jersey
Mariska HargitayBenson · West 111th St, 2010
Christopher MeloniStabler · Civic Center, 2011
Ice-TFin · Meatpacking, 2011
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
The longest-running live-action drama on American prime time, and about half of it shot on real streets. On the strip: Mariska Hargitay in Morningside Heights in 2010 (loridstone, CC BY-SA 2.0), Christopher Meloni and Ice-T on Manhattan sets in March 2011 (Vicky, CC BY 2.0). The crimes the series dramatises are not described on this page.
Sources
The squad
Twenty-plus seasons, half of them outside
In March 2019 NBC renewed the show for a 21st season, making it the longest-running primetime live-action series, past the 20 seasons of the original Law & Order and Gunsmoke.
NBC said Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson had become the longest-running female character in a primetime live-action series. Ice-T plays Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola; Dick Wolf created the show.
Each Law & Order show shot about half of its scenes on location in and around New York, and a location-heavy episode could need as many as 40. She said owners are sometimes wary of having their property shown as the scene of a crime, because of what the show is about.
Sources
Ten places
Join the pano
Location scouts photograph a place in overlapping frames and tape them into one long print. Each place below arrives with its outer frames knocked out of line. Raise or lower them until the horizon runs straight, and the place goes on file.
Sources
Place 1 of 10 · Hudson waterfront at West 23rd. Stages since 2010.
Left frame
Right frame
Line up the left and right frames with the middle one.
0 of 10 on file
Not on file yet.
Level both outer frames to open the place.
Sources
Viator · Ad / affiliate
New York TV and film location tours
Manhattan
Live marketplace results for guided TV and film location tours of Manhattan. Routes change; check which pass Foley Square or Chelsea.
Live marketplace results · itineraries change
Compare tours
Across the river
The lawn
For a cemetery scene, unit production manager Gail Barringer had foam tombstones painted to look real and set out on the studio’s lawn, which saved the production $15,000.
For its first eleven years the show’s sets were in NBC’s Central Archives building in North Bergen, New Jersey. Location manager Trish Adlesic said a plain grey and black office building at the mouth of the Lincoln Tunnel was one they used all the time, because it was so easy to reach from the New Jersey studio.
Pictured: North Bergen from the air in 2014, not the studio (Doc Searls, CC BY 2.0).
A working NBC building, not open to visitors, and no address is given here. It is not pinned. The photograph shows North Bergen from the air, not the building.
Sources
One river
Two homes
From its twelfth season, in 2010, the show moved into studio space at Chelsea Piers that the original Law & Order had used. The move followed New Jersey’s plan to end film tax credits worth up to 20 per cent of some production costs.
North Bergen from the air, 2014: the township, not the studio building. Doc Searls · CC BY 2.0 1999–2010
Eleven years in North Bergen
NBC’s Central Archives building
The show’s sets live in NBC’s archives building in New Jersey.
North Bergen from the air, 2014: the township, not the studio building. Doc Searls · CC BY 2.0 By 2009
A cemetery on the lawn
NBC’s Central Archives building
A cemetery is made from painted foam tombstones on the studio lawn, saving $15,000.
West 42nd Street at Times Square, 2010: the street, not the tower the crew used. Eden, Janine and Jim from New York City · CC BY 2.0 An August shoot, by 2009
Four sets, one tower
A tower on 42nd Street
One Times Square apartment tower gives a shoot two penthouses, an office and a street entrance.
A night shoot in Central Park, October 2008. Laurence Cymet · CC BY 2.0 October 2008
A night in the park
Central Park
A night shoot lights up Central Park.
60 Centre Street, the New York County Supreme Court, 2013. Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0 2009
The shared courthouse
60 Centre Street
60 Centre Street is the one place all three Law & Order shows meet.
The American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West, 2025. Ferfive · CC BY 4.0 By 2009
On the list
American Museum of Natural History
The Museum of Natural History is among the places the location manager names as shot.
Sources
Chelsea Piers
Chelsea Piers
Chelsea, Manhattan
The show’s studio home since 2010, on the Hudson at West 23rd Street. The stages are closed; the piers, the greenway and the sports complex are open. Pictured: the piers, 2007.
Plan a visitThe High Line Hotel
The High Line Hotel
180 Tenth Avenue, Chelsea · Rates from the hotel
At 180 Tenth Avenue and 20th Street in Chelsea, a few blocks inland from Chelsea Piers, the show’s studio home since 2010. Pictured: Chelsea Piers, not the hotel.
See the hotelBeyond the show
If you need to talk
Off screen she founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, which supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse and campaigns to end the backlog of untested rape kits.
If anything in the series touches your own life, these services are free and confidential. In an emergency, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK.
United States
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
Call 800-656-HOPE (4673), any hour; chat online at rainn.org.
RAINN: National Sexual Assault HotlineEngland and Wales
Rape Crisis 24/7 Support Line
Call 0808 500 2222, free, any hour, or use the online chat. For anyone aged 16 and over.
Rape Crisis England & Wales: want to talk?Scotland
Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline
Call 08088 01 03 02, any day from 5pm to midnight; text 07537 410 027. For anyone aged 13 and over.
Rape Crisis Scotland: helpline
Joyful Heart Foundation: joyfulheartfoundation.org.
Sources
The original series has its own World: Law & Order, from the courthouse steps.
On file
That’s a wrap on the scout
Chelsea Piers, the courthouse steps, Central Park, the museum and the uptown streets are all public. The North Bergen building is a working NBC site and the Times Square tower is unnamed, so neither is pinned.
Sources
Where it is now
8 places you can visit in New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles, plus two named by their street or town.
Pins mark public places; private homes are named but not pinned.
Site reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A public sports and events complex on the Hudson River Greenway. The studios are working stages and closed to visitors; walk the piers and the greenway outside.
Building reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A working courthouse, the New York County Supreme Court. The steps and Foley Square are public; inside, expect security screening and respect the courts in session.
Area reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A public park, open from early morning to late night. Paths can be quiet after dark; keep to lit routes.
Building reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A public museum on Central Park West, open most days; book timed tickets on its own site.
Site reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A residential street of apartment houses. Look from the pavement and keep doorways clear.
Site reference · Public access · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A busy uptown junction beside Audubon Terrace. Look from the corner; it is an ordinary working street.
Chelsea Piers on the Hudson, 2007. Boss Tweed · CC BY 2.0 Manhattan · The Hudson waterfront at West 23rd Street, Chelsea
Chelsea Piers
From its twelfth season, in 2010, the show moved into studio space at Chelsea Piers that the original Law & Order had used.
A public sports and events complex on the Hudson River Greenway. The studios are working stages and closed to visitors; walk the piers and the greenway outside.
Sources
60 Centre Street, the New York County Supreme Court, 2013. Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0 Manhattan · Foley Square, Civic Center, Lower Manhattan
60 Centre Street
The DGA Quarterly called 60 Centre Street the only place where all three Law & Order shows of 2009 came together.
A working courthouse, the New York County Supreme Court. The steps and Foley Square are public; inside, expect security screening and respect the courts in session.
Sources
A night shoot in Central Park, October 2008. Laurence Cymet · CC BY 2.0 Manhattan · Between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West
Central Park
Adlesic listed Central Park first among the places the team had shot.
A public park, open from early morning to late night. Paths can be quiet after dark; keep to lit routes.
Sources
The American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West, 2025. Ferfive · CC BY 4.0 Manhattan · Central Park West at West 79th Street
American Museum of Natural History
The Museum of Natural History is on Adlesic’s list of places the team had shot, with Chinatown, Little Italy and Harlem.
A public museum on Central Park West, open most days; book timed tickets on its own site.
Sources
Crew and equipment on West 111th Street for the twelfth season, August 2010. loridstone · CC BY-SA 2.0 Manhattan · Morningside Heights, Upper Manhattan
West 111th Street
Season 12 was filming on West 111th Street on 10 August 2010, the photographer recorded.
A residential street of apartment houses. Look from the pavement and keep doorways clear.
Sources
Audubon Terrace from 155th Street and Broadway, 2026. Epicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0 Manhattan · Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill, Upper Manhattan
155th Street and Broadway
Hargitay was photographed taking a break from filming at 155th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam, on 25 July 2011.
A busy uptown junction beside Audubon Terrace. Look from the corner; it is an ordinary working street.
Sources
Stay
A room near the piers.
A Chelsea hotel a few blocks from the studio, chosen for the walk, not for the show.
The High Line Hotel
The High Line Hotel
180 Tenth Avenue, Chelsea · Rates from the hotel
At 180 Tenth Avenue and 20th Street in Chelsea, a few blocks inland from Chelsea Piers, the show’s studio home since 2010. Pictured: Chelsea Piers, not the hotel.
See the hotelGo there
See it for yourself.
The piers, the museum, the star, and location tours of Manhattan.
Chelsea Piers
Chelsea Piers
Chelsea, Manhattan
The show’s studio home since 2010, on the Hudson at West 23rd Street. The stages are closed; the piers, the greenway and the sports complex are open. Pictured: the piers, 2007.
Plan a visitAmerican Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
Upper West Side, Manhattan
On the location manager’s list of places the show shot. Book timed tickets on the museum’s own site.
Plan a visit
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood, Los Angeles
Mariska Hargitay’s star is at 6328 Hollywood Boulevard, beside her mother’s. Pictured: the Walk, 2015, not her star.
Find the starViator · Ad / affiliate
New York TV and film location tours
Manhattan
Live marketplace results for guided TV and film location tours of Manhattan. Routes change; check which pass Foley Square or Chelsea.
Live marketplace results · itineraries change
Compare toursWhat’s on
No dates yet.
Nothing dated for the show is listed at these places now.
No current dated events are listed. Check providers for the latest programme.
Dates, prices, rooms and stock change: confirm with the provider before you travel or buy. A stay or tour is described as a filming location only where the card says so.
The archive
Every place and moment behind this page, with sources.
10 of 10 places · 14 of 14 stories
Chelsea Piers
The Hudson waterfront at West 23rd Street, Chelsea
Across the river
The show moves into the Chelsea Piers stages the original Law & Order had used.
Snowed in
A blizzard stops outdoor filming; work goes on inside at Chelsea Piers.
NBC’s Central Archives building
North Bergen, New Jersey, across the Hudson from Manhattan
Eleven years in North Bergen
The show’s sets live in NBC’s archives building in New Jersey.
A cemetery on the lawn
A cemetery is made from painted foam tombstones on the studio lawn, saving $15,000.
The building by the tunnel
An office block at the Lincoln Tunnel is used again and again, because it is so close to the studio.
60 Centre Street
Foley Square, Civic Center, Lower Manhattan
The shared courthouse
60 Centre Street is the one place all three Law & Order shows meet.
Between takes, Civic Center
Christopher Meloni is photographed near the Civic Center between takes.
A tower on 42nd Street
West 42nd Street at Times Square
Four sets, one tower
One Times Square apartment tower gives a shoot two penthouses, an office and a street entrance.
Central Park
Between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West
A night in the park
A night shoot lights up Central Park.
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at West 79th Street
On the list
The Museum of Natural History is among the places the location manager names as shot.
West 111th Street
Morningside Heights, Upper Manhattan
Season 12 on West 111th
The crew sets up on a Morningside Heights street in the first weeks of the Chelsea Piers era.
155th Street and Broadway
Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill, Upper Manhattan
A break uptown
Hargitay takes a break from filming at 155th Street.
Monument Park
Fort Lee, New Jersey, near the George Washington Bridge
Back in Fort Lee
A Hargitay scene is shot in Monument Park and airs the next month.
Hargitay’s star
6328 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles
A star beside her mother’s
Hargitay’s Walk of Fame star is unveiled as the show reaches 15 seasons.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
