Strawberry Fields

The Strawberry Fields Central Park Memorial is located on 2.5 acres in Central Park between 71st and 74th Streets. It is dedicated to singer-songwriter, John Lennon, and opened on October 9th, 1995, on what would have been his 45th birthday.

This particular part of Central Park was chosen because John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono lived in the Dakota Apartments adjacent to this section of the park (Yoko Ono still lives in Dakota). It was at these apartments where John Lennon was shot dead outside this building.

The title of this memorial comes from the Beatles’ song “Strawberry Fields Forever”. The memorial section of the park is shaped like a teardrop and its upkeep is provided by a million-dollar endowment from Yoko Ono. There is a black and white circular tile mosaic in the center of the memorial with the words “Imagine” in the center. Nearby there is a bronze plaque that names over 120 countries that donated money for the upkeep and maintenance of the plants and flowers around the park as well the Strawberry Fields Garden of Peace. Visitors, please note that this area is designated as a “quiet zone.”