Especially on a spring afternoon like this Friday, it’s easy to miss the golden statue in front of the Rockefeller building. Packed with people, the plaza sometimes hides the sculpture of Prometheus.

He’s been here since 1934, part of the original vision for Rockefeller Center as a place where commerce, art, and public life could meet. The sculptor, Paul Manship, chose the myth deliberately: Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity—a symbol of progress, creativity, and the spark of knowledge. It’s a lofty idea, but it fits the spirit of a city always chasing the next bright thing.

The sculpture shows him mid-flight, still bringing fire to mankind, surrounded by a ring of zodiac signs. It’s a weird mishmash: tourists posing with forks mid-bite, vendors leaning on carts, flags rippling above—and the whole place humming with that Midtown energy that never quite pauses.