The Armory Foundation oversees the premier indoor track & field center in America and hosts over 100 track meets annually with the goal of serving youth by promoting fitness, a love of sport, and the pursuit of individual excellence. Additionally, it maintains the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, offers a variety of community programs, and operates the largest after school activities center in New York. The Armory College Prep High School Program provides college prep and academic counseling services to hundreds of under resourced, New York City public high school students. The Armory College Prep Middle School Program offers academic support, computer science education, and high school application guidance to local middle school students. You can learn about the community programs we offer by clicking here.
A Letter from Our Co-Presidents
The Armory welcomes over 220,000 visits from young athletes each year who mainly come from New York City. From children landing in the sand pit on their very first long jump, to local Olympic Champions Natasha Hastings and Dalilah Muhammad, The Armory is a place to train, compete and learn. Our Armory College Prep (ACP) program serves young runners who train at The Armory in grades 4-12 and is provided at no-cost. ACP accepts all students regardless of academic proficiency. Our experienced team of full-time instructors have the tools and dedication to help make a four-year college degree a realistic goal for the ambitious young runners, many of whom come to us from under-served communities. While The Armory is located in New York City, we are deeply committed to our local community of Washington Heights and the nearby Harlem and Inwood neighborhoods. The youngest members who compete in our track programs- Tiny Feet (grade 2), Little Feet (grades 3-5) and CityTrack (grades 6-8) and our academic Armory College Prep for Middle School (grades 4-8) all come from our local schools. Also, The Armory's SUNY Attain lab serves thousands of local residents working toward educational milestones and workforce computer skills. Our new Seniors AIM High Program welcomes Seniors from our Community to work out and have medical conversations with the doctors of CUIMC.
All of the above services are provided at no-cost. Please join us!
Take a tour of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, experience one of our exciting high school track meets during a cold winter's day or be inspired by track & field at its highest level with our marquee NYRR Millrose Games. There is something for everyone at The Armory and we welcome you to our home, the House that Doc Built! - Rita Finkel & Jonathan Schindel
History of The Armory
The Armory has had a special place in New York City for over 100 years. Built originally to house local units of the state's volunteer militia and later the National Guard, The Armory later became the hub for the city's track and field enthusiasts. The building was repurposed in the early 1980s as a homeless shelter, and for ten years its famed track became lost behind painted black windows and under 1,800 beds. Today, with the help of private contributions like yours, the spirit of The Armory as a place of competition, education, and fellowship has been restored.
Now recognized as one of the fastest tracks in the world, The Armory annually hosts over 100 track & field competitions, training for more than 220,000 athletes, and 300,000 visitors ranging from elementary school youth to senior citizens. The Armory is home to over 57 high school and 13 professional American records, making possible stories like Alan Webb's sub-four-minute-mile in 2001, the first ever by a high schooler, which was bested by Drew Hunter at The Armory in 2016.
A remarkable 220 members of the 2016 Olympic fields have competed at The Armory, at such international competitions as the Millrose Games, Dr. Sander Invitational, and even at the Public School Athletic League championships.
