5th Avenue is really two streets in one. Uptown from 59th street, 5th Avenue is a quiet, wide boulevard with many, many old and stately buildings. They are all constructed in similar elegant styles and can be quite nice to look at as you walk by. The Uptown section of 5th Avenue is also famous for its Museum Mile, containing, among other museums, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim Museum, The Museum of the City of New York, and El Museo. It is also the home to many gorgeous brownstones and the consulates of several countries. Go down below 59th street, however, and suffer the commercialization - big F.A.O Schwartz and other flagship shopping stores that are attractive to tourists only. If shopping is your thing, however, you may find it heaven.