The home of diverse cultural attractions, the Upper West side is sandwiched between Riverside Park to the west and Central Park to the east. In addition to being the most densely populated area of the United States, the Upper West Side is the home of several academic institutions and famous people too numerous to list here. The American Museum of Natural History and the new Rose Center for Earth and Space, New-York Historical Society, Museum of American Folk Art, Metropolitan Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Walter Reader Theater, City Opera, and both Fordham University and The Julliard School grace the area.