Growing up in Queens, Bernadette Peters was enraptured by trips into Manhattan to see the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History.

“There’s something special about revisiting them as an adult, with fresh eyes,” said Peters, 77, a two-time Tony-winning actress who originated the roles of the Witch in “Into the Woods” and Dot in “Sunday in the Park With George.”

She’s doing much the same thing in her latest turn on Broadway — her first in nearly seven years — in “Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends,” a concert-style revue of songs by the acclaimed composer and lyricist who died in 2021, in which she stars opposite Lea Salonga.

Though Peters has played a number of the featured roles, her song choices are surprising — singing “I Know Things Now” as Little Red Riding Hood, for instance, in the “Into the Woods” segment.

“I like a challenge,” said Peters, who put her stamp on half a dozen Sondheim characters, including Momma Rose in “Gypsy,” Desirée Armfeldt in “A Little Night Music” and Sally Durant Plummer in “Follies.”

In a phone interview last month from Los Angeles, where “Old Friends” was wrapping up a pre-Broadway run, Peters, who was anxious to get back to home to New York City and her rescue dogs Charlie and Rosalie, shared 10 of her Big Apple-inspired cultural essentials.

Georges Seurat’s Study for ‘A Sunday on La Grande Jatte’

Steve [Sondheim] took me when the Seurat show was at the Met in 2017. It was very sweet of him. He started laughing at me because I didn’t realize I’d started humming the music from “Sunday in the Park With George.”

Off Broadway Theater

I like the Shed, which is where I saw the last show that Steve wrote, “Here We Are” — it was fabulous. And there’s always something wonderful about the Public Theater. That’s where “Hamilton” got its start, and you can enjoy delightful cabaret at Joe’s Pub.

Broadway Barks

I’ve been an animal lover all my life — I get it from my father, who saved birds that fell out of trees. After visiting a New York City shelter 26 years ago and seeing how bad things were, I started this cat and dog adoption event with my friend Mary Tyler Moore, another great animal activist in the Broadway community. It’s every summer in Shubert Alley if you need a new friend.

Salumeria Rosi

I live on the Upper West Side, and Salumeria Rosi at 73rd and Amsterdam is my neighborhood hangout. On the weekends, they have great eggs in tomato sauce, which my grandmother used to make.

The Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy

The best two weeks in September in New York. It’s so crowded, but it’s so much fun. I love the handmade almond nougat candy — they make it in large chunks, and then a man will ask, “How much do you want?” and take an ice pick and a hammer and chip it off.

Going to the Movies

I like seeing things on the big screen. It envelops you. It’s what it was invented for. I was excited to see “Anora” won best original screenplay at the Oscars — it’s such an original idea for a story, and Mikey Madison was remarkable. I loved “The Brutalist.” And “Conclave” — it looked gorgeous, the way they arranged those bishops’ clothes. Ralph Fiennes was fabulous.

Subway Musicians

I love the saxophonist who plays “My Funny Valentine” at 42nd Street! There used to be a wonderful violinist as well. There’s talent and creativity everywhere.

The High Line

I enjoy seeing all the wildflowers, especially in the area near Chelsea Market. It’s so lovely to see these ruins, these old train tracks become something beautiful.

Puccini’s ‘Turandot’

I was lucky enough to see Franco Zeffirelli’s production of Puccini’s “Turandot” at the end of last year. It was remarkable. All these people expressing their souls through their voices is beautiful. The set is incredibly fantastical, and luscious, and big. The opera stage is so much bigger and deeper than the Broadway stage is.

The Central Park Carousel

I’ve been obsessed with it since I was a little girl. It’s a large toy in pastels. It’s magical. I’ve never had a chance to ride it, but I will.