Movements and Causes

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A black and white photograph of three nurses standing around a patient in a hospital bed.
Movements and Causes Friday, April 24, 2020

Echoes of Epidemics Past:

Infectious disease has repeatedly shaped and challenged our city. In fact, before the 20th century, contagion was the overwhelming fact of life – and death – in New York.
Poster with the words "Give Earth A Chance" above, a room with blue walls and a green floor and a globe hovering in the middle below.
Movements and Causes Monday, April 13, 2020

"A Future Worth Living?"

April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in New York City and nationwide. Learn more about the first Earth Day and how it has shaped environmentalism and informs our thinking today.
Mitchell Hartman, “Defiant” 2020 © Mitchell Hartman
City Arts Wednesday, April 1, 2020

#CovidStoriesNYC

We invite everyone to share photos—taken from an appropriately socially-distanced perspective—documenting personal experiences during this challenging time. Post those images on Instagram using the hashtag #CovidStoriesNYC, and tag @museumofcityny.
Installation Shot of Germ City: Microbes and the Metropolis, with a crowd looking at the exhibition.
Movements and Causes Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Germ City: How Past Epidemics Can Shape Our Knowledge of the Coronavirus

New York is a resilient city that has a long, complex, and fascinating history of battling infectious disease and epidemics. This was presented in the exhibition "Germ City: Microbes and the Metropolis," on view September 2018–April 2019. Take a look at these resources and see how they can put our response to the current coronavirus outbreak in context.