Stories
Onward, oyster!
The oyster is one of over 70 characters brought to life by state-of-the-art interactive technology in New York at Its Core. We follow a group that are working to bring oysters back to New York's harbor.
Iconic New York City Restaurants
New York City is a notoriously difficult environment for restaurants to survive in. And yet, some restaurants have despite all odds withstood the test of time.
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The (Oven) Mitts are Off!
What already feels like a long-standing winter holiday tradition is surprisingly only in its second year. Learn about our crowd-pleasing installation from first-year entrant John Kuehn.
Duke Ellington’s New York Rise
Who was Duke Ellington, and how did New York City shape his work?
New York Now: Home Artists Profile: Sara Bennett
A look at the work of Sara Bennett, featured in the exhibition "New York Now: Home."
New York Now: Home Artists Profile: Anders Jones
A look at the work of Anders Jones currently on view in the exhibition "New York Now: Home."
Remembering Dorothy Pitman Hughes
The Museum remembers Dorothy Pitman Hughes, who spent four decades working with community organizations and social movements in New York City around race, gender, and class. In addition, Pitman Hughes was a singer, a speaker, and a small business owner.
MCNY Wrapped
From launching exhibitions about food and faith in New York City to wrapping up major digitization projects, the Museum’s staff has accomplished a lot in 2022. Read about what we’ve been up to!
The Washington Business Institute
Analog technologies created new opportunities, but many individuals couldn’t access them without a fight. The Washington Business Institute operated from 1930–1980. It was there that over 5,000 African Americans, the vast majority of them women, learned skills to prepare them for working in an office environment.
John Vachon for LOOK Magazine Project Wraps Up
The Museum finished a multi-year project that processed, cataloged, and digitized its John Vachon for LOOK magazine photography collection.
From Photographs to Fingerprints
How did city administrations record, store, and keep track of the identities of millions of residents who lived in New York City before digitization and computers?
Laundry Worker Activism in the era of Chinese Exclusion
Sarah Seidman, Puffin Foundation Curator of Social Activism, takes a closer look at three of the photos featured in "Activist New York's" newest case study, "The Alliance is for the Laundrymen: Organizing and Chinese Exclusion in Chinatown 1933-1952 "
Commemorating Ten Years of Activist New York at the Museum
May 2022 marks ten years of the Museum’s ongoing exhibition "Activist New York." Sarah Seidman, Puffin Foundation Curator of Social Activism, takes a look at the history of the exhibition, its present, and where we go from here.
From Pride March to Museum Exhibit
Museum fellow Smaran Dayal discusses recent changes to the exhibition "Activist New York," which now includes a "Current Events" section and features his involvement with intersectional queer political activism in the city.
The Eclectic Trade Card Collection of Harry Twyford Peters
Harry Twyford Peters was an avid collector of American prints and a leading authority on the firm Currier & Ives. With generous support from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the Museum has begun to digitize Peters’ extensive collection of trade cards, and manuscripts.
Yuri Kochiyama and Malcolm X
Activists Yuri Kochiyama and Malcolm X, subjects of the installation "Raise Your Voice" at the Museum of the City of New York, had brief but important connections as part of their work in the Black and Asian American liberation movements and beyond.
On and Off Broadway: The Show Must Go On
Author and playwright Greg Kotis talks about Broadways shut down, in March 2020, and subsequent come back.
Thirty-One in ’21: New York Women in Office Past and Present
Last week, amidst the din of political commentary following elections nationwide, New Yorkers elected 25 new women candidates to the New York City Council. The record-breaking number of women elected to the New York City Council last week include Democrats, Republicans, socialists, many overlapping identities, and several historic firsts.
For the People’s Health: Lessons from the Young Lords for Today’s New York
This fall, the Frederick A.O. Schwartz Education Center began its series “Examining Equity in NYC” that looked at the historical roots of today’s movements for change. In this post, we examine the health activism of the New York Young Lords and offer resources for bringing this crucial story to students.
The Long Fight for Educational Equity in NYC
In the fall of 2020, the Museum’s Frederick A.O. Schwarz Education Center began its series “Examining Equity in NYC,” looking at the historical roots of today’s movements for change. In this post, we dive into the stories from our workshop on the movement to desegregate the city’s public schools and offer resources for educators and students.
Marian Anderson's Concert Gowns
Exploring Anderson’s career, the Museum has undertaken a project to examine, photograph, and digitize a collection of twelve garments—11 concert gowns and one coat dating from the early 1930s to the late 1950s—that were donated to the museum in 1993 by Bette Midler to help preserve the singer’s legacy.
Marian Anderson, the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony, and the Order of History
Pioneering singer Marian Anderson was the first Black woman to perform at a presidential inauguration when she sang the national anthem at Eisenhower’s inaugural ceremony in 1957. A quiet but continuous force for racial equality, we would do well to remember Anderson’s unmistakable voice for the 2021 inauguration.
Glory at The Garden: When the Knicks Won it All
On May 8, 1970, the New York Knicks won their very first NBA championship amidst a tumultuous era in NYC history. Reflect on a time when the city’s sports stars were like rock stars, and it felt like anything was possible in New York.
The Glass Ballot Box and Political Transparency, 1856/2020
Amid outcries about the possibilities of election rigging or the hacking of electronic voting machines, we are reminded that the democratic process has always been a contested sphere. In 1856, the United States was embroiled in conflicts that might seem familiar to today’s readers. In response to news about election tampering, New Yorker Samuel Jollie proposed a novel solution: a ballot box made of glass.
RBG and NYC
Since the death of Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, 2020 at the age of 87, countless pieces have explored her work and enormous legacy.
Strange Discoveries
The collection of the Museum of the City of New York is filled with unexpected wonderful surprises!
100 Years with the 19th Amendment
As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of voting rights for women, we look at how this has spurred digital initiatives, new monuments, collaborative consortiums, new scholarship and nuanced conversations that complicate the legacy of the suffrage movement and demonstrate the significant yet partial victory of the amendment.
Anxiety and Activism: Help the Museum Collect Artifacts to Document the Unprecedented Events of 2020
The Museum of the City of New York launched two separate Instagram campaigns using the hashtags #CovidStoriesNYC and the existing #ActivistNY tag to share how residents and visitors are witnessing this unprecedented moment of challenge and change in our city.
![Black text on white background reads “I [Heart] NY More Than Ever.” The bright red heart symbol has a black bruise along the lower left edge.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/2019_27_3.jpg?itok=txbk34Ej)
Milton Glaser and I [heart] New York
A tribute to celebrated graphic designer Milton Glaser, who created the iconic I [heart] NY logo. A selection of his works were recently added to the Museum’s Ephemera Collection, and several reflect cultural and social movements of the late 20th and early 21st century.
Share your images documenting NYC's current activism and protests for Black lives
In connection with our dedication and commitment to documenting stories of activism and protest in the city, Museum of the City of New York invites you to post images on Instagram using our existing hashtag #ActivistNY, tagging @museumofcityny.
Teachers, Now is a Great Time for Oral History
Encourage students to harness the hours at home to connect with and listen to their fellow New Yorkers, all the while creating the primary sources of tomorrow.
Antonia Pantoja: Organizer and Activist for New York's Puerto Rican Community
Antonia Pantoja—a black, queer, Puerto Rican educator and social worker—was a formidable figure in the historical development of Puerto Rican and Latinx life in New York, Puerto Rico, California, and beyond during the second half of the 20th century.
Elsie Richardson: Investing in Bed-Stuy
Civil rights and community activist Elsie Richardson (1922-2012) undertook visionary organizing in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant beginning in the 1960s. Her work in creating the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation drew citywide and national attention.
Mario César Romero
Mario César Romero, (b. 1942) was a great friend to the Museum who recently passed away from COVID-19. Kathy Benson Haskins, former Museum staff member (now retired) and Community Advocate, wrote this heartfelt tribute that highlights his connections to East Harlem.
#COVIDStoriesNYC: Students as Curators and Photojournalists
The Ed Stories series draws from the Museum of the City of New York’s digital resources to aid educators in navigating the waters of remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis. This post encourages students to assume the role of curator or photojournalist by documenting and interpreting their experiences during the current pandemic.
Be a Champion of the City on #GivingTuesdayNow
Tuesday, May 5, is #GivingTuesdayNow, a new global day of giving and unity as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. We are asking you to support the Museum’s enduring role as New York’s Storyteller, and help ensure we are here to share the next chapter of New York’s epic story.
Five Ideas for Turning an MCNY Lesson Plan into a Remote Learning Tool
The Ed Stories series draws from the Museum of the City of New York’s digital resources to aid educators in navigating the waters of remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis. In this post, we offer five ideas for how you can use MCNY’s lesson plans as a jumping off point to promote student-driven and primary source rich learning from home.
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.
Building Bridges with Language and Theater
Among the almost 70 New Yorkers featured in the Museum of the City of New York’s permanent exhibition, New York at Its Core, is Sister Joanna Wan-Ying Chan, 陳尹瑩, a multi-lingual and multi-talented artist who founded vital cultural institutions in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
Charles T. Harvey: Elevating Transit in 19th-Century New York City
"Meet" Charles T. Harvey, featured in the exhibition "New York at Its Core," who worked to solve New York City's traffic problem in the early 20th century.
“Madame” Demorest—The Woman at the Top of a 19-Century Fashion Empire
"Meet" Ellen Curtis “Madame” Demorest, a pioneering and creative entrepreneur featured in the exhibition "New York at Its Core." Along with her husband William, she created a massive fashion empire in New York City in the middle of the 19th century.
"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.
Beyond the Numbers: The 2020 Census and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Learn how historical and contemporary events and struggles shape the census.
#MuseumMomentOfZen
Enjoy our #MuseumMomentOfZen on Instagram and Twitter. With more than 1,000 posts from museums around the globe, we hope this daily dose of beauty brings a moment of peace into your life.
#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.
The Art of Data
Artists visualize data in novel and interactive forms to show the dimensions of urban life that usually go unnoticed.
MCNY Live
MCNY Live features conversations with artists, authors, politicians, and more who speak about their experiences as New Yorkers. Topics range from aspects of everyday life to addressing the issues that are shaping the city's future.
Why the Census Matters
Our state's future funding, city planning, and political representation all rest upon a full and accurate enumeration.
The Census and Who We Are
How has census data been used to draw out unexpected and provocative patterns, connections, and insights about who New Yorkers are?
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.
Florence Mills: Broadway Sensation of the 1920s
Florence Mills (1896-1927) is one of nearly 70 New Yorkers you can virtually “meet” if you visit the Museum’s permanent exhibition New York at Its Core. We’re bringing her to you #MuseumFromHome in honor of Women’s History Month. Read on to learn more about this iconic New Yorker.
MCNY Madness Challenge 2020
We’ve selected eight images in four categories to kick off the first #MCNYMadnessChallenge. Vote for your favorites on Instagram and Twitter March 23–31 to determine what makes New York New York.
Teachers Explore Data and the Census
Earlier this year, educators spent a day at the Museum investigating strategies to bring data to life in the classroom.
Looking Back on the 30th Anniversary of New York City History Day
Culminating in a day-long competition held each spring, New York City History Day is a program that brings hundreds of middle and high school students from across the city to the Museum to present original historical research on topics of their choosing. Now marking it's 30th anniversary at the Museum, what is the history of History Day?
Iconic New York City Restaurants
New York City is a notoriously difficult environment for restaurants to survive in. And yet, some restaurants have despite all odds withstood the test of time.
Collecting New York's Music Stories
The Museum's exhibitions have shared stories of the world’s most influential metropolis. our most recent exhibition, "Collecting New York's Stories: Stuyvesant to Sid Vicious" features highlights drawn from hundreds of additions to the Museum’s permanent collection over the past three years, including photographs that will intrigue anyone who appreciates music legends who have made their mark on the city throughout the years.
Museum Highlights: 2019
We've had an amazing year! Take a look back at all we've accomplished in 2019 with these 12 highlights.
When Existence is Resistance
Take a closer look at new content on trans activism with Sarah Seidman, the Puffin Foundation Curator of Social Activism.
A Native Talk on Urban Indian
Education & Marketing intern Stephanie Luciano interviews Educators and Curators to learn more about the history of Native Americans in New York City.
The Origins of Window Shopping in New York City
The time-honored tradition of window shopping truly comes alive during the holiday season, when retailers pull out all of the stops to make their window displays ever more eye-catching, festive and uplifting. But where, and when, did window shopping become a part of consumer behavior?
Holiday Traditions and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
Some of the things we consider Thanksgiving staples, like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, weren't originally part of the holiday at all.
Louis Mofsie on the Thunderbirds' 41st Annual Grand Mid-Summer Powwow, 2019
Rebecca Jacobs, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, and filmmaker Nate Lavey created an original film in collaboration with Louis Mofsie on The Thunderbirds’ 41st Annual Grand Mid-Summer Pow Wow, held in summer 2019.
Marathon Miranda
Many classic children’s (and adult) books prominently feature New York City. In the coming months, we will be looking at a few of these titles. As we immerse ourselves in the lives of these characters and their fictional urban life, we’ll explore items from our collections, taking a virtual walk through the actual city streets. Today, we focus on Marathon Miranda.
Dancing Across New York
To celebrate World Ballet Day on Wednesday, October 23, the Museum is looking back through its collections of ballet related photographs, drawings, and ephemera to share.
Climate Week NYC Wraps Up
As #ClimateWeekNYC wraps up, we’ve been revisiting past programs on climate change and current activities in the Future City Lab.
Sunday Walking Tours
Did you know? The Museum used to provide public walking tours around NYC. Organized geographically, and sometimes thematically, these tours were one of our many Public Programs for more than a decade. Follow along with us as we dive into our institution's history.
The LOOK Magazine Collection Processing Project Wraps Up
Highlights of the LOOK Collection as the NEH processing project concludes
Harriet the Spy
Many classic children’s (and adult) books prominently feature New York City. In the coming months, we will be looking at a few of these titles. As we immerse ourselves in the lives of these characters and their fictional urban life, we’ll explore items from our collections, taking a virtual walk through the actual city streets. Today we start with one of the great ones, Harriet the Spy.
Reconsidering Feminist Waves through the Strike for Women’s Equality March
Take a closer look at new content on the women’s liberation movement with Sarah Seidman, Puffin Foundation Curator of Social Activism.
John Vachon for Look Magazine: The Brooklyn Nobody Knows
Look assigned Vachon to the story “Brooklyn Nobody Knows” on September 21, 1948; it was published in the January 18, 1949 issue. By focusing on cultural institutions and figures, nightlife, historic landmarks, and civil engineering projects, Vachon’s photographs presented Brooklyn as on par with its more popularly represented neighbor, Manhattan.
New York City Blues
To celebrate the opening of Blue Man Group: Ready…Go!, a new experiential installation at the Museum, we take a brief look at the color blue as it appears around the city.
Independence Punch and Washington Pudding
With summer upon us it is time to revisit how past New Yorkers spent their time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Many spent time at country resorts like the Colonial Hotel on Croton Lake, socializing and dining with fellow guests.
Theatrical Broadsides
A look at the Museum of the City of New York’s Collection of Theatrical Broadsides.
Welcome Home: Collections at the Museum
A look at the diverse objects that comprise the extensive collections at the Museum.
Questionable ideas in transportation
A look at the Passenger Belt Conveyor, or “Carveyor”, subway system proposed in 1951 to replace the 42nd Street Shuttle between Grand Central and Times Square
Another Side to Coney Island: Hattie Mckeever and Her Waxworks
The museum’s LOOK Magazine collection is full of fascinating photographs of midcentury New York and the people who lived and spent time in it. Some were well-known at the time and remain household names; others were living quieter lives, although often no less interesting.
The World of Tomorrow
Take a look back at the future! The 1939-40 New York World’s Fair was meant to lift Americans’ spirits after the economic woes of the Depression with an optimistic view of the modern world.
Jackie Robinson Day
On April 15, 1947, America's national pastime was finally integrated with the debut of Jackie Robinson as a Brooklyn Dodger. Explore Robinson's groundbreaking career in Major League Baseball and his legacy as a baseball and civil rights legend that lives on today.
MCNY on the Road
The Museum of the City of New York has sent many of our exhibitions on the road and across the ocean! And our registrars travel with them every step of the way.
Our East Harlem Home
East Harlem has been home to the Museum of the City of New York since 1932. Find out what makes this neighborhood so special.
Baseball on Stage
Baseball season is here! As fans prepare themselves for 162 games of ebullient triumph or searing disappointment, let us take a moment to revisit America’s pastime in a different arena, the Broadway stage.
Getting Dressed: Gilded Age Tea Dress
In the second episode of Getting Dressed, our behind-the-scenes series in the Museum's costume storage collection, we take a closer look at an opulent tea gown that's absolutely bursting with color and personality.
One Dress, Two Women's History
The stories of two New York women—the maker and the wearer—are discovered through the history of a garment from the Costume Collection.
History of 1220 Fifth Avenue
The Museum has called 1220 Fifth Avenue home since 1932, but our first home was at Gracie Mansion where the mayor of NYC resides today. Learn about the fascinating history of our beautiful building at the top of Museum Mile.
The Delaney Brothers
Drawn by the creative energies of the Harlem Renaissance, these two talented brothers from Knoxville made a name for themselves in the NYC art scene.
Getting Dressed: Gilded Age Afternoon Dress
Go behind the scenes of the Museum's costume collection to take a closer look at an extravagant Gilded Age frock, and get to know the New York City woman who wore the dress.
The Edward Floyd De Lancey Collection of Family Papers
Dating from the early Colonial through the pre-Civil War years, the collection provides rich information about the personal and political lives of New York City-area Loyalists before, during, and after the Revolutionary War.
Punk Photographer Roberta Bayley
The photographer of the iconic Ramones album cover shares her experiences in New York City's early punk scene.
The Bronx Zoo’s First Female Zookeeper
Helen Martini helped raise many kinds of animals from the zoo—oftentimes even caring for them in her Bronx apartment!
Shopping in the Late 19th Century
With the Midtown flagship stores of Lord & Taylor and Henri Bendel both closing their doors, we take a look back at the shops in the Ladies’ Mile shopping district of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Coney Island Polar Bear Club
The Museum recently acquired photographs of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, which is believed to be the oldest continuous winter swimming association in the U.S. To learn more about the organization, a member of our Collections team accompanied the club for a swim.
The Historical and Personal Importance of Engraved Powder Horns
Powder horns, engraved or plain, were remarkably necessary and personal possessions in Colonial America.
New York by the Slice
New York is a city of immigrants who brought traditions along with them that became part of the city’s food culture. We explore the history of how pizza came to be a staple of New Yorkers’ diet.
Describing Medium of Performance in the Edward B. Marks Music Co. Collection on George M. Cohan
Learn about unique cataloging challenges our collections staff had never encountered before.
Germ City: Epidemics throughout New York’s History
As this year's flu season begins, we reflect on the 1918 influenza pandemic and other contagious diseases the city has had to contend with.
Digitizing the Work of John Vachon in the LOOK Magazine Collection
Our project to process and describe the Museum’s LOOK magazine collection continues with the digitization of photographs by John Vachon, who documented American life — from the rural poor to the New York City streets.
A Reading List for Rebel Women
Read all about the boat-rocking women who helped make New York City the cultural, political, economic, and social capital it is today
Processing and Cataloging the LOOK Magazine Collection
Learn about the Museum's project to catalog, process, and digitize our LOOK magazine photo archive collection.
Showgirls Costume Designer and Song Writer Cora MacGeachy
It is often challenging to find information on artists who work behind the scenes, especially if they were active 100 years ago. Cora MacGeachy, a costume designer and songwriter in the early 20th century, is an example of one such behind-the-scenes artist.
New York Schools and Integration, Revisited
The curators of the Museum's Future City Lab and Activist New York exhibition examine the long history and persistent challenges of New York City school segregation.
Staff Picks: Rebel Women
One of the Museum's registrars shares her favorite item in Rebel Women: Defying Victorianism—a cartoon of feminist and radical Victoria Woodhull.
Happy Birthday, Leonard Bernstein
August 25 marks the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein. We’re getting in on the world-wide celebration of the conductor, composer, and New Yorker with a few highlights from the Museum’s collection.
William A. Clark Mansion
Copper magnate William S. Clark Sr. built one of the most egregious examples of Gilded Age excess. The mansion that once stood at 960 Fifth Avenue boasted 121 rooms, 31 baths, four art galleries, a swimming pool, and even an underground rail line!
Dressing Sustainably, Then and Now
Valentina Schlee and Vera Maxwell, two of the mid-20th century's defining designers, extolled the merits of a minimalist wardrobe. They created looks that buoyed the nation’s women through the WWII period of L-85 governmental restrictions without feeling deprived.
Shakespeare! The Musical!
The Museum’s Theater Collection curator takes a look at three 20th-century musicals that were inspired by the immortal Bard's works.
City Play: Martha Cooper’s New York
Martha Cooper's photographs from the '70s and '80s reflect a time before video games and cell phones when the streets of New York were a creative playground for city kids.
Loyalists Reunited! A Peek into the Edward Floyd De Lancey Collection of Family Papers
This historically significant archive includes correspondence to and from John Jay, John Quincy Adams, and a number of other influential New York City citizens.
![A 1978 museum photo by Martha Swope of [Rehearsal for "Timbuktul"] at the New York Public Library.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/81.54.4580.jpg?itok=y4SmXTh-)
Geoffrey Holder: New York’s Renaissance Man
Learn how a kid from Trinidad and Tobago went on to become one of Broadway’s most prolific figures, with his work on The Wiz and Timbuktu! earning him multiple Tony Awards.
Hitting the Beach in the 19th Century
Fleeing the steamy city streets for the beach is not a new phenomenon. Take an escape to the summertime retreats of years past and see how New Yorkers used to beat the heat…despite the heavy layers of clothing!
Frances Feist: New Jersey to the Cotton Club
When she was 27 years old, New Jersey native Frances Feist won a costume design contest sponsored by the famous Cotton Club.
The Extraordinary “Mother” Mandelbaum
In honor of Mother’s Day, learn about a different, but very New York kind of mother — NYC’s original “Mother of Crooks” Fredericka “Marm” Mandelbaum.
Now Playing! George M. Cohan
Last year, the Museum announced a new project to digitize, catalog, and make available the scripts, scores, and sheet music of George M. Cohan. The Museum is excited to announce that the first group of material is now available online. Check it out!
New York: The Original Breadbasket of America
Bagels and pizza are quintessential NYC foods that wouldn't exist without wheat! Explore the history of wheat as an important staple of the New York City diet through images from the collections.
Earth Day 2018 – How Are we Doing?
Kubi Ackerman, Director of the Future City Lab, takes a look at the many ways that New York City is trying to improve the environment, and how it’s progressing towards its goals.
Happy 75th Birthday, Oklahoma!
Oh, what a beautiful opening night for Oklahoma!, the first musical from composer-lyrist team Rodgers & Hammerstein. To celebrate its 75th birthday, we delve into the history of the legendary musical with objects from our Theater Collection.
New York City Easter Parade
Easter in New York has become synonymous with a pageant of people marching down Fifth Avenue, many wearing large over-the-top hats. Learn how the Easter parade became the “fashion promenade” it is today.
Green Grow the Lilacs: A Play with Songs
The landmark musical Oklahoma! turns 75 this month. Get the backstory on how Rodgers and Hammerstein's smash Broadway hit came to be.
Women's History Month
Through March 31, LinkNYC kiosks will display images of notable women featured in Beyond Suffrage: A Century of New York Women in Politics. Look out for us around the city to get to know some of the extraordinary women that changed New York City and the world.
![A museum photo by A. B. Bogart of [Guido Bruno] in 1915.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/F2012_58_186.jpg?itok=YYrqRl-Z)
Guido Bruno: A Literary Vagabond
Known for his unique writing and unwaveringly progressive social and political views, Guido Bruno made a name for himself in the literary and artistic scene of Greenwich Village. Get to know the “mayor of the Village" and his battles with the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.
Behind the Barrier: Deinstallations & Rotations
Deinstallation of objects takes just as much planning and care as installation. Go behind the scenes with one of our registrars see what happens after an exhibition closes.
Passing the Torch: From One Education Fellow to Another
Jaiwantie Manni shares her experience as a F.A.O. Schwarz Family Foundation Fellow at the Museum where she has been incorporating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities into our education programs.
![A museum photo by Wurts Bros of [Mushing at the North American Winter Sports Show] taken in 1936.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/X2010_7_2_06962.jpg?itok=BMO-MlgE)
One Ton of Ice & Clowns on Skis
In the 1930s, Madison Square Garden was transformed into a winter wonderland for the Winter Sports Show. Real snow and ice blanketed the area where spectators witnessed “a host of new and nerve-pulsating events” like ski jumping, slalom and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, “fancy” ice skating, and dog sledding.
Skating and Romance
Though today more commonly associated with family recreation, ice skating in New York City was once a field of ripe romantic possibility.
2017 Women’s March: One Year Later
The 2017 Women’s March was an important event in NYC history that we felt should be represented in the Museum's collection. Take a look at some of the signs from the March that were selected.
![A museum photo by Benedict J. Fernandez of [Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.] during April 15, 1967.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/mny26287-thumb.jpg?itok=bxNI-xXM)
From Harlem to Hanoi: Dr. King and the Vietnam War
We look back at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s controversial sermon opposing the Vietnam War at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights.
Fantastic Fans
The hand fans in the Museum's collection are exceptional not only for their beauty, but also for the rich history behind them. Check out the fascinating stories of five fans.
![A museum photo by William Auerbach- Levy (1889- 1964) of [Skippy Baxter and Eileen Seigh in Howdy, Mr. Ice of 1950].](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/64_100_2141_1.jpg?itok=bsJ7t7Vl)
Icetravagaza!: Ice shows at Rockefeller Center
In 1940, a new kind of entertainment was born at Rockefeller Center’s theatre. Dubbed an "icetravaganza", the show was formatted like a basic musical revue but with ice skaters!
Alexander Hamilton and DeWitt Clinton Statues Conservation
Alexander Hamilton and DeWitt Clinton are back home! Follow their conservation journey through behind-the-scenes videos and blog posts.
![A photo by an unknown photographer of [Gilda Radner in "Gilda Radner- Live From New York"] in 1979.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/MN147951_0.jpg?itok=VSawv9V5)
Guard for a Night, as Told by Two Registrars
Sometimes our Collections Department staff come out from behind the scenes to stand guard at events. See what they learned by experiencing the Museum from a different perspective.
Why are Alexander Hamilton and DeWitt Clinton on the Museum's Façade?
Sculptures of these legendary New Yorkers have been standing in the niches of the Museum’s façade since 1941. Curator Steven Jaffe explains how they shaped the future of both the city and the United States.
![A museum photo by Alvin Colt of [Macy's Shoppers in Here's Love] in 1963.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/69_96_43-thumb.jpg?itok=x5c9oAnr)
The Miracle at Macy’s — the Musical!
Here’s Love, a musical retelling of Miracle on 34th Street, recreated the spectacle of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on stage. Read about the production, and check out some of the original costume designs from our theater collection.
Sophie Tucker: The Last of the Red Hot Mammas
Ukraine-born singer Sophie Tucker burst onto the New York City theater scene in the early 1900s. During her 50-year career, she befriended and worked with many larger-than-life figures like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Irving Berlin.
Remembering Mel Rosenthal
Mel Rosenthal—photographer, educator, activist, and friend of the Museum of the City of New York—recently passed away. We remember the life of this notable New Yorker.
Salsa on Stage
Rhythm & Power: Salsa in New York digs into salsa’s history as an art form and social movement. Our Theater Collection curator takes a look at how that movement translated and transferred on stage.
Trays, Cavities, and Guillotines
Objects are always coming and going at the Museum. See how our registrars ensure safe travels for art and artifacts.
What Is DACA, and How Does it Affect New Yorkers?
One of the five challenges explored in the Future City Lab’s “Living Together” section addresses New York City’s diversity, reflected in its demographics, culture, cuisine, and entrepreneurial spirit. See how the repeal of DACA will impact NYC.
When Love Comes so Strong
If you know the story of Romeo and Juliet, you know the story of West Side Story. Read about the creative forces behind the musical and its lasting legacy.
The Hunt
What happens when an object's lender can't be found? Read the bittersweet story about how a registrar tracked down the doll's rightful owner 30 years later.
Civil Defense During the Cold War
See how New Yorkers prepared for a nuclear attack during the Cold War through objects in the Museum’s Manuscripts and Ephemera collection, including a 1950s-era Civil Defense kit.
How to Curate an Interactive History Exhibition in 11 Easy Steps
The curator of Rhythm & Power: Salsa in New York shares his experience putting together this vibrant exploration of salsa in NYC.
Summer at the Museum
Education intern Stephanie Luciano describes what she learned about herself while teaching kids at the Museum this summer.
Conserving the Adolph Alexander Weinman Sculptures on the Museum’s Façade
It’s not every day that collections care at the Museum involves a giant boom crane and a forklift. Learn about the effort to clean and conserve the sculptures of Alexander Hamilton and DeWitt Clinton.
Gertrude Hoffman and the Dance That Offended Public Decency
Before Madonna and Britney, there was Gertrude Hoffman, a dancer who pushed the boundaries of public decency and paved the way for future female performers.
Photographing Muslims in New York
Photographer Robert Gerhardt, whose work is featured in Muslim in New York, shares his experiences documenting Muslim American communities.
Presenting, the Ephemera Collection
The Museum is pleased to announce the completion of Illuminating New York City History through Material Culture, the National Endowment for the Humanities-funded project to process, catalog, digitize, and rehouse the Ephemera collections.
When Mortals Dream at Night in the Summer
Love triangles, fairy fights, magical love potion, and a freakish half man/half donkey set the stage for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
ACT UP, HIV/AIDS, and the Fight for Healthcare
New York City has been at the forefront of HIV/AIDS activism, from the early 80s to present day. The fight for healthcare for the most vulnerable is as relevant today as it was in the early days of the crisis.
Truman Capote’s “Black and White Dance”
You’re invited to take a look back at the fabulous fashion and famous guests of Truman Capote’s legendary event at the Plaza Hotel that brought actors, socialites, and style icons together for the party of the century.
Museum Architect Apprentice Program
The Museum recently hosted an apprenticeship program with the World Science Festival for kids ages 8–13 to explore the role of parks in cities.
The Sounds of Patriotism
Posters weren’t the only form of propaganda during the Great War. We take a look at how music in the United States was inspired by the war in Europe.
The Life Cycle of a Loan
Follow the journey an object takes when borrowed by another institution—from conservation and shipping to deinstallation and its return home.
The Beheading of President Andrew Jackson
Learn about the fascinating story behind the decapitation of President Andrew Jackson’s figurehead on the U.S.S. Constitution.
Fort George Amusement Park
Come along for the ride as we take a look back at an amusement park that stood on the northernmost tip of Manhattan over a century ago.
Contemplating and Commemorating Rapid Transit in New York City
Happy Birthday, NYC Subway! The subway system opened on October 27, 1904. Go back to the beginnings to learn how the underground railway came to be.
Resuscitating Ruby’s Dolls
Learn how conservators brought the story of Harlem fashion designer Ruby Bailey to life.
Onward, oyster!
The oyster is one of over 70 characters brought to life by state-of-the-art interactive technology in New York at Its Core. We follow a group that are working to bring oysters back to New York's harbor.
Dance Culture in NYC
The vibrant history of New York City’s diverse dance culture is explored through a unique course for youth.
The New Colossus
How the poem that gave us the iconic verse, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” made the Statue of Liberty a symbol of immigration and refuge.
I Spy: A journey of discovery through photography
Photographs in the Museum's collection shine a light on New York City's diversity. In our I Spy classes school students dive into the collection to learn about photography from the masters, and then head out into the city to develop their own creative eye.
Gloria Steinem
Feminist pioneer Gloria Steinem joins us for a walk through New York at Its Core, and a discussion on feminism, freedom, and the future.
Profiles in Freedom: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Dr. Aubre Maynard, and Yun Gee
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, the Museum of the City of New York is exhibiting a portrait of Dr. Aubré de Lambert Maynard - best remembered for his role in helping to save Dr. King life’s after an assassination attempt in New York in 1958.
Ringing in the New Year with the Second Avenue Subway
This past Saturday night, New Year’s Eve, the Museum was honored to serve as part of the host committee of the inaugural Second Avenue Subway ride. Read on to explore the history of past subway expansions.
Restaurants of Yore
It’s harder and harder for an independent restaurant to survive in New York City. Here we look back at restaurants that enjoyed a successful run in our city.
Clement Clarke Moore and Santa in the City
Many people know Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863) as influential in the popularization of Santa Claus in America with his verse “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” However, he was also an important New Yorker in his own right.
From Taxidermy to Technology: the Exhibition Evolution at the Museum of the City of New York
Having just opened New York at Its Core provides us with an opportunity to look back at the evolution of exhibitions here at the Museum over the past 93 years.
Basement Bathhouse, Rooftop Farm, Symphonies and Scandals in Between
What do Stravinsky, the Black Sox, Bette Midler, and a swinger’s club have in common? At one point they were all inside New York City’s Ansonia Hotel.
Lenape Ceremonial Club
A close reading of the ceremonial Lenape Club, one of the many fascinating objects featured in our New York at its Core exhibition.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
In this guest post, Lisa Keller explores how a 1911 tragedy galvanized support for labor reform and worker's rights in New York City.
The Cross Manhattan Expressway
This brochure illustrates a contentious and never-realized future for New York City, where the car would rule Lower Manhattan.
Occupied Wall Street Journal
With its cheeky title, Occupied Wall Street Journal hopped off the printing press and into Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan roughly one month after the Occupy Wall Street encampment popped up on September 17, 2011.
Civil Rights in Brooklyn
A behind the scenes peek into the making of New York at its Core and some of the Civil Rights Era artifacts that will be on view in the exhibition.
Telling the Stories of Activism in New York City Today
Dante from Million Hoodies for Justice is just one of the NYC activists profiled in our new Activist New York touch screen interactive stations.
Listening to Gay Gotham
One of the challenges in creating history exhibitions is bringing the voices of its featured personalities to life. Gay Gotham curators Stephen Vider and Donald Albrecht found a unique way to do that by working with actors to perform readings of the works of Richard Bruce Nugent and Mercedes de Acosta, featured on audio stations in the exhibition.
The Future City Lab
Introducing The Future City Lab, a new space where visitors will explore solutions for various challenges the city faces.
Louis Bouché, The Stettheimer Dollhouse and Mama’s Boy
Peer inside the Stettheimer Dollhouse at the Museum of the City of New York, and you’ll find a host of tiny works of art. Many of these works have the stamp of renowned artists of the 1920s, but curators are still tracing down the inspiration for others. Recently, Bruce Weber discovered the source for one in a life-size gallery upstate.
![Leland Bobbé, Subway [Voice of the Ghetto], 1974. Archival pigment print. Gift of the photographer. 2016.10.7.](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/mn185974_0.jpg?itok=8q3-MZ35)
From the Fulton Market to the Forty-Deuce: Leland Bobbé’s New York in the 1970s
An exploration of the work of Leland Bobbé, who throughout the 1970s photographed the darker side of New York City.
Conserving the Rufus King Traveling Medicine Chest
Jamaica, Queens was home to Rufus King, one of our first senators. Inside his former farmhouse–still standing today–was a medicine chest, and inside the chest….well, you’ll have to read on to find out.
The Apple Peeler and Corer
High on a shelf of the legendary Russ & Daughters Appetizing store was an object that perfectly encapsulated the story of New York at Its Core, and a tool that helped launch a 100-year old business.
Alexander Hamilton’s “Sweet Project”
Towards the end of his career, Alexander Hamilton wrote to his wife, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, about a “sweet project” he was planning, with which she would be pleased.
A View of Melrose
On a hot August afternoon last summer, I left the office early and caught the 5 train north. My objective was to locate the site of the Ursuline Convent in what had once been the rural village of Melrose, and was now the heart of the South Bronx.
![Stanley Kubrick. Shoe Shine Boy [Mickey with pigeons.], 1947. Museum of the City of New York. X2011.4.10368.374](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/thumbnail_22.jpg?itok=9hPC20bI)
Up on the Roof: The Revered, Reviled City Pigeon
There are over 1 million pigeons in New York City and the tradition of urban pigeon keeping is a longstanding one. Explore this history through the Museum collections
Augustus Hepp’s Central Park in Blue
In the 1870s Augustus Hepp was commissioned to photograph the newly built Central Park. The Museum retains a collection of 40 large format cyanotypes he made.
The New York Women Who Dismantled Prohibition
Women have been considered some of the most visible advocates of the temperance movement, but did you know that women were also some of the most active opponents of the 18th amendment?
From Expressway to Contemplative Oasis: The Elevated West Side Highway
When racing in a cab down West Street trying to make it in time for a meeting, how many people think back just a few decades when an elevated expressway ran down the western edge of the city from the Henry Hudson Expressway to Battery Park?
Hot Dog!
Franks, weenies, coneys, dogs, ketchup, kraut, chili; the contested history of the classic American finger food.
![Alfred Mainzer (no dates). [Times Square], ca. 1980. Museum of the City of New York. F2011.33.149](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/f2011-33-149_1.jpg?itok=x-75jgQe)
From Dazzling to Dirty and Back Again: A Brief History of Times Square
A history of the creative vibrancy and great depravity that has made Times Square "the crossroads of the world."
The Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic
It’s a sweltering July evening in 1915 and the lights have just come up after the finale of a Ziegfeld Follies show at the New Amsterdam Theatre on 42nd Street. You dread walking out into the muggy night and long for a cool escape. But you’re in luck tonight because it’s the premiere of Flo Ziegfeld Jr.’s new revue, the Danse de Follies!
Myths surrounding the origin of the Statue of Liberty
Two early Auguste Bartholdi models in the Museum’s collections shed some light on the contested origins of the State of Liberty.
![Byron Company. [James K. Hackett as Mercutio fights Campbell Gollan’s Tybalt] 1899. Museum of the City of New York. 34.271.813G](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/thumbnail_1.jpg?itok=eLop50mT)
Romeo and Juliet, a love story in pictures
It has been called the greatest love story of all time; take the opportunity to revisit the romance with a pictorial re-telling from the Museum’s collection.
Thomas Nast takes down Tammany: A cartoonist’s crusade against a political boss
Known today as the father of American political cartoons, Thomas Nast gained fame for Harper’s Magazine in the 1860s and 1870s. Today he is best remembered for his cartoons about Boss Tweed and the Tammany Ring.
Vanderbilt Ball
In the spring of 1883, the solemnity of Lent didn’t stand a chance against the social event on the mind of all of New York’s elite society: Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt’s fancy dress ball.
The Contentious History of Supplying Water to Manhattan
What made New York a prosperous port – its deep saltwater rivers – made its drinking water lousy. But this was also a problem of human error, dating back to when Europeans first settled in what was to become Manhattan.
Ghosts of the 6 Train
New York City’s vast transit system is in a constant state of flux, expanding to fill the needs of underserved areas and simultaneously contracting due to budget cuts or obsolescence. Abandoned subway stations across the city remind us of how transit has changed over the years.
The Broadway-Lafayette Transfer and the Evolution of the City’s Subway
In celebration of the subway transfer at Broadway-Lafayette station, we put together a collection of images that show the construction and evolution of the New York City subways.
The Beach Pneumatic Transit Company – just a bunch of hot air?
The story of a forgotten transit line, one powered entirely by forcing air through a tunnel.
![Lucas-Monroe. [Veronica Lake as Peter Pan and Lawrence Tibbett as Captain Hook], 1951. Museum of the City of New York. 80.104.1.2119](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/80_104_1_2119.jpg?itok=rvRZLxSK)
Peter Pan: over 100 years of the boy who wouldn’t grow up
Peter Pan made his Broadway debut on November 6, 1905, just under a year after appearing for the first time on the London stage. Over 100 years later the boy who wouldn’t grow up can still draw our attention.
A Fine Line: The Art of the Clothesline
Before laundromats, the clothesline was an intrinsic component of the urban landscape of New York City.
![Arthur Rothstein (1915-1985), John Vachon (1914-1975), Phillip Harrington (1920-2009), LOOK Magazine. New York in the Summertime [Times Square at night.], 1949. Museum of the City of New York. X2011.4.11125.96](https://www.mcny.org/sites/default/files/styles/mcny_col_3_thumbnail/public/thumbnail_9.jpg?h=d8c61600&itok=um7DUwVB)
Mott Haven Historic District
Explore the history of Mott Haven, the first neighborhood in the Bronx to receive a historic district designation from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Riding the Subway with Stanley Kubrick
As most New Yorkers know, the subway system is the lifeline of New York City. In 1946, Stanley Kubrick set out to capture the story of New York City’s subway commuters.
23 Skidoo
Today crowds gather around the Flatiron Building to admire its architecture and place in New York history, but back in the early part of the 20th century, men gathered there for a vastly different reason.
The Tale of the Shoe Shine Boy
Stanley Kubrick's 1947 pictorial of Mickey, a 12-year-old boy from Brooklyn who shines shoes for 10 cents a pop.
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The original home of iconic photos of a changing city, and commentary on our Collections and Exhibitions.
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