Museum of the City of New York

 

 

Almost every city or town has a historical museum of some kind. New York City just has to be different. It has not, not two, not three, but SIX such museums. Each o the five boroughs has an official historical society, and then there is the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY). 

Entrance to the Central Park Conservatory Garden

The museum was founded in 1923 as a somewhat more populist historical resource than the NY Historical Society was at the time. The MCNY was originally housed in Gracie Mansion, the city owned home of New York’s mayors. Its mission was and is to provide a look at both the historic and current lives of residents of the city. In 1926 New York started planning a permanent home, and donated land along the east side of Central Park, between 103rd and 104th street. In 1932 MCNY opened in its Georgian styled building, and over the past 100 years its collection has grown to over 750,000 objects.

The MCNY has several ongoing exhibitions that explore aspects of the city’s history. Timescapes is a 28-minute long video presentation that explores the history of the city. Activist New York offers a voice to the many political movements that have been a part of New York life since the city was founded. The Stetthiemer Dollhouse: In a New Light is a wonderful display of large dollhouse created during the period between the world wars. The house has been recently refurbished and provides a wonderful insight into both the idea of collecting miniatures and grandeur of the 5th Ave mansion of that era.

 

There are also excellent special exhibits. Changing the Face of Democracy (through July 20, 2025) is a tribute to Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) on the 100th anniversary of her birth. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to serve in the House of Representatives of the United States. She was also the first Black woman to run for the nomination of a major political party. She was a leading progressive voice in Congress, helping to establish the WIC program to provide food for poor families, fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment, and for guaranteeing the civil rights for all. She also was one of the first elected politicians to take a stand against the war in Vietnam. 

Portrait of Shirley Chisholm by Sherman Beck

Shirley Chisholm by Richard Avedon

On the Mall at a protest of the Vietnam War

Shirley Chisholm and Adam Clayton Powell Jr by Fred McDarrah

Also on display is Art Deco City: New York Post Cards from the collection of Leonard A Lauder (through Feb 17, 2025). The 1930’s was the era of Art Deco design, and New York was at its center. From the architecture of the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, to the new Marine Terminal at the Glenn H. Curtis (now Laguardia) airport, to the design of the 1939 World’s Fair, Art Deco filled the city. It was beautifully captured in the many postcards produced during this time period. The drawings and photographs provide a great historical record of the era.

The George Washington Bridge

Harris Field

Celebrating The Normandie ocean liner

The Chrysler Building

Finally, I highly recommend going to see You Are Here (through Oct 5, 2025). This video presentation is a celebration of New York as one of the most filmed cities in the world. For over 100 years film makers have used NYC as a backdrop for their stories. You Are Here uses over 1000 cinematic clips to show the many ways the city has been presented.

Nuts and Bolts

• The Museum of the City of New York is located at 1220 5th Ave. it is open 7 days a week - 10 AM - 5 PM M-F and 10 AM - 6 PM on Sa-Su.
• The entrance fees are: Adults $23/ Seniors $18/ Students $14/ Under 18 free. New York State residents can pay what they want at all times, and Wednesday is free for all visitors.

Historic Athens Georgia

 

The Arch - UGA

 Athens, Georgia, is home to the state’s oldest and largest public university, the University of Georgia. The town was founded as a trading settlement in the 18th century, and in 1785, the charter for the college was granted. The presence of UGA has influenced and maintained a thriving downtown area ever since. 

Ugga at Truist

 

Ugga at Hotel Indigo

 

On a recent visit I took myself on the Historic Downtown self-guided walking tour, one of many that are offered on the Visit Athens website. My tour started at the Historic Athens Welcome Center. The Center is located in the Church-Waddel-Brumble House, which was built in 1820. From 1820-1829, the building served as the home for the president of UGA. It was then home to several families until the mid 1960’s. In 1967 the house was saved from demolition by several local business men, and it was moved to its current location and turned into a museum and welcome center.

The Church-Waddel-Bumbry House

 I chose the Historic Downtown tour because it offered an exploration of homes and buildings that span almost all of Athens’ history, from 1820 through modern Athens. Whether you are stopping at the Ware-Lyndon House, built in 1850, and now both a historic museum and cultural center, or some of the mid-20th century buildings, like the U.S. Post Office. Athens has done a good job of retaining its historic center.

One of the highlights on my walk was the Double Barreled Cannon. This unique weapon was an attempt to increase lethality of artillery fire. The idea was to load two projectiles into the cannon, connected by a chain. Theoretically, the rounds would be fired simultaneously, stretching the chain between them as they plowed through opposing forces. Unfortunately, the timing could never be perfected, and it was never used.

Another historic part of town is the “Hot Corner.” This intersection was the heart of the Black community in town. On one corner is Morton Building, home to the Morton Theater, built in 1910. The theater opened as a Vaudeville stage, becoming part of the Chitlin Circuit. Later, it became the movie theater for the Black community. The Morton Building served as home to most of the Black doctors, lawyers and other professionals. In other building here you would find tailors, barbers and salons, and restaurants and bars that served Blacks during the time of segregation.

Morton Theater/Morton building

Because of the university, there is always something to in Athens. There are many sports events and music venues. And lots of good restaurants. We enjoyed a great lunch at Thai Spoon, which provides a really good menu, with great heat if you want it. For dinner we ate at The National, which offers a Euro-inspired menu of small and large plates, everything fresh and delish.

 

When you visit, you can choose from 15 self-guided tours in and around the town, and several guided tours are also available.    

Siena, Africa and Europe at The Metropolitan Museum, New York City

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is always a great place to visit. Its permanent collection is one of the best in the world, and it always has fascinating special exhibitions. While their fall shows are starting to wind down, there is still time to catch the two main exhibitions.

Siena - The Rise of Painting (through Jan 26, 2025)

 

In the 14th century, the Tuscan city of Siena was one of the centers of economic, political, and religious life in what today is Italy. It became a center of producing religious artwork for churches and also for private devotionals. Artists were developing new ways to present the subjects of their work, ways that led to the dawn of the Italian Renaissance.

Virgin and Child (with gilt frame) by Unknown Byzantine artist

 

The Annunciation by Pietro Lorenzetti

The words are spoken (Annunciation detail)

The Crucifixion by Guccio di Mannaia

The Pive Alterpiece by Pietro Lorenzetti

One of the main artists of that time was Duccio di Buoninsegna (1255?-1319?). He was one of the first Italian artists to use shading to make his subjects more 3-dimensional, and more naturalistic.

Temptation of Christ on the Temple by Duccio

The Annunciation by Duccio

Virgin and Child with St. Dominic and St. Aurea by Duccio

Flight into Egypt - Black Artists and Ancient Egypt 1876 - Now (through Feb 17, 2025)

Cleopatra's Chair by Barbara Chase-Riboud

 

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the art of Ancient Egypt was becoming better known throughout Europe and the United States. It influenced many artists, but its most profound effect was on many Black artists. The descendants of people who were kidnapped from their homes in Africa, Blacks in the United States had had all of their traditional history and culture taken away from them. The opportunity to explore and incorporate the art from one of Africa’s oldest recorded civilizations meant that they could bring connections of “home” to their work. 

l'Invitation au Voyage by Mahmoud Saïd

Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas

Grey Area (Brown Version) by Fred Wilson

Interior of a Mosque, Cairo by Henry Ossawa Tanner

Egyptian themes became wide-spread in art produced by Black artists. Paintings, movies, and even music videos incorporated stylized “hieroglyphics”, Egyptian costumes, and the theme of “kings and queens” of the continent. This exhibit includes nearly 200 works of art that explore this connection.

Nefertiti (Black Power) by Awol Erizku

Various Album Covers

Scene from Space is the Place by John Coney, Sun Ra and Joshua Smith

Suntrust by Shani Crowe

Look Again - European Paintings 1300-1800 (ongoing)

Last Communion of Saint Jerome by Botticelli

 

One aspect of visiting a museum that hosts so many great special exhibitions is that I often forget to spend time in The Met’s permanent collection. The Met spent five years renovating its European galleries. In 2023 they reopened with natural lighting from skylights in all of its rooms. The galleries are arranged in chronological order if you walk in a clockwise path, and are divided by the countries of origin. This offers the visitor a chance to observe parallel tracks of artistic development throughout the continent. 

Virgin and Child by Andrea de Verrochio (teacher of Leonardo di Vinci)

 

Venus and Adonis by Titian

Lucrezia Agliardi Vertova by Giovanni Battista Moroni

Portrait of a Woman by Rembrandt

Vision of Saint John by El Greco

Joanna de Silva by William Wood

Nuts and Bolts   

Hall of Arms and Armor

The Met Christmas Tree

The Met is located at 1000 Fifth Ave. at the intersection of East 82nd street. It is open from 10 AM - 5 PM (9 PM on Fri and Sat) every day except Wednesdays.

Entrance fee is Adult $30/ Seniors +visitors with disabilities $22/ Students $17/ Children under 12 free. Residents of New York State and students in NY, NJ and CT can enter with a Pay What You Wish donation.

 
One Note - I always recommend visiting large museums as early in the day as possible. I also suggest entering the Met using the Handicap/Group entrance. It is in the plaza, just south of the main entrance. It usually has a shorter line. The only down side if you come later in the day is that the coat/bag check is smaller and can fill up quickly.