NY Historical Society: 77th St and Central Park West

Side Entrance with Statue of Frederick Douglass

Just a block or so south of the American Museum of Natural History is the New York Historical Society, with its own wonderful collection of paintings, home furnishings, memorabilia, and historical artifacts. It has been closed for renovation for the past year or so, but was re-opened last week.

I had never been there before today, and was pleasantly surprised by what I found.  I had mistakenly assumed this would have men's club style (like the Explorers Club), but it was wide open, bright, and exhibited amazing collections in traditional museum style, a kind of salon style, as well as a warehouse style (see Tiffany lamps displayed/stored at left).  To get more out of the visit, I downloaded the free audio guide from iTunes (which was helpful and enriching if a little cumbersome without an order or accompanying map), but if you are less technologically inclined there are free daily guided hour-long tours (check for times on level one at admission).

The museum has an extensive painting collection that rotates and has some great recognizable portraits of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, miniatures on ivory of New York society women, and Hudson River scenes that highlight NYC's natural beauty.

There are also one-of-a-kind historical artifacts like George Washington's cot from the Revolutionary War (believed to have been the one he slept in at Valley Forge) and the ceramic jug which was a gift to Thomas Nast (whose cartoons in Harper's Weekly blasted and brought into public light the corruption of Tammany Hall) decorated with a depiction of snake-bodied William S. "Boss" Tweed (with beard and without glasses) and his corrupt political gang, some diving in headfirst into the "pot of money and power" (see right). 

There are also rare historic pieces like the fancy Engish-made Beekman family coach from 1766 (one of only 3 that survive from the period), the one-of-two ladies' dressing tables built in New York of this design in the Federal style after the American Revolution,  and the slavery chains (see the tragically child-sized shackles at left).

Perhaps because of my earlier visits to Hamilton Grange and the Morris-Jumel Mansion, I thought the highlight of all of the artifacts were the dueling pistols used by Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton (see right) when Alexander Hamilton was killed.

My favorite part of the museum was the 18 minute multimedia film that relates the story of New York City and its rise to prominence from what was once considered a far-away colonial outpost.  From the dredging of the Erie Canal through the American Revolution and the influx of immigrants and the political and economic upheavals centered around New York, the film weaves an amazingly coherent story.  Obviously it is a summary, but it relates history in a meaningful and elegant way without being overly dramatic (yes, they cover recent events like 9/11 poignantly but without belaboring the details; I understand the society is also collecting artifacts from "Occupy Wall Street" in case it becomes a historical phenomenon or movement).  I would recommend this film to all NYC residents and visitors--really, that is how good it is. 

If you haven't been to the New York Historical Society, run, don't walk, to spend an afternoon there.  ASIDE: If you have kids, set aside some time to visit the lower level children's history museum, which has lots of educational and interactive exhibits.

Queens Museum of Art: Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Ok, so I got turned around going to the Queens Museum of Art (QMA, QMA Info), but luckily it was a gorgeous day yesterday so I just took in the sights and enjoyed the walk.  I had done my pre-visit research online at QMA Directions but had failed to look at the more detailed map that showed that the 111st Street subway stop was much closer and provided a more direct route to the QMA than the Mets-Willet Point stop (and the website's instructions are not clear).  Anyway, after a 20 minute walk meandering through the Shea Stadium parking lot, lots of questions to people passing by, and trekking over NY Parks fields, I got to the iconic Unisphere (see photo above, that huge metal globe from the 1939-40 Worlds Fair), which marks the front of the QMA.

I don't know if Queens residents are intentionally keeping mum about the surrounding park and treasures at the QMA so that they can enjoy all of this without the hoards of Manhattan invading, but WOW.  From afar it looks like the site is fairly abandoned.  The front of the QMA looks like it has not been touched since the 70s (see above) and the Unisphere pond is empty of water.  To enter the QMA you have to go to a small nondescript side entrance by the small parking lot.  Once you do, there is one woman manning a small desk that accepts donations (there are no maps or guides) ($5 suggested donation for adults).

Perhaps it is that Queens folks believe that people should really put some effort into their visit and thereby "earn" the rewards.  In any event, the reduced and currently-shabby QMA (they are renovating and expect to be done in 2013) offers the determined visitor some unparalleled gems.  They have a small collection of modern art from contemporary artists, a unique topographical map of the NYC area (see above), a beautiful small Tiffany art glass collection (see left and right), an interesting exhibit about both Worlds Fairs that took place here, and most famously, they have The Panorama (see photos below).

The Panorama is a detailed 3D map of all the buildings in NYC that was first built by Robert Moses (actually there was a building crew of over 100) for the 1964 Worlds Fair and last updated in 1992 (so it still has the World Trade Center Towers).  The Panorama takes up a huge room lined with walkways so that viewing can take place from all sides, and it is so detailed that photographs cannot do it justice.  This 9,335 square foot architectural model includes every single building constructed before 1992 in all five boroughs; that is a total of over 895,000 individual structures!  It is built to an exacting detail in a scale of 1 inch = 100 feet.  It is simply AMAZING (and I use that word with its intended meaning, not the way people use it today in every 5th sentence).

PLEASE visit the Panorama and take a look for yourself if you have any interest in architecture, city planning, NYC history, Worlds Fairs, models, or anything of the sort.  You will not be disappointed.