Museum of the City of New York

Overview

The Museum of the City of New York occupies a Georgian Colonial Revival building on Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, dedicated to telling the story of New York City through art, photography, objects, and interactive installations.

Highlights

• Activist New York: A permanent exhibition chronicling four centuries of social activism in the city, from abolition to Occupy Wall Street.
• Future City Lab: An interactive exhibition exploring the challenges and possibilities of urban life, letting visitors design their own solutions.
• Timescapes: A 28-minute documentary film providing a sweeping overview of 400 years of New York history.

History

Founded in 1923, the museum moved to its current Fifth Avenue building, designed by Joseph H. Freedlander, in 1932. Its collection includes over 750,000 objects documenting the city's past.

Visitor Tips

• Pay What You Wish: Suggested admission is $20, but it operates on a pay-what-you-wish basis.
• Museum Mile: Located on Museum Mile, walkable to El Museo del Barrio and the Jewish Museum.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.