Fantastic Fans
In 2015, the Museum of the City of New York digitized and catalogued almost 300 hand fans—nearly fifty percent of our collection—thanks to a grant from the Fan Association of … Continue reading
Sophie Tucker: The Last of the Red Hot Mammas
Sophie Tucker was born Sonya Kalish on January 13, 1886, in Tulchin, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. Several months after her birth, her family immigrated to the United … Continue reading
Truman Capote’s “Black and White Dance”
During the winter and early spring of 2016, the Museum photographed and catalogued over 400 mid-century garments from our costumes and textile collection through our Dressing Room project, funded by … Continue reading
Frequently Asked Questions for Rights & Reproductions
We receive many inquiries at the Museum of the City of New York regarding rights and reproductions for objects in our collections. Below are some frequently asked questions and responses. … Continue reading
The Yankee Doodle Boy gets digitized
Since 1968, the Museum has been home to a large collection of scripts, sheet music, and scores created by George M. Cohan, the most prolific theater artist in the … Continue reading
In Honor of Christopher Gray, Chronicler of the Streetscape
While many New Yorkers had their eyes turned toward what was predicted to be a historic snowstorm late Monday evening, the New York Times shared the sad news that Christopher … Continue reading
Minnie Fisher, Immigrant and Labor Activist
The Museum completed processing our Pamphlet Collection over the past summer and shared the finding aid online with funds from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and has now completed item … Continue reading
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, … Continue reading
Restaurants of Yore
It’s harder and harder for an independent restaurant to survive in New York City, according to an article published in the New York Times on October 25, 2016: “Is New … Continue reading
Valentina: Fashion Onstage
“The Theater of Valentina: Costume or Couture?” is a question posed by Kohle Yohannan in his groundbreaking book, Valentina: American Couture and the Cult of Celebrity.[1] Indeed, it can at … Continue reading
Corsets Begone: Women’s Fashions of the Roaring Twenties
The decade that gave rise to the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, the speakeasy, and the big band also brought with it soaring hemlines, breast-freeing bandeaus and the “uplift” brassiere, … Continue reading
Young Chuck Connors, Mayor of Chinatown
“Mayor of Chinatown” Chuck Connors enthralled New Yorkers around the turn of the century with tall tales and colorful language describing the ethnic neighborhood he inhabited. Connors claimed to have … Continue reading
Up on the Roof: The Revered, Reviled City Pigeon
Unquestionably the city’s most iconic species of wildlife, and inspiring perhaps as many fans as foes, the pigeon (Columba livia, also called a rock dove) has become a quintessential New York character. … Continue reading
MCNY Blog: New York Stories 