Museum of the City of New York — Attraction in New York

Review for the Museum of the City of New York

I visited the Museum of the City of New York this past Thursday on a school trip with our students—Black and Brown youth from the Bronx—and sadly, our experience was deeply disappointing and left many of our students feeling uncomfortable, disrespected, and targeted.

From the moment we entered the museum, we were followed by staff. When I respectfully asked why, I was told it was to ensure our students didn’t break or steal anything. This was particularly frustrating because everything was encased in glass, and our students had no bags or belongings that could even allow for theft. The implication was clear, and incredibly hurtful.

In one room where our students were dancing—respectfully and joyfully engaging with a space meant for movement—they were quickly labeled as “rambunctious.” Not long after, a group of white students entered the same room, jumping and climbing on exhibits, and no one said a word to them.

In the theater room, our students sat quietly watching a film, some seated on the floor and others in chairs. They were respectful and engaged—asking questions about the content—yet a staff member asked that we remove them because “other people” didn’t want them in the space. We were sitting in the front, and again, our students were quiet and interested. This kind of exclusion was not only unnecessary but deeply discriminatory.

Even when using the restrooms, our students were monitored so closely it bordered on harassment. I, as a teacher, was denied entry to the restroom while students were inside, but then simultaneously told they couldn’t be left unsupervised. When I pointed out the contradiction, the staff had no clear explanation. At that point, I told him that since he was intent on watching us, he might as well continue to “babysit” while I used the restroom.

We were told our students couldn’t eat lunch in the café, yet we observed other schools doing so without issue. We were also blocked from visiting the gift shop, with no clear reason given, while other students—again, not from our group—had no such restrictions.

Our students picked up on everything. They felt judged, unwelcome, and targeted. Many expressed that they believed they were being treated this way because of their race and where they’re from. As educators, we were left to unpack this with them on the ride back to the Bronx—and again at school—when they asked hard but valid questions about what they had just experienced.

This was supposed to be an educational and inspiring field trip. Instead, it became a real-life lesson in bias, racism, and exclusion. I sincerely hope the leadership at the Museum of the City of New York reflects on how students of color are treated in your space and works toward meaningful changes. Every child deserves to explore art, culture, and history without being followed, judged,...

Although this is a big tourist destination, I've always heard that the Museum of the City of New York is an absolute must for New Yorkers.

The museum is located on Fifth Avenue at about 103rd street, right across the street from Central Park's beautiful conservatory gardens. Lots to see and do in the area, so make a day of it.

Suggested admission is $20 for adults, but free for anyone under 20 years old. Its about $15 for seniors (65+) and students over 20. There are also discounts available regularly via Groupon or your NYC Library Card. Be sure to check those out before visiting.

I visited on a nice Sunday at around 12:30pm and it was NOT too crowded. There was enough space for everyone to take their time to read and see all of the exhibits without overcrowding.

The Museum is amazing. Essentially three floors of well-designed exhibits offerings lots of information about the beginnings of NYC up through 2020. You'll learn about how New York came to be the iconic city that it is...and journey through its various decades. Though I've always visited museums to learn about other cultures and historic times...it is very different when you have lived through some of the exhibits...9/11...and most recently COVID-19 to name a few.

The first floor is more of the information, taking you through each decade...must like what you would expect from a typical museum. There is also a FOod of New York exhibit currently in place there. The second floor has a lovely photography exhibit displaying photos of the "homes" of New Yorkers and another exhibit covering the various movements throughout the history of New York up through Black Live Matter. The third floor is dedicated to entertainment; music, movie and fashion that were influenced by New York. There is a large room surrounded by large monitors displaying popular New York-based movies...visitors can sit in the middle area and look all around..pretty cool. There is also a basement floor which has an informative movie showing every (30 minutes?!) about New York.

There is a cafe there on the second floor which sells baked items from Amy's Bread.

Street parking isn't bad on the weekends...particularly easy on Sundays when most of the parking restrictions are NOT in effect.

I absolutely loved my visit to the Museum. Although I expected to be in and out in an hour or so...I ended up spending three hours there. While I think this is a great museum for everyone, I absolutely agree that it is a MUST for all...

This museum has some great exhibits that really give you a glimpse of the immense amount of history behind the city of New York. The "New York at Its Core" galleries on the first floor really provide a great overview on the history of New York starting from the arrival to the Dutch all the way to city's struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic. The exhibits were interactive and gave interesting visuals to pair with the history that was on display. The background information that is provided on the boards next to the artifacts really helped me understand the extraordinary importance that they had on the city. Even as I entered the "World City" gallery, I was taken aback by the aesthetic of it. The way they used dim lighting, shadows, and silhouettes made me feel like I was truly traveling into the past. The museum has really mastered building up a gallery to put their curated items in. I'm excited to see what they have planned for the future. Some of the history that they show is not commonly known and I like how they are shedding light on these events that are forgotten to time. I definitely recommend checking this place out some time if you're living in the city or just coming for a short visit. Learning the history of the city really makes the experience of the living here so much more powerful. There's an exceptional feeling of satisfaction when you are able to understand the history behind the street you are walking down or the buildings you are walking by. If you are 19 or under, you don't even have to pay to get in! The Museum of the City of New York provides an all around informative and engaging way to learn about the history of...