This Truck Driver’s TikTok-Famous Scale Model Of New York City Is Finally Getting A Museum Debut

Move over, Queens Panorama—there’s a new miniature New York City coming to a museum near you. 👀 After more than two decades of painstakingly crafting nearly every building in the five boroughs by hand , truck driver Joe Macken’s scale model of the city will officially make its NYC debut at the Museum of the City of New York on February 12, 2026 . Dubbed *He Built This City: Joe Macken’s Model*, the exhibit marks the first time Macken’s labor of love will be displayed publicly in the city that inspired it . Elisabeth Sherman, MCNY’s Chief Curator and Deputy Director, described the model as “absolutely the kind of celebration of the city, but also the kind of artistic vision that often goes uncelebrated or unacknowledged,” adding that it highlights “one person’s personal New York.” From basement hobby to viral sensation -------------------------------------- Macken, 63, began building the model back in 2004 in his Clifton Park, NY basement, armed with balsa wood, Styrofoam, and Elmer’s glue. What started as a hobby inspired by the view of Manhattan from his Middle Village bedroom quickly turned into a full-blown 50-by-30-foot diorama . Over 21 years, Macken hand-crafted almost every building in New York City —from the iconic Empire State Building and the original World Trade Center to Central Park and the UN headquarters. The model is made up of 350 panels for easy transport, a practical choice given the sheer scale of the project. Manhattan alone took over a decade to complete , while the outer boroughs were finished in the years that followed. Macken even added parts of Westchester, Staten Island, Long Island, and New Jersey for a comprehensive view of the metropolitan area. After completing the model in April 2025, it sat in storage until Macken’s children encouraged him to share it on TikTok. The videos quickly went viral, amassing millions of views and praise from viewers who called Macken a “living legend” and demanded the city’s museums showcase his work. A labor of love (and some serious skill) ---------------------------------------- Despite having no formal carpentry or engineering training, Macken’s craftsmanship is nothing short of remarkable. He sculpted skyscrapers with X-Acto knives, colored neighborhoods with $3.99 acrylic brushes, and even built miniature trees for Central Park . To save time, he eventually mass-produced blocks of houses for the outer boroughs, but each Manhattan skyscraper required special attention. Macken balanced this Herculean effort with a busy life: working as a truck driver, delivering food and beverages, and driving luxury buses on weekends . “Every minute of spare time that I have, I just dedicate to doing that,” he told the New York Post earlier this year. The model made its first public appearance at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds near Albany over the summer , where fans drove from as far as Baltimore to see it in person. Now, after capturing the hearts of TikTok viewers and local art enthusiasts, it’s making the move to New York City . Macken plans to transport it himself in a 25-foot U-Haul, carefully stacking the panels for a safe arrival. Museum Director Stephanie Hill Wilchfort summed up the excitement: “Joe’s model reflects the wonder and complexity of this city through the eyes of someone who has lived it, loved it, and painstakingly rebuilt it. We are honored to debut this remarkable work at the Museum.” What’s next for Macken? ----------------------- Even after all these years, Macken isn’t done. He’s already started building Minneapolis, inspired by *The Mary Tyler Moore Show*, and has dreams of tackling Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas in the future. But for now, all eyes are on his New York City masterpiece—an intimate, incredibly detailed homage to the city that’s about to be celebrated with millions of fellow New Yorkers. 📍 Museum of the City of New York — 1220 5th Ave 🕓 Opens February 12, 2026 🏙️ *He Built This City: Joe Macken’s Model* Source: https://secretnyc.co/joe-macken-viral-nyc-model-coming-to-museum-of-the-city-of-newyork-2026/