We’re taking a class trip to the museum, and I hope you’re excited!
The Museum of the City of New York is an amazing resource that collects, curates, and exhibits everyday materials and objects to tell the stories of New York and its people.
Where is the museum? 1220 Fifth Ave at 103rd St.
How do I get there? We’ll take the train together from LaGuardia. We will meet in our usual classroom, and we will leave promptly at 11:45 a.m. to arrive at the museum by 12:30 p.m. We will stay at the museum until 2:30 p.m., but you are welcome to stay longer.
If you arrive late, or if you live closer to the museum than you do to LaGuardia, you can also meet us there for 12:30 p.m. Take the 6 to 103 St and walk 3 blocks west, or the 2/3 to Central Park North/110th St, and walk one block east to Fifth Ave, and a few blocks south to 104th.
What do I need to bring? I have Metrocards for you, and admission to the museum is covered by our group tour. (Thanks to the CUNY Humanities Alliance!) Bring your LaGuardia ID–a CUNY ID will allow you to get in for free if you are late! Bring something to take notes (a pen and notebook, your phone, etc)–you are likely to find useful information for your research project.
Bonus: We can show our Museum admission sticker for FREE admission to El Museo del Barrio, which is right across the street! (I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are interested in Latinx art & culture.)
- Visit the Museum of the City of New York website and the Stories section of the website. Review the headlines and find three stories that you want to learn more about. Of these, try to find at least one that connects to your research topic in some way.
- Read the three stories, along with any photos or videos in the post.
- For each one, write a one or two sentences in response to the following questions: What did you find interesting about this story? What would like to learn more about?
- Here are direct links to some of the many stories available on the MCNY site:
- Telling the Stories of Activism in New York City Today (related to the Activist New York exhibit)
- ACT UP, HIV/AIDS and the Fight for Healthcare (related to the AIDS at Home: Art and Everyday Activism exhibit, closing on October 22)
- Civil Rights in Brooklyn (related to the New York at its Core exhibit)
- Dance Culture in NYC (related to the exhibits for Rhythm & Power: Salsa in New York and New York at its Core)
- The New Colossus (about the Emma Lazarus poem inscribed on a plaque on the Statue of Liberty; manuscript on view in the New York at its Core exhibit)
- You may also want to check out the questions and debates in the “What If” series: