Museum of the City of New York

What to Expect

The Museum of the City of New York is dedicated to showcasing the past, present and future of urban life in the Big Apple, and how it came to be one of the world's most influential metropolises. It is located in an elegant neo-Georgian-style building located at the north of Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue, just south of East Harlem.

Spread across four floors, the exhibitions include paintings, toys, photographs and many other items that illustrate the history of New York and New Yorkers throughout the generations, from the golden age of Broadway theatre to objects from the city's historic police and fire departments. Videos, interactive touch screens and other audiovisual material allows for an immersive experience of the City That Never Sleeps.

It was founded in 1923 as a private non-profit organization.

Our Personal Opinion

Although the items found on the first floor don’t do it justice, the other floors are highly recommendable for those visiting New York for over four days.

The best part is the antique toy section (don’t miss the doll houses) and the “New York Interiors” exhibition, where there are several real-scale models where you can see how New York homes were during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

If you have a little extra time, the video “Timescapes” is very interesting. It runs every 30 minutes and lasts 25 minutes.