About the Collection
The award-winning exhibit 'New York at its Core' is the perfect introduction to the history (and future) of this fascinating city. The museum walks you through the history and future of the city, starting from Henry Hudson's first voyage up through the trauma of September 11th and well into a new century filled with reliable transportation, sustainable economies, and accessible greenspace. Start your visit with the 22-minute film, *Timescapes* and then see the film come to life with Native American oyster middens, early subway plans, JP Morgan's cigars and wreckage from the World Trade Center: 400 years in a day.
What You Will See
The exhibit is divided into sections divided by the year 1898, when New York City was incorporated into its current five-borough organization, with an additional section devoted to visions of the future. *Port City* looks at the rise of the city from the bucolic, oyster-filled harbor visited by Henry Hudson to great metropolitan behemoth at the turn of the 19th century. *World City* focuses on the 20th century and the variety of cultural and economic innovations conceived and nurtured in New York. The exhibit culminates in the interactive *Future City Lab*, exploring the possible directions for this vibrant city heading into the next century.
Why You Should Go
New York at its Core condenses 400 years of rich New York City history into a pleasant afternoon. But this is not just portraits of great New Yorkers and the dates they did things. The city has had its share of great men and women, but it is not the household names that make the city what it is. The exhibit, like the rest of the museum, captures the influence of the unknown New Yorkers and tiny communities that built and rebuilt this city with each succeeding generation. Get to know this town better through the lives and histories of its varied inhabitants.
