New-York Historical Society Commemorates Veterans Day with Programs Exploring Black Soldiers in WWII and Women in the Military; Vets, Military Admitted Free

Honor Veterans Day by visiting the New-York Historical Society for a program to learn about the experience of Black soldiers during World War II. (Image courtesy of Hugh Groffinet)

The New-York Historical Society, the oldest museum in New York City, commemorates Veterans Day with two days of insightful programs for all ages. Admission is free for veterans and active duty military on November 11–12. All Veterans Day programs are free with Museum admission.

Veterans Day: Black Soldiers in World War II | 1 pm and 2:15 pm
Honor Veterans Day by coming to the NYHS to learn about food, rationing, and the experience of Black soldiers during World War II. Visit an interactive station to discover how a sugar-coated chocolate began as a soldier staple and later became a candy store favorite. Then, chat with a soldier—as portrayed by historical interpreter Hugh Groffinet—to learn about Black WWII vets such as Corporal Ivan J Houston, Major Hyman Yates Chase, and Captain Robert W. Hainsworth. Interact with original and reproduction WWII artifacts and learn how the country banded together to feed the troops and their families back home. After the program, visit the NYHistory Store to pick up a free sample of one of WWII’s most lasting contributions to the American diet: M&Ms! This event is sponsored by Mars Wrigley Confectionery and AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate.

ADULT PROGRAMS ON  NOVEMBER 12

Women in the Military: Keynote | 1–2 pm
Colonel (Retired) Mary Westmoreland of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army shares her recollections and personal experiences of serving in the military.

Writing Veteran Experiences: Women’s Voices After Military Service | 3–4:30 pm
Hear from five women veterans about their military service and experiences of writing about it afterwards. Join us for short readings and a moderated panel discussion about their lives after the military and the process of engaging with narrative to help share veteran experiences.

Canary in Combat Boots, a musical performance featuring Alexis Cole | 6:30–7:30 pm
Experience a hilarious one-woman show starring jazz vocalist Alexis Cole as she reflects on her experience as a soldier during Army basic training. Cole reports back from the front lines and sings iconic, World War II-era pop standards from composers like Arthur Schwartz, Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin, and Frank Loesser.

As part of New York City’s Key to NYC program, all visitors to New York City museums age 12 and over are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19; masks are also required. For more details, go to our FAQs. 

(Fun fact: the American Museum of Natural History, across the street, is providing free vaccinations for children 5-11, that comes with admission for four.)

Also visit “Notorious R.B.G.: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”

New York City’s oldest museum, the New-York Historical Society Museum & Library was founded in 1804. The Patricia D. Klingenstein Library—one of the most distinguished in the nation—fosters research through its outstanding collections, which holds millions of books, newspapers, maps, manuscript and archival collections, prints, photographs, and architectural collections. The Museum presents groundbreaking history and art exhibitions as well as public programs that convey the stories of New York and the nation’s diverse populations to the broadest possible public.

The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West (77th Street), New York, NY 10024, 212-873-3400, nyhistory.org.

See also:

HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S ‘NOTORIOUS RBG’ PAYS HOMAGE TO NEW YORK’S OWN RUTH BADER GINSBURG

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New-York Historical Society Has Score of Exhibits for Holidays into New Year

Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection is a highlight of the holidays at the New-York Historical Society © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The New-York Historical Society is presenting its traditional holiday display of toys and trains. But the holidays also offer a last-chance to view an exhibit about John F. Kennedy, and Arthur Szyk, Soldier in Art. The museum has a huge range of exhibits as well as special programming and events, including: 

Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection, now on view through February 25, 2018. A magical wonderland awaits visitors with the return of this holiday tradition. Featuring hundreds of toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection, the exhibition’s immersive scenes and displays transport young and old alike to a bygone era. Holiday Express begins at the West 77th Street entrance, where trains appear to roar through the Museum with the help of four large-scale multimedia screens, and extends through large swaths of the first floor.

Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art, on view through January 21, 2018. Arthur Szyk, the great 20th-century activist in art, confronted the threats that filled the years around World War II—Nazism, the escalating plight of European Jews, Fascism, Japanese militarism, and racism—with forceful artistic depictions caricaturing Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito as the evil architects of their regimes’ destructive and inhumane policies. More than 40 politically incisive works on view underscore the Polish-born artist’s role as a “one man army” fighting odious policies and protagonists and advocating for civil and human rights. 

American Visionary: John F. Kennedy’s Life and Times,  on view through January 7, 2018. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth, American Visionary: John F. Kennedy’s Life and Times brings together more than 75 images that capture the dramatic scope of Kennedy’s life culled from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Getty Images, private collections, and the Kennedy family archives. No single politician was photographed more than Kennedy—from his first congressional bid as a decorated war hero in 1946 and his fairy-tale wedding to Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953 to his run for the White House in 1960, his subsequent role as commander-in-chief, and his tragic death in Dallas in 1963.

Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence, now on view through March 11, 2018, showcases hand-drawn and engraved maps from the 18th and early 19th centuries that illuminate the tremendous changes—geographic, political, and economic—that occurred before, during, and just after the Revolutionary War. The exhibition features rarely displayed manuscripts and printed maps from New-York Historical’s own premier collection, including the original manuscript surveys of Robert Erskine, Geographer and Surveyor General of the Continental Army, and his successor Simeon De Witt. Also on display is John Jay’s personal copy of John Mitchell’s Map of the British and French Dominions in North America (1755) to which red lines representing proposed boundaries were added during the negotiations of the Treaty of Paris, 1782–83. This exhibition was organized by the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library as We Are One: Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence .

Hotbed, on view through March 25, 2018. In the early 20th century, Greenwich Village was a hotbed of political activism and social change—where men and women joined forces across the boundaries of class and race to fight for a better world. At the heart of the downtown radicals’ crusade lay women’s rights: to control their own bodies, to do meaningful work, and above all, to vote. Celebrating the centennial of women’s right to vote in New York and on view in the Joyce B. Cowin Women’s History Gallery, Hotbed features immersive installations and more than 100 artifacts and images—drawn from New-York Historical’s archives and several private collections—that bring to life the neighborhood’s bohemian scene and energetic activist spirit.

The Vietnam War: 1945 – 1975, on view through April 22, 2018. A groundbreaking look at one of the most controversial events of the 20th century. Featuring interpretive displays, digital media, artwork, artifacts, photographs, and documents, The Vietnam War: 1945 – 1975 provides an enlightening account of the causes, progression, and impact of the war. Spanning the duration of U.S. involvement in Indochina, the narrative incorporates perspectives covering both the home and the war fronts. Displays touch upon the Cold War, the draft, military campaigns initiated by both sides, the growth of the antiwar movement, the role of the president, and the loss of political consensus. Throughout the exhibition, visitors explore themes of patriotism, duty, and citizenship. Key objects include a troopship berthing unit, interactive murals, vibrant antiwar posters, artwork by Vietnam vets, a Viet Cong bicycle, the Pentagon Papers, and news and film clips.

Audubon’s Birds of America Focus Gallery. In this intimate gallery, visitors see first-hand John James Audubon’s spectacular watercolor models for the 435 plates of The Birds of America (1827–38) with their corresponding plates from the double-elephant-folio series, engraved by Robert Havell Jr. Each month, the exhibition rotates to highlight new species—featured in the order they appear in Audubon’s publication—which showcase the artist’s creative process and his contributions to ornithological illustration. Other works from New-York Historical’s collection, the world’s largest repository of Auduboniana, illuminate Audubon’s process, and bird calls, courtesy of The Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, echoing through the gallery animate the environment. In December, we welcome the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and in January, Prothonotary Warbler will be on display (ongoing).

New Fourth Floor: Objects Tell Stories, the Gallery of Tiffany Lamps, and More. Explore American history through stunning exhibitions and captivating interactive media on our transformed fourth floor. Themed displays in the North Gallery present a variety of topics—such as slavery, war, infrastructure, childhood, recreation, and 9/11—offering unexpected and surprising perspectives on collection highlights. Touchscreens and interactive kiosks allow visitors to explore American history and engage with objects like never before. As the centerpiece of the fourth floor, the Gallery of Tiffany Lamps features 100 illuminated Tiffany lampshades from our spectacular collection displayed within a dramatically lit jewel-like space. Within our new Center for Women’s History, visitors discover the hidden connections among exceptional and unknown women who left their mark on New York and the nation with the multimedia digital installation, Women’s Voices, and through rotating exhibitions in the Joyce B. Cowin Women’s History Gallery. Objects from the Billie Jean King Archive are also on view (ongoing).

Collector’s Choice: Highlights from the Permanent Collection. Since 1804, the New-York Historical Society has been welcoming to its collection some of the most esteemed artworks of the modern world. Collector’s Choice: Highlights from the Permanent Collection showcases a selection of paintings that reflect the individual tastes of several New York City collectors who donated their holdings to New-York Historical. Joining Picasso’s Le Tricorne ballet curtain are featured American and European masterpieces spanning the 14th through the 21st centuries from Luman Reed, Thomas Jefferson Bryan, and Robert L. Stuart, including colonial portraits of children, marine and maritime subjects, and an installation showcasing recently collected contemporary works (ongoing).

The Museum will be closed on Monday, December 25 and will close at 3 pm on December 24 and 31. The Museum will be open on Monday, January 1 and on Monday, January 15, 2018. The Museum will open at 3 pm on Saturday, January 20.

Admission: Adults: $21; Teachers and Seniors: $16; Students: $13; Children (5–13): $6;  Children (4 and under): Free; Pay-as-you-wish Fridays from 6 pm – 8 pm.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West (at 77th Street), New York, NY 10024, www.nyhistory.org, (212) 873-3400. 

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New-York Historical Society: Toys, Trains, SuperHeroes

New-York Historical Society, the oldest museum in NYC, offers fascinating exhibits © 2015 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

One of the most fascinating museums in New York City is the New-York Historical Society. Here are highlights of the current exhibits:

Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection, through February 28, 2016
This holiday season, the New-York Historical Society  transforms into a magical wonderland with a dynamic installation from its renowned Jerni Collection of model trains, scenic elements, and toys from a bygone era. Featuring several treasures exhibited for the first time since New-York Historical acquired the collection, Holiday Express unfolds over a broad swath of the first floor and continues throughout the lower-level DiMenna Children’s History Museum. With the aid of theatrical lighting, an ambient audio “soundscape,” and other visual effects, visitors are engaged in an all-new and captivating holiday experience. Organized by New-York Historical’s Mike Thornton, Assistant Curator of Material Culture.

Superheroes in Gotham through February 21, 2016
Superheroes are a part of our daily lives, engaging our imaginations on the pages of comic books, on television, and movie screens, as well as across the Broadway stage and in the virtual world of gaming. Since their introduction in the late 1930s, superheroes have been societal role models, inspirational, and enviable. Based on mythological archetypes, they navigate the twists and turns of modern life. Through comic books, original drawings, posters, video clips, costumes, early merchandise, and props, Superheroes in Gotham tells the story of comic book superheroes in New York City; the leap of comic book superheroes from print to radio, to television, and ultimately to film; the role of fandom, including the yearly mega-event known as New York Comic Con; and how superheroes continue to inspire the work of contemporary comic book artists, cartoonists, and painters in New York City. Organized by New-York Historical’s Debra Schmidt Bach, Associate Curator of Decorative Arts, and Nina Nazionale, Director of Library Operations.

Silicon City: Computer History Made in New York through April 17, 2016
The New-York Historical Society celebrates New York’s central role in the digital revolution, highlighting the pioneering work and technological innovations that have transformed daily life. Silicon City presents New York as a technological hub where the intersection of commerce and innovation gave rise to the first computers and tech companies. Featuring more than 300 artifacts from the late-1800s through the 1980s, Silicon City will include early computers and telecommunications hardware, archival materials, photographs, digital artworks, and interactive experiences that immerse visitors in the decades-long evolution of technology. Organized by New-York Historical’s Chief Curator Stephen Edidin with assistance from Research Associate Cristian Panaite.

Maestà: Gaddi’s Triptych Reunited through March 20, 2016
After conservation and exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum and at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the New-York Historical Society’s Madonna and Child Enthroned with Ten Saints: Maestà is back on Central Park West. Painted circa 1330–34 by Taddeo Gaddi, the major disciple of Giotto, this panel was originally the central section of a triptych with two shutters (sportelli). Following new research the Maestà will be exhibited with the two double-sided wings from a private collection that have been linked to it. One features the artist’s amazing solar eclipse (Gaddi was temporarily blinded by one). Its frame will also be reconstructed and its conservation highlighted. In addition, this exhibition will showcase other 14th- and early 15th-century Italian panels donated to N-YHS in 1867 by Thomas Jefferson Bryan, a pioneering New York collector of Italian “primitives,” (i.e., painters before Raphael). Organized by Roberta J.M. Olson, Curator of Drawings, New-York Historical Society.

Picasso’s Le Tricorne, Ongoing
The show positions Picasso’s curtain in a dialogue with other New-York Historical Society objects, including paintings from the European tradition that provide background to the artist’s work as well as to the traditions against which the revolutionary artist rebelled. Other thematic threads pivot around dance subjects and explore roughly contemporary American paintings, sculpture, posters, and watercolors. Among the works included are examples by William Adolphe Bouguereau, Will H. Bradley, Philippe de Champaigne, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Childe Hassam, Malvina Hoffman, Ricardo de Madrazo y Garreta, Elie Nadelman, Edward Penfield, Maurice Prendergast, John Sloan, and Adriaen van Utrecht.  Organized by Roberta J.M. Olson, Curator of Drawings, New-York Historical Society.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

The Story: A Reporter’s Journey
Judith Miller, Bret Stephens
Tuesday, January 12, 2016, 6:30 pm
$34 (Members $20)
In an intimate conversation, Judith Miller turns her reporting skills on herself and her career, discussing her early years at The New York Times, her controversial work regarding Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and the decisions she made during the Scooter Libby investigation.

The Secret History of Wonder Woman
Jill Lepore
Thursday, January 14, 2016, 6:30 pm
$34 (Members $20)
Since her introduction in 1941, Wonder Woman has remained the most popular female superhero of all time, but the history behind her creation has remained largely unknown. American History Book Prize winner Jill Lepore uncovers the origin of one of the world’s most iconic superheroes and how it holds within it a fascinating family story, as well as a crucial connection to 20th-century feminism.

The American President: From Teddy Roosevelt to Bill Clinton
William E. Leuchtenburg, Douglas Brinkley
Saturday, January 16, 2016, 9:30 am to 11:00 am
$44 (Members $32)
From the assassination of William McKinley in 1901 to Bill Clinton’s last night in office in January 2001, the American presidency—and the nation, as a whole—experienced a tremendous growth in power and influence. Celebrated presidential historian William E. Leuchtenburg chronicles the presidents of the past century, highlighting their moments of high drama and triumph.

Leaders in War: Charles de Gaulle
Andrew Roberts
Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
In June 1940, General Charles de Gaulle showed that sublime heroism was possible even during the chaos surrounding the Fall of France. Andrew Roberts discusses de Gaulle’s leadership, showing how his response to that catastrophe was always admired by Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt, even while they clashed with his rebarbative personality.

America’s Bank: The Epic Struggle to Create the Federal Reserve
Roger Lowenstein, Byron R. Wien
Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 6:30 pm
$34 (Members $20)
In 1913, after a series of disastrous financial panics shook the nation, Congress was persuaded to approve the landmark Federal Reserve Act. Renowned financial author Roger Lowenstein reveals the rich history and key players behind the drama-filled creation of America’s central bank, which ultimately enabled the young country to become a global financial powerhouse.

Sherman’s “Other” March: Burning the Carolinas
John F. Marszalek, James M. McPherson, Harold Holzer
Wednesday, January 27, 2016, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
After making Georgia “howl” by marching his army from Atlanta to the sea, Union General William T. Sherman led an even more destructive march—through the Carolinas. Join three eminent historians as they explore Sherman’s devastating follow-up campaign to break Confederate resistance and end the Civil War.

Founded in 1804, New-York Historical is the oldest museum in New York City. New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered political, cultural and social history of New York City and State and the nation, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history. It is located across 77th Street from the Museum of Natural History.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West (at 77th Street), New York, NY 10024, 212-873-3400, www.nyhistory.org

New-York Historical Society celebrates holiday season with ‘Batteries Not Included: Toys and Trains’ Exhibit

To celebrate the holiday season, the New-York Historical Society is exhibiting nineteenth- and twentieth-century toys from the permanent collection.
The display will include a whimsical selection of cast iron, tin, and carved wooden toys and banks made between 1850 and 1945.

To celebrate the holiday season, the New-York Historical Society is hosting Batteries Not Included: Toys and Trains exhibit of 19th and 20th century toys from the permanent collection. The display will include a whimsical selection of cast iron, tin, and carved wooden toys and banks made between 1850 and 1945. Among them will be still and mechanical banks, wind-up, pull, and clockwork toys, toy soldiers, and a medley of trains, all topped with a Statue of Liberty still bank made between 1885 and 1920. The display is on view Nov. 26, 2013 – Jan. 5, 2014 (Tues.- Thurs, Sat.: 10 am-6 pm, Friday: 10 am-8 pm,  Sun. 11 am-5 pm.; A/$18, C (5-13)/$6; Teachers/Seniors/ $14; Students/$12; pay as you wish Fridays, 6-8 pm).

Special Events: Historical Train Weekend (Dec.14-15, 1-3 p), Kids 3-6 meet Conductor Bob, hear tales of the rails, and create their own engine car, caboose, or anything in-between. And don’t forget to find all the “eye-spy” details in the amazing toys and trains on view in the New-York Historical Society’s holiday installation. Locomotive with author Brian Floca (Dec 14, 3 pm), Kids 3-10 will hear about Brian’s research, writing, and illustrating process, and will learn new facts about trains, steam engines, and the construction of the railroad.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West between West 76^th and West 77^th Streets,  212-873-3400, visit www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/toys-and-trains, www.nyhistory.org

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World’s Most Valuable Coin, 1933 Double Eagle, On Display at New-York Historical Society

Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907), Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, 1933. Gold. Property of a Private Collector, on loan to the New-York Historical Society

One of the most famous and storied coins in the world, the 1933 Double Eagle, is now on display in the New-York Historical Society’s Robert H. & Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History.

Designed by the renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the coin features the figure of Liberty striding before the Capitol Building on its face and an eagle in flight on the reverse.

In 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression, the United States struck almost a half million twenty-dollar gold coins, commonly known as Double Eagles. At virtually the same time, in one of his first acts as President, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an Executive Order banning the payout of gold, weaning the country off the gold standard. The 1933 Double Eagles, although legally made, became illegal to own and were never circulated. In 1934, two examples were sent to the Smithsonian Institution for posterity, and in February 1937 the rest were melted into gold bars and sent to Fort Knox – or so it seemed.

In 1944, a 1933 Double Eagle appeared in a New York auction, and the United States Secret Service launched an investigation. It determined that a U.S. Mint employee had stolen a number of the coins in 1937 and identified ten 1933 Double Eagles that had escaped destruction, of which nine were surrendered or seized. One was beyond reach, as it had been purchased by King Farouk of Egypt, and after 1954 it disappeared. In 1996, as part of a Secret Service sting at the Waldorf Astoria, a British coin dealer was arrested while trying to sell a 1933 Double Eagle, which he swore had formerly belonged to King Farouk.

In 2002, at the conclusion of lengthy legal proceedings, the coin was sold at auction for $7,590,020, nearly doubling the previous world record.

That very coin – the only 1933 Double Eagle which may be legally owned by an individual – is now on display at the New-York Historical Society, on temporary loan from an anonymous private collection.

Since the record-setting 2002 auction, the remarkable history of the 1933 Double Eagle has inspired four books, a documentary produced for the Smithsonian Channel, and an episode of the television show The Closer. The coin also has been displayed at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West  (77th Street), New York, NY 10024, 212-873-3400,  www.nyhistory.org/.

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New-York Historical Society Celebrates Presidents’ Day with Week of Family Programs at new DiMenna Children’s History Museum

The Presidents will be in residence  at the New-York Historical Society’s DiMenna Children’s History Museum, a new museum-within-a-museum  © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The Presidents are in residence starting Saturday, February 16 at the New-York Historical Society’s DiMenna Children’s History Museum, a new museum-within-a-museum. Families explore, learn, and compete together with Presidents’ Day-themed programs, including scavenger hunts, an Abraham Lincoln quiz, chocolate-making from the colonial era, storytelling, writing workshops, and more, taking place through Tuesday, February 19.

PRESIDENTS SCAVENGER HUNT

Saturday, February 16 through Tuesday, February 19, 10 am – 6pm

Ages 6 and up; Free with Museum admission.

Families will search high and low throughout the galleries for presidential objects in this scavenger hunt. These hunts combine clues, images, and facts that help you locate these amazing president-related pieces. Scavenger hunts can be picked up any time in the DiMenna Children’s History Museum on the Lower Level.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN FAMILY QUIZ

Saturday, February 16 through Tuesday, February 19, 2 pm

Ages 7 and up; Free with Museum admission.

Who in your family knows the most about Abraham Lincoln? Test your knowledge about Honest Abe with multiple choice questions for kids and adults. As each question pops up on our big screen, families confer and write down their best guess. Each answer also highlights an object from the New-York Historical Society’s collection, so participants learn as they compete! A grand prize will be awarded to the family (or families) with the most correct answers, but every contestant receives a prize for participation as well.

PRESIDENTIAL ART PROJECTS

Saturday, February 16 through Tuesday, February 19, 1 – 4 pm

Ages 4 and up; Free with Museum admission.

Vote for me! Choose a slogan and create an election button to wear home. Or create a funny-faced president by shuffling up some New-York Historical Society portraits. Drop-in throughout the afternoon and create the project of your choice!

MACY’S SUNDAY STORY TIME: PRESIDENTS’ DAY

Sunday, February 17, 11:30 am

When Mrs. Madoff’s class decides to hold an assembly about Presidents’ Day, everyone in class helps set up and perform a grand play. Families are invited to a reading of Presidents’ Day by Anne Rockwell to discover why we celebrate the holiday. Then, kids can re-enact George Washington’s Oath of Office in the DiMenna Children’s History Museum!

THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE WITH AMERICAN HERITAGE CHOCOLATE®

Monday, February 18, 12 – 4pm

All Ages; Free with Museum admission.

Chocolate was not always sold as a candy bar! See, smell, and taste colonial hot chocolate — watch as American Heritage Chocolate® educators grinds cocoa beans, add spices like red pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and heat up hot chocolate to taste.

 

TWO-DAY WWII WRITING WORKSHOP FOR KIDS AND TEENS

Monday-Tuesday, February 18-19, 10am-3pm

Recommended for ages 10 and up; Payment required ($395).

Spend your Presidents’ Day holiday in a special workshop taking advantage of the incredible stories from the WWII era. In collaboration with Writopia Lab, writing and history educators will lead age-based groups through this fascinating time period and exhibition, inspiring their short fiction, poetry and other forms of writing. Each day will combine time in the galleries, up close investigation of objects and documents, and time writing and critiquing.

The DiMenna Children’s History Museum is a new museum-within-a-museum and occupies the New-York Historical Society’s entire lower level. It covers 350 years of New York and American history and includes character-based pavilions, interactive exhibits and digital games, and the Barbara K. Lipman Children’s History Library. Families explore and learn together, through visiting the museum and through participating in our intergenerational family learning programs. All ages can enjoy and learn in the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, but the exhibits are targeted at age 8-13.

New-York Historical Society is recognized for engaging the public with deeply researched and far-ranging exhibitions, such as Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America; Slavery in New York; Nature and the American Vision: The Hudson River School at the New-York Historical Society; Grant and Lee in War and Peace; and the 2009 exhibition Lincoln and New York. Supporting these exhibitions and related educational programs is one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, works of American art, and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York.

From October 5, 2012 through May 27, 2013, New-York Historical Society is presenting WWII & NYC, a major new exhibition on the most widespread, destructive, and consequential conflict in history. WWII & NYC restores to memory New York’s crucial and multifaceted role in winning the war, and commemorates the 900,000 New Yorkers who served in the military while also exploring the many ways in which those who remained on the home front contributed to the national war effort.

The New York Historical-Society is open Tuesday- Thursday: 10 am – 6 pm; Friday: 10 am – 8 pm (pay-as-you-wish from 6 pm – 8 pm); Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm; Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm

Museum Admission is Adults/$15, Teachers and Seniors/$12, Students/$10, Children (5-13)/$5, Children (4 and under)/free.

The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, (212) 873-3400, www.nyhistory.org.

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George Lucas, Lesley Stahl, Lee Grant Among Speakers at New-York Historical Society’s Fall Film Series: WW II and Its Legacy in Film

The New-York Historical Society is mounting its inaugural Bernard and Irene Schwartz Classic Film Series, World War II and Its Legacy in Film, featuring opening remarks by notable directors, writers, actors, and historians, including George Lucas, Lesley Stahl and Lee Grant.

Produced in conjunction with New-York Historical’s exhibition WWII & NYC, this selection of classic films will show a broad scope of life during and after the war and reflect many of the exhibition’s themes, including life on the home front, the dispatch of troops and the struggle to readapt to postwar life.

A screening of the documentary Double Victory (2012) about the legendary Tuskegee Airmen of WWII, the first African-American aerial unit, will feature opening remarks by George Lucas, Tuskegee Airman Roscoe Brown, and Brent Staples. Among other special guests who will deliver opening remarks before film screenings are Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker on I Was A Male War Bride (1949); Ron Simon, Curator of Television and Radio at the Paley Center of Media, with author Ian W. Toll on From Here to Eternity (1953) Catherine Wyler discussing her father William Wyler’s film Mrs. Miniver (1942); and Stanley Donen on On the Town (1949) which he directed and co-choreographed with Gene Kelly.

Entrance to the film series is included with Museum Admission during New-York Historical’s Pay-as-you-wish Friday Nights. All films will start at 7 pm at the Robert H. Smith Auditorium.

When World War II broke out, New York was a cosmopolitan, heavily immigrant city, whose people had real stakes in the war and strongly held opinions. WWII & NYC will explore the impact of the war on the metropolis, which played a critical role in the national war effort, and how the city was forever changed.

The exhibition will draw upon extensive collections at New-York Historical and on important loans from the US Navy, the Smithsonian Institution, the Mariners’ Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among other institutions. This exhibit will be open from October 5, 2012 – May 27, 2013.

Bernard and Irene Schwartz Classic Film Series World War II and Its Legacy in Film 2012-13 Schedule & Speakers

• · October 19 – Mrs. Miniver (1942) Speakers: Catherine Wyler, Lesley Stahl
• · October 26 – Double Victory (2012) Speakers: George Lucas, Roscoe Brown, Brent Staples
• · November 2 – The Clock (1945) Speakers: Adam Gopnik
• · November 9 – Onoe of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) Speakers: Michael Korda
• · December 7 – From Here to Eternity (1953) Speakers: Ian W. toll, Ron Simon
• · December 14 – Twelve O’Clock High (1949) Speakers: Gordon S. Wood
• · December 28 – It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
• · January 11 – The Search (1948) Speakers: Lee Grant, Susan Lacy
• · January 18 – On the Town (1949) Speakers: Stanley Donen
• · January 25 – I Was a Male War Bride (1949) Speakers: Adam Gopnik
• · February 1 – Casablanca (1942) Speakers: Kati Marton, David Denby
• · February 8 – The Third Man (1949) Speakers: Kati Marton, David Denby

New-York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s pre-eminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

New-York Historical is recognized for engaging the public with deeply researched and far-ranging exhibitions, such as Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America; Slavery in New York; Drawn by New York: Six Centuries of Watercolors and Drawings at the New-York Historical Society; Grant and Lee in War and Peace; Lincoln and New York; and The Grateful Dead: Now Playing at the New-York Historical Society. Supporting these exhibitions and related education programs is one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, works of American art, and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, N.Y.; for information, 212-873-3400, www.nyhistory.org.

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www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

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New-York Historical Society Puts Rare 1823 ‘Stone’ Declaration of Independence on View as Part of July 4 Celebrations

The New-York Historical Society is celebrating Independence Day by adding a rare copy of the “Stone” facsimile of the Declaration of Independence —one of approximately fifty in existence—to the displays in the Judith and Howard Berkowitz Sculpture Court. The document is being lent to New-York Historical through the courtesy of collector David Rubenstein, managing director of The Carlyle Group, and will remain on view through July 15.

 

When the Declaration was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, a manuscript copy signed by John Hancock and Charles Thomson (secretary to Congress) was immediately sent to John Dunlap’s press, and the first broadsides (single printed pages meant to convey news) were rushed into print. Congress waited until later in July to authorize the manuscript, after New York’s assembly instructed their delegates to change their vote to “yes,” making it unanimous. The signers then added their now famous names in August of 1776.

 

The original Declaration was moved many times, and was frequently unrolled for display to individual visitors. By 1820, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams had become concerned about the fragile condition of the document. With the approval of Congress, Adams commissioned William J. Stone to engrave an exact facsimile. Stone finished his copperplate in 1823, and Congress ordered 200 official copies to be struck on vellum and distributed to signers, families of signers, the Marquis de Lafayette, the President and Vice President and other public officials and institutions.

 

According to Seth Kaller, president of Seth Kaller, Inc., who acquired the document for Mr. Rubenstein, and arranged its loan to New-York Historical, “The signed Declaration is now so faded only small parts are legible. We are lucky that John Quincy Adams had the foresight to have the Stone facsimiles, thus preserving the image of the Declaration as it looked when it was created in 1776.” Mr. Kaller keeps a census of Stone copies. Approximately 50 of the 200 authorized Stone facsimiles are known to survive.

Visitors who come to New-York Historical during the Independence Day period will be able to commemorate the Fourth of July by viewing the rare “Stone” facsimile, and by

• · meeting re-enactors portraying Benjamin Franklin and his wife, Deborah Read
• · learning about the life of Revolutionary War soldiers from members of the 2^nd New York Provincial Battalion
• · hearing about the role of the Hudson River in the War of Independence from master storyteller Jonathan Kruk and balladeer Rich Bala
• · participating in a Presidential Scavenger Hunt
• · and tasting beer from the Empire Brewing Company after visiting the exhibition Beer Here: Brewing New York’s History

 

The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s pre-eminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research, presenting history and art exhibitions, and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered political, cultural and social history of New York City and State and the nation, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

Visit the New-York Historical Society at 170 Central Park West, New York, N.Y. 10024, 212-873-3400, www.nyhistory.org.

For more travel features, visit:

www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

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New-York Historical Society Presents ‘New York Cool’ Free Concert Series

In the spring of 2012 the New-York Historical Society will present New York Cool, a free concert series highlighting musical history makers, past and present. Made possible through the generous support of Bank of America, this seven concert series features hip, well-known and emerging names from across the spectrum of classical, jazz and popular music genres, performing in our Robert H. Smith Auditorium for free on Friday evenings. A unique combination of live music, art, history and culture, New York Cool will attract a young, cool and dynamic new audience to the New-York Historical Society.

This season’s performers include Jay Leonhart, his family and friends, all prominent members of the New York jazz scene; rockers The London Souls; vocal group Just Friends; the Beijing Guitar Duo; Ahn Trio, who blend classical music with a twenty-first century sensibility; and the Ted Rosenthal Quintet, who will perform music from Images of Monk.

With the completion of our new Robert H. Smith Auditorium, the musicians will have the opportunity to perform to an audience of up to 420 in a state-of-the-art facility featuring a 75-foot-long high definition screen. All performances will be first come, first served, and refreshments will be available for purchase. Concertgoers will also have a pre-performance chance to view our Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History, a 3,400 square foot space featuring New York Rising, a permanent installation centered on the themes of America’s and New York’s founding.

Performances

 

Friday, April 27, 2012, 6:30 PM JAY LEONHART, HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Jazz great Jay Leonhart (bassist) is joined by his family and special friends who are prominent members of the New York jazz scene. Together, they will perform an electrifying program of music from some of New York’s finest jazz composers.

Friday, May 4, 2012, 6:30 PM THE LONDON SOULS
The London Souls (Tash Neal and Chris St. Hilaire) have been nothing short of a best-kept secret among New York City concertgoers since the band’s formation in 2008. Their debut album was produced by Ethan Johns at London’s renowned Abbey Road Studios and captures the spirit of the band, offering an exhilarating fusion of blues and rock and roll. The London Souls’ unique reinterpretation of classic hard-hitting rock and roll recalls elements of the past with a boundless energy that will hypnotize and amaze.

Friday, May 11, 2012, 6:30 PM JUST FRIENDS
Since its inception in 1989, the vocal group Just Friends (Shelton Becton, Gail Blanche-Gill, A. Makea McDonald, Nedra Olds-Neal, Michael Neal and Jamet Pittman) has cultivated an enthusiastic following in the New York area. They have appeared on HBO and at the Riverside Church and have performed with the Dance Theater of Harlem, Alice Parker and Melodious Accord and Canadian Brass.

Friday, May 18, 2012, 6:30 PM BEIJING GUITAR DUO
The Beijing Guitar Duo, composed of Meng Su and Yameng Wang, is widely acclaimed for its outstanding technique and artistic musicality. Their first duo album, Maracaípe, received a Latin GRAMMY nomination for the featured work “Maracaípe,” written and dedicated to them by composer Sergio Assad. In addition to their performances in the United States, the coming concert season takes them to guitar centers in countries such as Holland, Ireland, Croatia and China.

Friday, May 25, 2012, 6:30 PM AHN TRIO
Hailed as “exacting and exciting musicians” by the Los Angeles Times, the three sisters of the Ahn Trio (Lucia on the piano, Angella on the violin and Maria on the cello) have earned a distinguished reputation for embracing twenty-first century classical music with their unique style and innovative collaborations. The Trio has recorded six albums and has performed for President Obama at the White House, in all fifty states and in over thirty countries.

Friday, June 1, 2012, 6:30 PM TED ROSENTHAL QUINTET
The Ted Rosenthal Quintet, with jazz stars Brian Lynch (trumpet), Dick Oatts (saxophone), Martin Wind (bass), Quincy Davis (drums) and Ted Rosenthal (piano), perform music from Images of Monk, Rosenthal’s award-winning album. The suite of Thelonious Monk’s pieces creatively “deranged” by Rosenthal takes a fresh look at Monk with daring arrangements and creative soloing without losing sight of Monk’s swing and wit.

Founded in 1804, The New-York Historical Society is one of America’s pre-eminent cultural institutions. Dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today, it is recognized for engaging the public with deeply researched and far-ranging exhibitions, such as Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America; Slavery in New York; Drawn by New York: Six Centuries of Watercolors and Drawings at the New-York Historical Society; Grant and Lee in War and Peace; Lincoln and New York; and The Grateful Dead: Now Playing at the New-York Historical Society. Supporting these exhibitions and related education programs is one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, works of American art, and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, N.Y.; for information, 212-873-3400, www.nyhistory.org.

For more travel features, visit:

www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

New York Cool Free Music Series at New-York Historical Society Features Known, Emerging Artists

Founded in 1804, the New-York Historical Society is one of America's pre-eminent cultural institutions, dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

This spring, the New-York Historical Society is presenting New York Cool, a free concert series highlighting musical history makers, past and present.

This seven concert series features hip, well-known and emerging names from across the spectrum of classical, jazz and popular music genres, performing in our Robert H. Smith Auditorium for free on Friday evenings. A unique combination of live music, art, history and culture, New York Cool will attract a young, cool and dynamic new audience to the New-York Historical Society.

This season’s performers include Missy Modell, a rising star who is bridging the gap between pop, rock and soul; Jay Leonhart, his family and friends, all prominent members of the New York jazz scene; rockers The London Souls; vocal group Just Friends; the Beijing Guitar Duo; Ahn Trio, who blend classical music with a twenty-first century sensibility; and the Ted Rosenthal Quintet, who will perform music from Images of Monk.

With the completion of the  new Robert H. Smith Auditorium, the musicians will have the opportunity to perform to an audience of up to 420 in a state-of-the-art facility featuring a 75-foot-long high definition screen. All performances will be first come, first served, and refreshments will be available for purchase. Concertgoers will also have a pre-performance chance to view our Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History, a 3,400 square foot space featuring New York Rising, a permanent installation centered on the themes of America’s and New York’s founding.

Bank of America is a sponsor.

 Performances

Friday, April 20, 2012, 6:30 PM MISSY MODELL
Missy Modell is a rising star who is bridging the gap between pop, rock and soul. Modell was featured on E!’s hit show “The Dance Scene,” working with renowned choreographer Laurieann Gibson. Modell recently released a music video for her song “Leave Well Enough Alone” and is working on her next single.

Friday, April 27, 2012, 6:30 PM JAY LEONHART, HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Jazz great Jay Leonhart (bassist) is joined by his family and special friends who are prominent members of the New York jazz scene. Together, they will perform an electrifying program of music from some of New York’s finest jazz composers.

Friday, May 4, 2012, 6:30 PM THE LONDON SOULS
The London Souls (Tash Neal and Chris St. Hilaire) have been nothing short of a best-kept secret among New York City concertgoers since the band’s formation in 2008. Their debut album was produced by Ethan Johns at London’s renowned Abbey Road Studios and captures the spirit of the band, offering an exhilarating fusion of blues and rock and roll. The London Souls’ unique reinterpretation of classic hard-hitting rock and roll recalls elements of the past with a boundless energy that will hypnotize and amaze.

Friday, May 11, 2012, 6:30 PM JUST FRIENDS
Since its inception in 1989, the vocal group Just Friends (Shelton Becton, Gail Blanche-Gill, A. Makea McDonald, Nedra Olds-Neal, Michael Neal and Jamet Pittman) has cultivated an enthusiastic following in the New York area. They have appeared on HBO and at the Riverside Church and have performed with the Dance Theater of Harlem, Alice Parker and Melodious Accord and Canadian Brass.

Friday, May 18, 2012, 6:30 PM BEIJING GUITAR DUO
The Beijing Guitar Duo, composed of Meng Su and Yameng Wang, is widely acclaimed for its outstanding technique and artistic musicality. Their first duo album, Maracaípe, received a Latin GRAMMY nomination for the featured work “Maracaípe,” written and dedicated to them by composer Sergio Assad. In addition to their performances in the United States, the coming concert season takes them to guitar centers in countries such as Holland, Ireland, Croatia and China.

Friday, May 25, 2012, 6:30 PM AHN TRIO
Hailed as “exacting and exciting musicians” by the Los Angeles Times, the three sisters of the Ahn Trio (Lucia on the piano, Angella on the violin and Maria on the cello) have earned a distinguished reputation for embracing twenty-first century classical music with their unique style and innovative collaborations. The Trio has recorded six albums and has performed for President Obama at the White House, in all fifty states and in over thirty countries.

Friday, June 1, 2012, 6:30 PM TED ROSENTHAL QUINTET
The Ted Rosenthal Quintet, with jazz stars Brian Lynch (trumpet), Dick Oatts (saxophone), Martin Wind (bass), Quincy Davis (drums) and Ted Rosenthal (piano), perform music from Images of Monk, Rosenthal’s award-winning album. The suite of Thelonious Monk’s pieces creatively “deranged” by Rosenthal takes a fresh look at Monk with daring arrangements and creative soloing without losing sight of Monk’s swing and wit.

New-York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s pre-eminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

New-York Historical is recognized for engaging the public with deeply researched and far-ranging exhibitions, such as Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America; Slavery in New York; Drawn by New York: Six Centuries of Watercolors and Drawings at the New-York Historical Society; Grant and Lee in War and Peace; Lincoln and New York; and The Grateful Dead: Now Playing at the New-York Historical Society. Supporting these exhibitions and related education programs is one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, works of American art, and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, N.Y.; for information, 212-873-3400, www.nyhistory.org.

For more travel features, visit:

www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin