Berenice Abbott

Born in Springfield, Ohio, Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) came to New York City at the age of 20, then began her career as a photographer during an extended time in Paris, where she worked as an assistant to photographer Man Ray. Returning to New York in 1929, she...

Wurts Bros.

Thanks to generous grants from the Leon Levy Foundation, the Wurts Brothers Collection is now available online. This collection gives visual life to the growth of New York’s built environment in the 20th century. The studio, founded by brothers Norman and Lionel...

Wurts Bros.

Thanks to generous grants from the Leon Levy Foundation, the Wurts Brothers Collection is now available online. This collection gives visual life to the growth of New York’s built environment in the 20th century. The studio, founded by brothers Norman and Lionel...

Berenice Abbott

Born in Springfield, Ohio, Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) came to New York City at the age of 20, then began her career as a photographer during an extended time in Paris, where she worked as an assistant to photographer Man Ray. Returning to New York in 1929, she...

1939 World's Fair

The 1939 New York World’s Fair was a significant marker in New York City history and American culture. It contributed to the physical development of the city through major infrastructure projects, but equally importantly, it captured the spirit of its era. The...

Yiddish Theater

The City Museum holds a major collection related to theatrical productions performed or originated on New York's Yiddish stage. Highlights include works translated into Yiddish and performances of works originally written in Yiddish but translated into English....

Mid-20th Century Women's Garments

The Museum holds a striking collection of mid-20th century garments worn by notable New York women and created by celebrated designers. The women's costumes, ranging from jumpsuits to evening gowns, document the city’s arrival as a fashion capital, and date from...

Samuel H. Gottscho

As a young man, Samuel Gottscho (1875-1971) recorded the nighttime glories of Coney Island's early 20th-century amusement parks, but he became a professional success with the establishment of his own architectural photography firm in 1925. He received numerous...

Posters and Patriotism

This selection of images from the World War I poster collection donated to the Museum by railroad executive and financier John W. Campbell (1880-1957) in 1943, is representative of many shown in Posters and Patriotism: Selling World War I in New York. When the...

Sophie Tucker Collection

Singer, comedian, and actress, Sophie Tucker was one of the most well-known entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Making her professional stage debut in 1907, Tucker’s big voice and even bigger stage presence were a hit on the vaudeville and burlesque...

1939 World's Fair

The 1939 New York World’s Fair was a significant marker in New York City history and American culture. It contributed to the physical development of the city through major infrastructure projects, but equally importantly, it captured the spirit of its era. The...

Currier and Ives

In 1857, Nathaniel Currier formed a partnership with James Merritt Ives, creating the printmaking firm of Currier & Ives. Located in lower Manhattan, the business was spectacularly prolific, producing an average of three or four new prints of a wide variety of...

Jacob A. Riis

Danish-born Jacob Riis (1849-1914) was a journalist, social reformer, and social documentary photographer. He is best known for his 1890 book How the Other Half Lives, which brought public attention to New York's squalid housing, sweatshops, bars, and alleys. The...

Fans

The City Museum holds an exceptional collection of hand fans, which comprises more than 700 objects dating from the 18th century through the 1920s and includes examples of painted, printed, brisé, and folding feather fans, as well as hand screens. This selection...

Byron Company

For half a century, the Byron Company (1892-1942) was one of New York City's preeminent commercial photography studios. Two major areas of specialization - stage and ship photography - provided steady work for the firm while it pursued thousands of other commissions....

Samuel H. Gottscho

As a young man, Samuel Gottscho (1875-1971) recorded the nighttime glories of Coney Island's early 20th-century amusement parks, but he became a professional success with the establishment of his own architectural photography firm in 1925. He received numerous...

Yiddish Theater

The City Museum holds a major collection related to theatrical productions performed or originated on New York's Yiddish stage. Highlights include works translated into Yiddish and performances of works originally written in Yiddish but translated into English....

Sophie Tucker Collection

Singer, comedian, and actress, Sophie Tucker was one of the most well-known entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Making her professional stage debut in 1907, Tucker’s big voice and even bigger stage presence were a hit on the vaudeville and burlesque...