About
The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) is a treasure trove of the city's history, art, and culture, located at 1220–1227 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Founded in 1923 by Henry Collins Brown, the museum was initially housed in Gracie Mansion before moving to its current location. Its mission is to foster understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in New York City, celebrating, documenting, and interpreting the city's past, present, and future.
The museum's collection, which has grown to approximately 750,000 objects, includes prints, photographs, decorative arts, costumes, paintings, sculpture, toys, and theatrical memorabilia, among others. Notable items include Eugene O’Neill’s handwritten manuscripts, a complete room of Duncan Phyfe furniture, and the Carrie Walter Stettheimer dollhouse with a miniature work by Marcel Duchamp. The museum's Georgian Colonial-Revival building, designed by Joseph H. Freedlander, was completed in 1932 and has been a New York City landmark since 1967. With a focus on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, the MCNY continues to engage visitors through exhibitions, collections, and programs that reflect the metropolis's dynamic and diverse communities
