Visit the Unappreciated, Unnoticed Museums of New York
New York City is home to some of the finest museums in the world. The likes of The American Museum of National History, the Whitney, and the Museum of Modern Art are monumental buildings of historical importance, and they attract thousands of tourists every year. However, there are plenty of other under-the-radar museums that nobody seems to talk about or visit. These places house impressive artifacts ranging from Himalayan arts and design to subway history and other culturally significant artistic masterpieces. Here’s a list of some of the worth-mentioning places you have to visit:
The Iconic Museum of American Finance
The Museum describes itself as the only independent museum that is dedicated to celebrating the passion of entrepreneurship and the beauty of the free market.
Source: nycgo.com
It’s aptly placed within an iconic bank within the Financial District. From learning the origin of the stock exchange to seeing the medieval process of printing money, you can do it all here.
Get Fiery at New York City Fire Museum
Located in a Beaux Arts firehouse that dates back to 1904, the New York City Fire Museum is a place both adults and children are bound to enjoy.
New York City Fire Department Ladder Company 3 exhibit at 9/11 Memorial Museum, The World Trade Center, New York, USA. Source: PitK / Shutterstock.com
The museum elucidates the way firefighting has evolved over the years and is home to some of the most iconic fire engines that make all the kids go, “Cool!” Additionally, it also gives visitors the ability to partake in a fire safety drill by simulating a fire in a mock apartment.
The Grand Skyscraper Museum
If you love architecture, the Skyscraper Museum is a must-go place for you. It analyses the historical facets that have articulated the iconic skyline of the city while also showcasing some of the technology that’s used to construct buildings of generous size.
Source: skyscraper.org
In addition to this, the museum also houses some intriguing exhibitions.
The Iconic Merchant’s House Museum
Seabury Tredwell, the aristocratic merchant, used to live in the Merchant house, along with his eight children from 1835 to 1933. In 1936, the home located at 29 East Fourth Street was converted into the museum which, to this day, preserves the personal belongings of the family.
Source: merchantshouse.org
So, if you are curious about the way a wealthy family lived in Manhattan during the early 1800s, this is the place to be.
From a Barneys Store to the Rubin Museum of Art
The Rubin Museum of Art in Chelsea stands now where once Barney’s store stood. Dedicated to portraying the arts and cultural relics from the Himalayas and the regions near it, this Museum is revered by its patrons. The spiraling staircase is adored by the visitors and the concerts, films, and exhibitions often held here also attract a lot of attention.
Source: Nigar Alizada / Shutterstock.com
Café Serai is also located on the upper level of the museum and is worth a visit.
The Museum of Chinese In America
If you want to delve into the historical relations of America and China and take a look at how the traditions of both the countries overlapped, you should visit the Museum of Chinese located on Centre Street.
Source: archpaper.com
The avant-garde approach for preservation of history includes oral histories to go with artifacts and photographs that evaluate everything from Chinese American’s media representations to the gradual growth of Chinatowns across the country.
Witness Immigrant Life at the Tenement Museum
The Tenement Museum is currently being expanded and will soon become a 10,000 square foot wide facility. The main reason for the expansion was to accommodate the thousands of tourists that have to be turned away every year.
Source: DW labs Incorporated / Shutterstock.com
If you want to witness the Lower East Side immigrant life from back in the 19th and 20th centuries, then this is the perfect place for you. You will also be able to observe the tangible changes the neighborhood has gone through throughout centuries.
Latin and Caribbean Art at El Museo Del Barrio
El Museo was founded in 1969 and to this date its mission remains the same: To present some of the most exceptional Caribbean and Latin American artwork.
Source: nytimes.com
From 20th century paintings and drawings to Taino photography, artifacts, films, and relics that go back 800 years, there’s plenty to astound you here.
Get Jazzy at The National Jazz Museum in Harlem
Till last year, the National Jazz Museum used to be confined to a fourth-floor on an East Harlem building, making it inconspicuous, to say the least; but now, it resides within the ground floor of the condo situated at 58 West 129th Street.
Source: allaboutjazz.com
If you are into the history of Jazz or merely like to attend Jazz meetings and artist interview sessions, this is your place to be!
Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) Lab in Williamsburg
Operating out of a 5,000 square foot space in Williamsburg, the Museum of Food and Drink claims to be busy creating the first large scale food museum in the world, where you can eat the exhibits.
Source: mofad.org
Even though it started in 2015, MOFAD is still in the experimental stages.
The Subway You Do Want to Take: New York Transit Museum
New Yorkers want to see subways as less as they possibly can, but a journey to the New York Transit Museum, which is an abandoned subway station, is definitely worth your time.
Source: nytransitmuseum.org
You can witness some of the subway vehicles from the 19th and 20th centuries and evaluate the process of evolution the whole subway ecosystem has gone through.
The Dyckman Farmhouse in Washington Heights
Manhattan used to be rural farmland, but there aren’t many remnants of those days, except the Dyckman Farmhouse in Washington Heights.
Source: Wikipedia
Built in 1874, by William Dyckman, it’s easily the oldest farmhouse in Manhattan. It also houses some of the personal purchases of Dyckman and his family.