New York Adventure Club

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1981585920832

What if a single museum could tell the entire story of Western art — not just through its paintings, but through its architecture, gardens, and carefully curated interiors? Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art lies a treasure trove of masterpieces that trace the evolution of Western creativity, from the sacred stillness of medieval chapels to the bold energy of modern cityscapes. It's time to embark on an epic visual journey through time as we uncover the hidden narratives, artistic breakthroughs, and cultural forces behind one of the world’s most extraordinary museum collections.

Join New York Adventure Club for a five-part series exploring the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s world-class collection of Western Art — each session highlighting a distinct era and theme within this extraordinary institution. In Part Two: Nature & Landscape, we’ll delve into the rise of naturalism during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, when artists began capturing the natural world with unprecedented realism and expressive detail.

Led by Sylvia Laudien-Meo — art historian, museum educator, and NYC tour guide — this art-centric virtual journey will feature:

• Early botanical imagery in religious painting, used as symbolic attributes of gods, goddesses, and saints
• Italian Renaissance landscapes by Mantegna and Carpaccio, setting sacred scenes within rich natural surroundings
• A closer look at Piero di Cosimo’s unique hunting scenes, filled with fantastical creatures and wilderness motifs
• German Renaissance landscapes by Lucas Cranach, framing mythological figures within vibrant forest settings
• A spotlight on Rembrandt’s Saskia as Flora, blending portraiture with classical floral symbolism
• Dramatic compositions by Bruegel, Patinir, and Hobbema, charting the rise of the independent landscape genre
• Watteau’s theatrical garden settings, inspired by music, myth, and leisure
• Still lifes brimming with fruits, flowers, and fauna, showcasing technical mastery and hidden meanings

Afterward, we'll have a Q&A with Sylvia — any and all questions are welcomed and encouraged!
Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay through one week after the entire series concludes.
See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar
**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser
***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week after the series finale
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week since the series finale, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!

The Met's Western Art Collection Series
Part 1: The Cloisters (Thursday, February 26 @ 5:30pm ET)
Part 2: Nature & Landscape (Thursday, March 5 @ 5:30pm ET)
Part 3: The Gilded Age (Thursday, March 12 @ 5:30pm ET)
Part 4: Impressionism (Thursday, March 19 @ 5:30pm ET)
Part 5: NYC in Modern Art (Thursday, March 26 @ 5:30pm ET)

About Sylvia
Sylvia Laudien-Meo is a freelance Art Historian who works in and around the city in various capacities, specializing on Modern and Contemporary art, with a strong focus on Public Art. She teaches art history at Fairleigh Dickinson University and has been working as a museum educator at MoMA, the Guggenheim and the Jewish Museum for over many years, engaging visitors in conversation based, interactive art experiences of permanent collections and changing exhibitions.
For the Municipal Art Society, UFT, Brandeis Univ., and private clients, she has been touring the city for over 20 years, exploring art and architecture, parks, neighborhoods and history. Working in various different capacities gives her a unique opportunity to make intriguing connections and weave together the complex perspectives that make out the tapestry of our fascinating city.
SLM holds a Masters Degree in Art History (with minors in History and American Studies) from the Joh. Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, as well as a Tourism degree from the EST in Paris France.

Disclaimer
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: Virtual, Art & Entertainment

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1981951906505

In only 18 minutes, a small fire that broke out on the 8th floor of a blouse-making factory in New York's Greenwich Village quickly turned into an inferno, eventually taking the lives of 146 workers — the majority of whom were young immigrant women. From unsafe working conditions and lax fire safety regulations to greedy owners, this is the story of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that shocked the nation and forever changed workers' rights in America.

Join New York Adventure Club as we uncover the full story behind the March 25, 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire — a tragic garment sweatshop blaze near Manhattan's Washington Square Park that put a spotlight on the poor working conditions in factories throughout the country and sparked the need for stronger labor unions and fire safety regulations in America.

Led by museum curator Debbie Wells, a descendant of one of the fire's youngest victims, our deep dive into this tragedy that embodies the early American — and New York — immigrant experience will include:

• An overview of workers' rights in the early 20th century, and the struggle faced by immigrant laborers working factory jobs
• The story behind Debbie's discovery of her ancestral connection with fire victim Annie Nicholas, an 18-year-old Russian-Jewish immigrant who worked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory as a button-maker
• Stories and first-hand accounts of the fateful day, from the fire that broke out near the end of the workday, to the fire trucks that were ill-equipped to extinguish the flames, to a heroic elevator operator
• The aftermath of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, including excerpts from the owners' criminal trial and how the event laid the foundation for workers' rights and fire safety regulations in America
• Details around a brand-new memorial planned to commemorate the "Triangle Fire"
• A look at the Ashcan School art movement, whose Greenwich Village-based painters captured the everyday lives of immigrants in early 20th-century NYC, offering powerful visual context to the era surrounding the Triangle Fire

Afterward, we'll have a Q&A with Debbie — any and all questions are welcomed and encouraged.
Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week.
See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar
**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser
***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!

About Debbie
Debbie Wells is the owner of Artful Buzz, which offers in-person tours, lectures and webinars on the NYC art scene, art history, fashion and all things art and culture. Debbie Wells is a licensed NYC tour guide, photographer, graphic designer and museum curator. She has served as Past President of the Art League of Long Island and is an active Artist Member of the Salmagundi Club in NYC. Wells is a graduate of Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Communications Design and MA in Media Studies. For more information, visit www.artfulbuzz.com.

Testimonials
"The story is always riveting but I didn't realize the speaker had such a personal connection to the fire, which made it special." -Gabriella
"So interesting! And the technology was easy to use" -Claire
"Narrator did a great job" -Michael
"Very interesting. Included information I wasn't expecting." -Jeffrey
"Presenter knew her material and maintained a brisk, informed pace. first timer, very impressed." -Michael
"Informative but also personal" -Deb
"I like how straightforward the host was in the presentation, and how descriptive and detailed she was." -Don

Disclaimer
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: Virtual, Moments in History

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1982018102499

This is a re-aired recording of this program’s most recent live webinar. Once the viewing period ends, this recording will not be offered again for at least one year.

When it comes to New York spaces made by and for women, the Upper East Side is home to many firsts — the first private women's social club in New York; the first public women's college in the nation; the first Black working women's settlement house in New York; and even the city's first women's historic preservation society. But how did this particular neighborhood become the hub for all of these powerful institutions for women, especially in an era when most men scoffed at the idea of women in leadership positions? This is the story of the women-only organizations that called the Upper East Side home, and the profound impact they had on the opportunities for women in New York City and beyond.

Join New York Adventure Club as we explore how New York's Upper East Side became the hub for women-only institutions beginning in the 20th century, ranging from private clubs to public universities.

Led by writer, historian, and New York City tour guide Lucie Levine, our virtual experience surrounding the architectural and social history of these storied institutions for women will include:

• How and why the Upper East Side became home to clubs, schools, residences, political institutions, and professional associations catered exclusively to women
• A discussion of notable women's institutions including the first free women’s college in the United States, a Hungarian church that helped empower immigrant working women, and the first women-only private club (which still exists today)
• Stories of the iconic women's-only Barbizon Hotel that was once home to Joan Crawford, Gene Tierney, Grace Kelly, Elaine Stritch, Liza Minelli, Eudora Welty and Joan Didion
• A look at the East Side women’s club that Eleanor Roosevelt turned into a foreign policy nexus
• The Black feminist activists who founded an East Side women’s club in 1897, stewarded one of the city’s largest collections of Black history, and went on the lead the NAACP

See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar
**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser
***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!

About Lucie
Lucie Levine is a writer, historian and urbanist. She founded the historical tour and event company Archive on Parade, and has offered tours, lectures and courses on New York City history in collaboration with The New York City Department of Transportation, Vassar College, NYU, CUNY, The New School, The Municipal Art Society and the New York Public Library, among others. She has published widely on New York City history at outlets including The Gotham Center for New York City History Blog, Jstor Daily, and 6sqft, where she was the Contributing History Writer.

Testimonials
"I didn't know these institutions existed! The presenter did an excellent of speaking about these places." -Loretta
"Interesting history facts." -Elsie
"Everything!" -Barbara
"Plenty of information about the sites and the women behind them -- a nice introduction to several aspects of history and a number of remarkable women all at once. Spirited delivery." -Lahring
"I liked the speaker. Lucie Levine is wonderful. She’s always very informative and makes interesting connections." -Margo
"I liked the buildings and stories about these amazing women" -Sahra
"I love that it was inclusive and talked about orgs started by women of color. This is often ignored when discussing feminism and women’s contributions." -Jacqueline
"Lucie did an excellent presentation of “The Historic Women-Only Institutions of the Upper East Side” webinar. The subject was well researched and articulately presented." -Sharon
"Great information and interesting connections" -Sheila
"The historic documentation. The presenter's excellent research!" -Joanne
"New information about sometimes familiar people or places. Related in a pleasant speaking voice." -Kent
"Very informative and well presented" -Leon
"Very interesting. Terrific topic. Speaker was well informed...her visuals were excellent." -Elizabeth
"The history line was terrific and so full of information I knew nothing about." -Pamela
"Lucie Levine is so fun to listen to. Excellent presenter. She has a mind like an encyclopedia on her topics, great photos, and it seems to enjoy sharing her subject. She sparks interest no matter what her topic is just by listening to enthusiastic Lucie." -Sharon
"Lucie is terrific! Knows her stuff. Knows how to ask questions and make it interesting to sustain interest all along. Very personable. Has an intuitive sense of how to make things interesting... respects audience intelligence. I look forward to taking more "tours" with her." -Jacquelyn
"The instructor’s style - knowledgeable, yet informal. A lot of the information was new to me. For example, I didn’t know that many of these clubs had a social action component." -Elizabeth V.
"Great info and history! Always great webinars with Lucy! She is full of great info!!" -Alba
"Photographs, map, historical information." -Pamela
"Lucie knows her stuff, and clearly has a passion for history!" -Trish

Disclaimer
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: Virtual, Landmarks

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1981859136026

In 1907, Gilded Age sculptor and art patron Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney made a radical decision: instead of continuing to work inside her palatial mansion on Fifth Avenue, she would purchase a former 19th-century stable and convert it into her dedicated art studio. The action was ridiculed by New York's high society, summed up by the Topeka Daily Capital article headline, “Daughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt Will Live in Dingy New York Alley.” But over the next 35 years, Whitney would expand the site to a complex of eight connected structures, turning it into a hub of art-making and exhibitions and eventually opening a full-fledged museum in 1931. It's time to explore the remnants of this original studio and Whitney legacy like never before.

Join New York Adventure Club for a rare trip inside the original site of the Whitney Museum of American Art, today a National Historic Landmark.

Led by a member of the New York Studio School (NYSS), our exploration of this historic space will include:

• A discussion of the rollicking, influential life of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
• An introduction to the thriving bohemian culture of Greenwich Village in the early 20th century
• An overview of the near demolition of the building in 1967, and the early years of the School, with figures like Philip Guston, Mercedes Matter, Elaine de Kooning, and others
• A walkthrough of the former exhibition spaces of the original Whitney Museum, including the studio of sculptor Daniel Chester French — designer of the Lincoln Memorial statue
• Special access to the private cul-de-sac MacDougal Alley, located behind the NYSS
• A rare look inside the historic Whitney studio designed by Robert Winthrop Chanler

See you there!

*Due to the venue's COVID-19 protocols, all guests must [1] be wearing a mask, and [2] complete the NYSS COVID-19 Screening Survey before they enter the building on the day of the tour. Once visitors complete the survey, their names will be on a list at the front desk indicating that they are cleared to enter the building.

**The New York Studio School does not have an elevator

Testimonials

"I liked having a chance to glimpse a bygone bit of history and to see that venue is being given continued life and purpose." -Dennis

"I was able to see the part of the studio not usually accessible to normal visitors, the giant fireplace and the McDougal alley about which I had no idea, even though I've been around in the village countless times." -Gabriela

"Getting to see a part of the city i didnt even know was there!" -Finlay

"Interesting venue. Well organized." -Lucy

"Getting to see an important site in the art history of New York" -Yael

"It was interesting learning about the building and its history" -Dayna

"Never would have known about it any other way! Thanks!" -Suzanne

"The tour guide was amazing!!" -Lilly

"Amazing building, look at the private alley" -Yevgeniya

"Loved seeing an interior landmark that is otherwise inaccessible." -Ralph

Disclaimer

By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.

Categories: In-Person, Museums & Galleries