LET'S GO TO THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Details
## ✨ Revolutionary New York: The Occupied City & He Built the City
Museum of the City of New York | Saturday, May 2 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
## 🌟 Event Description
Join us for a thoughtfully curated afternoon at the Museum of the City of New York, where we will explore two extraordinary exhibitions that together offer a compelling perspective on the city’s past, present, and identity.
From the upheaval of the American Revolution to a modern artist’s sweeping vision of the entirety of New York City, this experience brings history and imagination together in a uniquely engaging way.
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## 🏛️ The Occupied City: New York & the American Revolution
Marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this major new exhibition transforms the Museum’s entire third floor into a 7,000-square-foot immersive journey through Revolutionary-era New York.
Developed in partnership with the Gotham Center for New York City History, the exhibition presents the Revolution as a lived and deeply contested urban experience, rather than a distant historical moment.
Visitors will trace New York’s pivotal role in the conflict—from the first sparks of rebellion in 1763 to its emergence as the nation’s first capital in 1790.
Through historical objects, multimedia installations, and interactive environments, the exhibition brings to life the powerful and complex stories of:
- Revolutionaries and Loyalists
- Enslaved and free Black New Yorkers
- Women and Native communities
- Everyday residents navigating a city under occupation
Highlights include:
- A recreated 18th-century tavern
- A Loyalist print shop
- A walk-through experience of “Canvas Town”
- Digital dramatizations of key events such as the Battle of New York
This exhibition reveals the resilience of New Yorkers during seven years of British occupation, devastating fires, and conflict—and how their choices continue to shape the city today.
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## 🏙️ He Built This City: Joe Macken’s Model
We will also experience one of the Museum’s most visually striking and memorable installations:
### He Built This City
This extraordinary exhibition showcases a monumental handmade model of New York City, created by Queens-born artist Joe Macken over more than two decades.
Constructed entirely by hand using materials such as balsa wood, cardboard, and glue, the model spans an impressive 50 by 27 feet and consists of over 340 individual sections—capturing the city’s skyline, neighborhoods, and landmarks with remarkable precision and imagination.
Displayed in the Museum’s Dinan Miller Gallery, the installation allows visitors to take in both the full scale of the work and its intricate details, with binoculars available for close-up viewing.
For those who attended our previous visit, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience it again alongside a major new exhibition; for others, it is truly not to be missed.
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## 👥 Our Experience
This will be a self-guided group visit, allowing everyone to explore at their own pace while sharing observations and insights throughout the afternoon.
Together, we will enjoy:
- A fully immersive historical exhibition
- A visually stunning and highly detailed artistic installation
- A relaxed and engaging group experience
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## 🗓️ Event Details
- Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
- Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Meeting Time: 12:50 PM
- Location: Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue (at 103rd Street)
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## 💲 Cost
Admission: Pay-what-you-wish (suggested donation applies)
This is the link if you want to pay online.
###### Tickets
- Adults $23
- Seniors (65+) $18
- Students (19+) $14
- 18 & Under Free
- Members Free
- Pay-what-you-wish is only available at ticket counters in person.
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## 💬 Why This Event Is Special
This experience brings together two very different yet complementary perspectives on New York City—one rooted in history and transformation, the other in artistic vision and craftsmanship.
Together, they offer a rich and engaging look at how New York has been shaped—by conflict, creativity, and the people who have called it home.