NYC & THE CIVIL WAR and More Among Exhibitions at New-York Historical Society This Sept

The New-York Historical Society has announced its September 2014 exhibitions. Details below!

All exhibitions are presented at the New-York Historical Society unless otherwise noted. For more information, visit www.nyhistory.org or call (212) 873-3400.

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TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS

Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion

September 26, 2014-April 19, 2015

Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion explores the centuries-long history of trade and immigration between China and the United States-a history that involved New York from its very beginnings-and will raise the question "What does it mean to be an American?" The exhibit narrative extends from the late eighteenth century to the present and includes all regions of the country, thus interpreting the Chinese American saga as a key part of American history.

A Brief History of New York: Selections from A History of New York in 101 Objects

August 22- November 30, 2014

Can one object define New York City? Can 101? New York Times urban affairs correspondent Sam Roberts has assembled a kaleidoscopic array of possibilities in a new book, A History of New York in 101 Objects. Featuring objects from the New-York Historical Society collection, this exhibition will assemble some of Roberts's choices, which together constitute a unique history of New York. By turns provocative, iconic, and ironic, and winnowed from hundreds of possibilities, his selections share the criteria of having played some transformative role in the city's history.

"To The Inhabitants of Great Britain": The Robert R. Livingston Letters

August 5 - November 7, 2014

In the late spring of 1775, New York jurist Robert R. Livingston (1746-1813) drafted a letter titled "The Twelve United Colonies, by Their Delegates in Congress, to the Inhabitants of Great-Britain." Commissioned by the Second Continental Congress as an eleventh-hour attempt to reconcile with the mother country, it is a striking piece of testimony to the internal struggles of colonial leaders and patriots as they tried to develop a framework of reconciliation, and sheds new light on the period leading up to the Declaration of Independence and the final break with Great Britain. The letter was discovered last summer in the Morris-Jumel Mansion in New York City, which served as George Washington's headquarters during the Revolutionary War, and was recently acquired by Brian Hendelson, a noted New Jersey-based private collector. Hitherto unknown and unstudied, the manuscript will be on view at New-York Historical in the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, and will remain on loan to New-York Historical for purposes of study and display for two years.

New Netherland at 400: Unlocking the Secrets of the 1914 Time Capsule

July 25 - October 26, 2014

The term "time capsule" was coined at the New York World's Fair of 1939, but a quarter century earlier this richly ornamented bronze casket - possibly the oldest unopened time capsule in the world - was filled, sealed, and entrusted to the New-York Historical Society. A group of merchants, calling themselves the Lower Wall Street Business Men's Association, launched it on May 23, 1914 as a part of the tercentenary celebrations of the New Netherland Company's chartering in 1614 and the beginnings of Dutch North American colonialism. Ceremoniously enclosed by a former mayor, the chest was to remain sealed until 1974, the bicentennial of New York's appeal for the colonies to form a union. Oversleeping its due date, the chest will finally be unlocked at a ceremony in October.

"I Live. Send Help." 100 Years of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee

June 13- September 21, 2014

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) was founded in New York City in 1914 as a response to the plight of Jews in Europe and Palestine at the outset of World War I. Since then, JDC has become a premiere humanitarian organization helping Jews and non-Jews the world over in times of need. On the occasion of its 100 year anniversary, this exhibition will recount the history of the JDC from its creation to its most recent relief activities rebuilding Jewish communities of the former Soviet Union, and in aiding Filipinos in the wake of the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan. Included in this celebratory exhibition will be photographs, objects, and films that bring the JDC's poignant stories to life.

The Works: Salon Style at the New-York Historical Society

June 20, 2014 - February 8, 2015

Salon Style is a method of hanging a gallery that emphasizes the complexity and richness of a collection, often done in the collections of the European royal courts to connote taste and opulence. By the nineteenth century Salon Style was used by private art clubs to squeeze as many works into a gallery as possible. This installation displays numerous gems from the New-York Historical Society's permanent collection in nineteenth-century Salon Style, showcasing the depth and range of our holdings. Everything from self-portraits of Asher Durand to Hudson River School landscapes to religious and history paintings will be on view, in close proximity that unites these typically separate styles.

Madeline in New York: The Art of Ludwig Bemelmans

July 4 - October 19, 2014

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Madeline's publication, the New-York Historical Society will honor the beloved schoolgirl and her creator Ludwig Bemelmans with an exhibition of more than 90 original artworks. In addition to drawings from all six Madeline books, the exhibition will also feature Bemelmans' drawings of the old Ritz Hotel in New York, murals from a rediscovered Paris bistro, panels from the Onassis yacht, and a cache of fabrics based on an early picture book.

NYC & the Civil War: The New-York Historical Society Pops Up on Governors Island

July 5-September 28, 2014

Note: This exhibition takes place at House 18 in Nolan Park on Governors Island.
NYC & the Civil War, is presented by the New-York Historical Society in commemoration of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the war that divided the nation. The exhibition portrays the complexities that arose in our city during the period of the American Civil War. While there were no battles in New York, the city itself embodied many of the tensions that tore the nation in two. Using reproductions of photographs, newspapers, and works of art, our Student Historian Teen Leaders have curated a nuanced view of the Civil War showing multiple perspectives and many surprises. Located in Building 18 in Nolan Park, the exhibition is free and runs every weekend from July 5th through September 28th, and beginning July 12th will feature hands-on activities for all ages.

PERMANENT INSTALLATIONS

DiMenna Children's History Museum

Explore 300 years of New York and American history through the eyes and lives of children of the past! The DiMenna Children's History Museum is a museum-within-a-museum and occupies the New-York Historical Society's entire lower level. It includes character-based pavilions, a children's library, a Whiz Bang Quiz Machine, and interactive exhibits and games. The DCHM encourages children to identify with the people whose enterprise and creativity changed the course of our history. All ages can enjoy and learn in DCHM, but the exhibits are targeted at age 8-13.

The Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History

Dedicated to telling the story of America through the lens of New York, this new gallery features such works as a piece of ceiling from Keith Haring's "Pop Shop;" Here is New York, a rotating selection from the approximately 6,200 photographs taken by the people of New York City on September 11, 2001, and immediately afterward; History Under Your Feet, an educational scavenger hunt for visitors featuring our "history manholes;" and Liberty/Liberté, an installation by New York-based artist Fred Wilson. This permanent installation provides an overview of New-York Historical's diverse collections and orients visitors to the experiences and exhibitions waiting deeper in the Museum.

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MUSEUM AND STORE HOURS:

Tuesday - Thursday: 10 am-6 pm
Friday: 10 am-8 pm (pay as you wish from 6 pm-8 pm)
Saturday: 10 am-6 pm
Sunday: 11 am-5 pm

MUSEUM ADMISSION:

Adults - $19
Teachers and Seniors - $15
Students - $12
Children (5-13)- $6
Children (4 and under) -free