STAY WARM THIS WINTER AT NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY Photography Exhibitions, the Vietnam War, Ephemera from the Women’s Marches, and More on Display Exhibitions, Programs, and Free Films February 2018 – March 2018
New York through the Lens of George Kalinsky
COMING SOON: February 2 – June 3, 2018
Some of New York’s most iconic cultural moments over the past 50 years have been captured by George Kalinsky. Serving as Madison Square Garden’s official photographer, Kalinsky has turned truly memorable moments―sporting events, legendary performances, and notable occasions―into lasting images that have defined the city. Among the quintessential photographs on view are Pope John Paul II hoisting a seven-year-old child onto the Popemobile in Madison Square Garden, Bill Bradley celebrating a New York Knicks victory, Sloane Stephens winning the 2017 US Open, and Jesse Orosco falling to his knees on the mound as the Mets won the 1986 World Series.
Rebel Spirits: Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
COMING SOON: February 16 – May 20, 2018
On the surface, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were born worlds apart―culturally, geographically, racially, financially, and politically. But by the time they were killed within two months of each other in 1968, their worlds had come together. Images taken by some of the most renowned photojournalists of the era―alongside original correspondence, publications, and ephemera―illustrate the overlapping trajectory of their lives, exploring their deepening tie as well as how their interests expanded beyond civil rights and organized crime to encompass shared concerns for the poor and opposition to the war in Vietnam.
The Vietnam War: 1945 – 1975
Now on view through April 22, 2018
Join us for this groundbreaking look at one of the most controversial events of the 20th century. Featuring interpretive displays, digital media, artwork, artifacts, photographs, and documents, The Vietnam War: 1945 – 1975 provides an enlightening account of the causes, progression, and impact of the war. Spanning the duration of U.S. involvement in Indochina, the narrative incorporates perspectives covering both the home and the war fronts. Displays touch upon the Cold War, the draft, military campaigns initiated by both sides, the growth of the antiwar movement, the role of the president, and the loss of political consensus. Throughout the exhibition, visitors explore themes of patriotism, duty, and citizenship. Key objects include a troopship berthing unit, interactive murals, vibrant antiwar posters, artwork by Vietnam vets, a Viet Cong bicycle, the Pentagon Papers, and news and film clips.
Hotbed
Now on view through March 25, 2018
In the early 20th century, Greenwich Village was a hotbed of political activism and social change—where men and women joined forces across the boundaries of class and race to fight for a better world. At the heart of the downtown radicals’ crusade lay women’s rights: to control their own bodies, to do meaningful work, and above all, to vote. Celebrating the centennial of women’s right to vote in New York and on view in the Joyce B. Cowin Women’s History Gallery, Hotbed features immersive installations and more than 100 artifacts and images—drawn from New-York Historical’s archives and several private collections—that bring to life the neighborhood’s bohemian scene and energetic activist spirit.
Collecting the Women’s Marches
On view through June 3, 2018
On January 21, 2017, hundreds of thousands rallied at the Women’s March on Washington for diverse issues including women’s rights, racial equality, and the environment. Counting more than 500 sister marches across the United States, it was the largest single-day protest in the nation’s history. As part of its History Responds program, the New-York Historical Society collected a range of artifacts, including signs, sashes, pussyhats, and colorful props, to document the moment. One year later, Collecting the Women’s Marches highlights some of the political and visual themes that emerged, as well as the efforts of individuals and groups that worked behind the scenes. An adjunct display of protest clothing by Olek (Agata Oleksiak), an artist who works in crochet, and Brick x Brick, a public art performance group, is also on view.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection
LAST CHANCE: on view through February 25, 2018
A magical wonderland awaits visitors with the return of this holiday tradition. Featuring hundreds of toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection, the exhibition’s immersive scenes and displays transport young and old alike to a bygone era. Holiday Express begins at the West 77th Street entrance, where trains appear to roar through the Museum with the help of four large-scale multimedia screens, and extends through large swaths of the first floor.
Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence
Now on view through March 11, 2018
Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence showcases hand-drawn and engraved maps from the 18th and early 19th centuries that illuminate the tremendous changes—geographic, political, and economic—that occurred before, during, and just after the Revolutionary War. The exhibition features rarely displayed manuscripts and printed maps from New-York Historical’s own premier collection, including the original manuscript surveys of Robert Erskine, Geographer and Surveyor General of the Continental Army, and his successor Simeon De Witt. Also on display is John Jay’s personal copy of John Mitchell’s Map of the British and French Dominions in North America(1755) to which red lines representing proposed boundaries were added during the negotiations of the Treaty of Paris, 1782–83. This exhibition was organized by the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library as We Are One: Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence .
Audubon’s Birds of America
Ongoing
Visitors have the unique experience of viewing John James Audubon’s spectacular watercolor models for the 435 plates of The Birds of America (1827–38) with their corresponding plates from the double-elephant-folio series, engraved by Robert Havell Jr. Each month, the exhibition rotates to highlight new species—featured in the order they appear in Audubon’s publication—which showcase the artist’s creative process and his contributions to ornithological illustration. Other works from New-York Historical’s collection, the world’s largest repository of Auduboniana, illuminate Audubon’s process. In February, we welcome the Purple Finch, and in March, the Canada Warbler will be on display.
Visit the New Fourth Floor: Objects Tell Stories, the Gallery of Tiffany Lamps, and More
Ongoing
Explore American history through stunning exhibitions and captivating interactive media on our transformed fourth floor. Themed displays in the North Gallery present a variety of topics—such as slavery, war, infrastructure, childhood, recreation, and 9/11—offering unexpected and surprising perspectives on collection highlights. Touchscreens and interactive kiosks allow visitors to explore American history and engage with objects like never before. As the centerpiece of the fourth floor, the Gallery of Tiffany Lamps features 100 illuminated Tiffany lampshades from our spectacular collection displayed within a dramatically lit jewel-like space. Within our new Center for Women’s History, visitors discover the hidden connections among exceptional and unknown women who left their mark on New York and the nation with the multimedia digital installation, Women’s Voices, and through rotating exhibitions in the Joyce B. Cowin Women’s History Gallery. Objects from the Billie Jean King Archive are also on view.
Collector’s Choice: Highlights from the Permanent Collection
Ongoing
Since 1804, the New-York Historical Society has been welcoming to its collection some of the most esteemed artworks of the modern world.Collector’s Choice: Highlights from the Permanent Collection showcases a selection of paintings that reflect the individual tastes of several New York City collectors who donated their holdings to New-York Historical. Joining Picasso’s Le Tricorne ballet curtain are featured American and European masterpieces spanning the 14th through the 21st centuries from Luman Reed, Thomas Jefferson Bryan, and Robert L. Stuart, including colonial portraits of children, marine and maritime subjects, and an installation showcasing recently collected contemporary works.
NEW FILM
We Rise
Now Playing in Daily in Rotation with Our Film New York Story
Free with Museum Admission
Narrated by Meryl Streep and featuring the song “We Are Here” written and composed by Alicia Keys, New-York Historical’s new film We Risecelebrates the centennial of women’s suffrage in New York State, placing women at the center of political thought and action that reshaped the country in the early 20th century. We Rise, a cornerstone of the new Center for Women’s History, is shown every day in our state-of-the-art ground-floor theater, in regular rotation with the destination film New York Story. Through artistic projections, immersive sound, and theatrical lighting, the unique 17-minute film We Rise profiles some of the remarkable women whose advocacy for change had lasting effects, including Lillian Wald, nurse and founder of Henry Street Settlement; Addie Hunton, suffragist and leader of black women’s organizations; Margaret Sanger, birth control activist; and Clara Lemlich, a leader of the massive strike of shirtwaist workers in New York’s garment industry in 1909; as well as women like Clara Driscoll, head of the Tiffany Studios Women’s Glass Cutting Department, who found new opportunities for work and independence in New York City in that time period.
SPECIAL INSTALLATION
We the People
Ongoing
The meaning of the first three words of the U.S. Constitution—“We the people…”—has changed over the course of our nation’s history, and who constitutes “the people” is a topic of fierce debate even today. Constructed entirely from shoelaces donated by members of the public, this monumental artwork by artist Nari Ward honors these three words in a permanent display at the New-York Historical Society. Acquisition of We the People is generously underwritten by Diana and Joe DiMenna.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Last Hope Island: Britain and World War II
Madeleine K. Albright, Lynne Olson, Stanley Cloud
Thursday, February 8, 6:30 pm
SOLD OUT
During the Second World War, as the Nazi blitzkrieg rolled over continental Europe and began to occupy nations throughout the region, both government officials and armed forces alike—determined to continue the fight against fascist forces—fled to Britain, considered the “last hope island” holding out against Hitler. Discover how the tide of World War II was forever altered by the collaboration of Europeans exiled in Britain.
Schlesinger: The Imperial Historian
Richard Aldous, Eliot A. Cohen
Tuesday, February 13, 6:30 pm
$44 (Members $32)
A preeminent public intellectual, the late Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. served as Special Assistant to President John F. Kennedy and famously popularized the term “imperial presidency” to describe the Nixon administration. Discover how the renowned historian redefined presidential biography and forged an unparalleled legacy by simultaneously writing—and shaping—history.
Populism and Democracy
Linda Greenhouse, Robert Post, Kenji Yoshino
Saturday, February 17, 9–9:30 am: Registration and Continental Breakfast | 9:30–11 am: Program
$48 (Members $38)
Following the Friday night screening of the 1949 Oscar-winning classic All the King’s Men—a story based on the real-life 1930s populist Governor of Louisiana, Huey Long—leading legal scholars return to discuss issues related to democracy, corruption, free press, and the law.
Hamilton’s Best Friend at the Constitutional Convention
Richard Brookhiser, Dale Gregory
Tuesday, February 20, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
“The fate of America was suspended by a hair,” declared Gouverneur Morris, the draftsman of the Constitution, about the fateful summer of 1787, when he joined the young nation’s most prominent leaders—George Washington, whom he admired; Benjamin Franklin, whom he teased; and Alexander Hamilton, his dear friend—in Philadelphia. Join us as we follow Morris to the famed Constitutional Convention and discover how the decisive assembly forever altered the course of American history.
The Black Calhouns
Gail Lumet Buckley, Jonathan Alter
Thursday, February 22, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
Author Gail Lumet Buckley, daughter of superstar and activist Lena Horne, explores the remarkable history of her family’s experience in America from the Civil War to the civil rights movement. Join her for a story that spans vital moments in American history from the Jim Crow South to the Harlem Renaissance and plays host to leaders and icons from W. E. B. Du Bois to Robert Kennedy.
Alabama v. Hamilton and the Fight for Racial Equality
Randall Kennedy
Monday, February 26, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
In 1963, courts often addressed white witnesses by their honorifics but used black witnesses’ first names. When Mary Hamilton refused to answer questions until addressed by her surname, she was jailed for contempt of court. A year later, the Supreme Court vacated her conviction. Explore the story behind Alabama v. Hamilton and its broader significance within the struggle for racial equality.
The Battle for the Border States
John F. Marszalek, Craig L. Symonds, Harold Holzer
Wednesday, February 28, 6:30 pm
$44 (Members $32)
During the Civil War, Missouri and Kentucky—the slave-holding Border States dividing North and South—became major battlegrounds, not only for formal combat but also for violent political discord, martial law, governments in exile, and “bushwhackers”—perpetrators of guerrilla warfare that included the Missouri pro-Confederate group, Quantrill’s Raiders. Leading Civil War experts discuss the contentious region’s greater impact on the course of the war and the path to reunion and emancipation.
The Tet Offensive: 50 Years Later
Lien-Hang Nguyen, Max Boot
Monday, March 5, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
North Vietnam’s 1968 Tet Offensive was the single most important event of the Vietnam War. Historians shed light on its history 50 years later—uncovering how the offensive served only to prolong the fighting in Vietnam and its larger influence over the global Cold War.
Civil Rights and the Supreme Court
Akhil Reed Amar, Heather K. Gerken, Denny Chin
Tuesday, March 6, 6:30 pm
$44 (Members $32)
Eminent legal experts survey the evolution of the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretations of the 14th Amendment—in commemoration of its 150th anniversary—and civil rights throughout American history, highlighting landmark cases such as Brown v. Board of Education.
Hamilton: America’s Jewish Founder
Andrew Porwancher, Meir Y. Soloveichik
Thursday, March 8, 6:30 pm
$44 (Members $32)
Alexander Hamilton has recently become a celebrity of the Revolutionary era, but much of this Founding Father’s life and story remains unknown. Historian Andrew Porwancher and Rabbi Meir Y. Soloveichik discuss the emerging evidence and historical debate surrounding Hamilton’s roots—suggesting the iconic American figure may have been Jewish.
The ’60s from Both Sides, Now: An Evening with Judy Collins
Judy Collins, Harold Holzer
Tuesday, March 13, 6:30 pm
SOLD OUT
Nearly half a century ago, Judy Collins recorded her mega-hit “Both Sides, Now”—an anthem of the ’60s written for her by Joni Mitchell. Collins won further acclaim with “Chelsea Morning” and “Send in the Clowns.” The singer known as “Judy Blue Eyes” also confronted the dark side of the ’60s as well as her own personal struggles. Throughout, she has remained an outspoken activist who began singing Pete Seeger’s protest song, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” while testifying at the 1969 trial of the Chicago Seven. Now this enduring and courageous artist looks back at the decade that launched, inspired, and tested her.
American Foreign Policy after the Arab Spring
Elliott Abrams, Justin Vogt
Wednesday, March 14, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
Experts discuss American foreign policy in the Middle East, uncovering how the United States addressed the tension between tyranny and democracy from the Cold War through the Obama era and illuminating how politics in the Middle East have evolved since the 2011 Arab Spring protests.
An Evening with Drew Gilpin Faust
Drew Gilpin Faust, David M. Rubenstein
Tuesday, March 20, 6:30 pm
$48 (Members $38)
Join us for an evening with esteemed American historian Drew Gilpin Faust, President of Harvard University. In an intimate conversation, Faust discusses her work as a Civil War historian and uncovers the pivotal role universities play in modeling cultural and political understanding and strengthening American society.
The Village: New York’s Bohemia
Barry Lewis
Thursday, March 22, 6:30 pm
$48 (Members $38)
In conjunction with New-York Historical’s exhibition Hotbed, architectural historian Barry Lewis takes us inside the vibrant political and artistic scene of Greenwich Village—New York’s first Bohemian neighborhood—in the early 20th century, when everyone from Edna St. Vincent Millay to John Sloan made “the Village” their hangout.
The Presidents: William Howard Taft
Jeffrey Rosen, Akhil Reed Amar
Tuesday, March 27, 6:30 pm
$38 (Members $24)
Leading scholar Jeffrey Rosen, in conversation with Akhil Reed Amar, explores the extraordinary story of the only man ever to serve as President of the United States and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Discover how President William Howard Taft defended the Founding Fathers’ vision of American democracy.
Le Conversazioni: An Evening with Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Rossellini, Antonio Monda
Wednesday, March 28, 7 pm
$38 (Members $24)
Actress, model, and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini, in conversation with Antonio Monda, artistic director of the Rome Film Festival, discusses her multifaceted life and career—from her famous roots as the daughter of legendary director Roberto Rossellini and actress Ingrid Bergman to her latest project as author of the new book My Chickens and I.
The American Economy in the Age of Trump
James Grant, Byron R. Wien
Thursday, March 29, 6:30 pm
$44 (Members $32)
During the 2016 presidential election, the U.S. economy was a top issue for American voters—but where does the U.S. economy stand today? Experts discuss the state of the economy under President Trump and uncover how the current administration might shape America’s financial future.
JUSTICE IN FILM SERIES
This series explores how film has tackled social conflict, morality, and the perennial struggle between right and wrong. Entrance to the film series is included with Museum Admission during New-York Historical’s Pay-as-you-wish Friday Nights (6–8 pm). No advance reservations. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 6 pm.
Stormy Weather (1943)
Friday, February 2, 7 pm
Gail Lumet Buckley, author and daughter of Stormy Weather actress Lena Horne, joins scholar Bob Herbert to introduce this classic musical loosely based on—and starring—dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and his rise to fame as a performer.
Directed by Andrew L. Stone. Starring Lena Horne, Bill Robinson. 78 min.
Manhattan (1979)
Friday, February 9, 7 pm
Bob Herbert, Ron Simon, and Dale Gregory introduce this film about a twice-divorced man trying to make sense of life and love.
Directed by Woody Allen. Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Meryl Streep. 96 min.
All the King’s Men (1949)
Friday, February 16, 7 pm
Introduced by scholars Linda Greenhouse, Robert Post, and Kenji Yoshino, this film noir follows the rise of ambitious politician Willie Stark, allegedly modeled after the real 1930s Louisiana governor Huey Long.
Directed by Robert Rossen. Starring Broderick Crawford, John Ireland. 109 min.
MASH (1970)
Friday, March 2, 7 pm
This episodic and satirical black comedy set during the Korean War—introduced by Bob Herbert, Ron Simon, and Dale Gregory—follows a mismatched group of military personnel at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
Directed by Robert Altman. Starring Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt. 116 min.
Indochine (1992)
Friday, March 9, 7 pm
Introduced by Lien-Hang Nguyen, Ron Simon, and Dale Gregory, this Academy Award-winning film tells the story of a French woman and her adopted Vietnamese daughter set in colonial French Indochina during the rise of the Vietnamese nationalist movement. (French with English subtitles.)
Directed by Régis Wargnier. Starring Catherine Deneuve, Vincent Perez, Linh Dan Pham. 156 min.
Adam’s Rib (1949)
Friday, March 23, 7 pm
This classic comedy stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as married lawyers who oppose each other in court. Introduced by Annette Gordon-Reed, Robert R. Reed, Ron Simon, and Dale Gregory.
Directed by George Cukor. Starring Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn. 101 min.
OTHER EVENTS AT NEW-YORK HISTORICAL
The Citizenship Project
Free Civics Classes for Green Card Holders
Registration is open for free civics classes to help green card holders prepare for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization exam. Part of New-York Historical Society’s Citizenship Project, this initiative, in partnership with CUNY’s Citizenship Now!, aims to help legal immigrants in the New York region become American citizens through workshops, classes, educational tools, museum guides, and special installations. Through these courses, participants learn about pivotal moments in U.S. history as they examine treasures from New-York Historical’s collections. Visit nyhistory.org/citizenship to apply or to learn more about the Citizenship Project, its programs, and related educational resources.
Behind-the-Scenes Tour: An Exclusive Look at Conservation at the New-York Historical Society
Thursday February 8, 6 pm – 7:30 pm
Purchase tickets at nyadventureclub.com
On this behind-the-scenes tour, take an intimate and interactive journey through the conservation lab where staff preserve some of the most illuminating paper-based treasures in New-York Historical’s collection, primarily held within the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library. Witness firsthand how conservators prepare, treat, install, and de-install Library and Museum paper-based collections for exhibitions and loans, as well as stabilize large collections for storage and use. Try out conservation treatment techniques led by our conservation staff!
The Loved and the Lost Tour: Stories of Romance Through History
Wednesday, February 14, 4:30 – 5:45 pm
$31 (Members $26)
Take a behind-the-scenes, intimate journey of our permanent collection on this revealing Valentine’s Day tour. Docent Gladys Foxe leads you through sentimental, sad, and often funny historical stories of love and marriage, providing an insider's look at how artists and craftsman over time have depicted love in unique and unexpected ways. Then, join curator Edward O'Reilly, head of the manuscript department, on an exploration of historical love letters that evoke the personal costs and consequences of romance in a bygone era.
Rise and Ride the Holiday Express
Fridays through February 23, 7:30 – 9 am
Free
Children 5 and under and their grown-ups
Does your little one need their train fix early in the day? We’ve got you covered! Every Friday through February, we’re opening the doors early at 7:30 am. Join us to take over our beloved exhibition Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection, read fun train tales, and enjoy coffee and breakfast treats, available for purchase from our terrific Parliament Espresso & Coffee Bar, also open early.
Stroller Tour Through History
Second Friday of each month: February 9, March 9; 9:15 – 10 am
Children 3 years and under and their adults
$25 per family (includes up to two adults and their children)
Take a stroll through history with your little one! Grown-ups and their children (up to 3 years old) explore America’s past, present, and future in this lively and interactive tour. Our early childhood educator leads you and your child on an exploration of art, history, and creativity―all before the Museum opens for the day. Singing, movement, texture exploration, and art-making in the galleries make for a memorable morning.
Sex and the Constitution
The Diane and Adam E. Max Conference on Women’s History
Sunday, March 4, Morning Session: 9 am – 12:30 pm | Afternoon Session: 2 – 5 pm
The Center for Women’s History is pleased to present the third annual Diane and Adam E. Max Conference on Women’s History, a cornerstone of the Center’s series of public and scholarly programs. This year through a keynote address and panel discussions, leading scholars of history and law explore the ways in which the U.S. Constitution has defined, protected, and regulated the rights and freedoms of sexuality, marriage, and reproduction throughout our nation’s history. Speakers look at key Supreme Court cases, as well as the political, social, and cultural contexts in which they were decided. They also consider how American women have worked to guarantee and expand these rights and freedoms, both inside and outside of the courtroom, and what the future of law and organizing holds. To register, click here.
CONTACT INFORMATION
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West (at 77th Street)
New York, NY 10024
MUSEUM AND NYHISTORY STORE HOURS:
Tuesday – Thursday: 10 am – 6 pm
Friday: 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm
The Museum will be open on Monday, February 19 for Presidents Day.
MUSEUM ADMISSION
Adults: $21
Teachers and Seniors: $16
Students: $13
Children (5–13): $6
Children (4 and under): Free
*Pay-as-you-wish Fridays from 6 pm – 8 pm.
