Must-See Museums Not on 5th Ave.
Sure, we all know of the biggies on "museum mile"...The MET, MOMA, Guggenheim, etc. but there are some lesser known gems that reflect the true essence of what makes NYC the nation's cultural capitol. Whether digging deep into the archives and spending the day or sprinting through, a temporary diversion to your shopping itinerary, one thing is for certain, you'll leave any of these museums with some new perspectives and a broader outlook.
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If you live here, it's as much a part of your daily routine as waking up and grabbing your first cup of coffee. If you're visiting, you've probably hopped on dozens of times after figuring out that hailing cabs is a gigantic budget buster. It's the subway! And here at the New York Transit Museum you'll learn much more about what makes it tick. Want to feel what it was like to sit in a vintage car from the 1960s? Curious about how all those underground tunnels were made? Housed in an historic 1936 Brooklyn Heights subway station, in depth displays have kept growing in scope since its debut in 1976 as part of the United States Bicentennial Celebration. Slated to close after the festivities, it proved to be so popular that it remained open and eventually became a permanent museum.
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Duck out of Manhattan’s concrete canyons and escape to Japan for a bit. Glistening wood floors and wide open sun drenched spaces set against a stunning three-story indoor bamboo water garden, reflecting pool and waterfall transform the scene to serene.
Founded in 1907 as a nonpolitical organization bringing Japan and the United States closer together through intercultural and mutual understanding, the Society has steadfastly refused to take a political stance, preferring education to advocacy even as political and racial tensions worsened between the 2 countries in the 1920s and 1930s leading to its temporary closing during the height of World War II. Fittingly, its current home was built in 1971 across the street from the UN and designed by Junzo Yoshimura making it the first building designed by a leading Japanese architect in New York City. In addition to a 262-seat theater, library, and the world renowned Toyota Language Center, ongoing exhibits feature top Japanese artists
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Here technology and personal accounts visually tell the story of vertical construction in NYC. Exhibits constantly remind you of the crucial synergy between sheer labor and engineering genius that makes an ever evolving skyline possible. Even though the gallery space extends only 3 stories above ground with ceilings just over 11 feet high, it is flooded with natural light and sheathed in mirrored stainless steel floors and ceilings creating the illusion that you’re standing 40 stories above Manhattan in the throes of seeing skyscrapers for the first time. Notable among the collection’s artifacts are a chunk of an early composite I-beam from the 1890's, a picture of two men sliding a gigantic carved limestone panel into place on the Empire State Building, detailed architectural renderings, and a video documenting the World Trade Center construction process.
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