by Ask anyone on the planet to name a museum in New York City and they’ll probably tell you all the usual suspects: the Met; the Museum of Modern Art; the Guggenheim. New York is home to some of the most famous museums in the world, filled with stunning art and unique artifacts, and with constantly changing exhibits, it’s great to revisit again and again.
But some of the city’s most fascinating treasures aren’t on display in the most famous or most talked about institutions; They are hidden in offbeat museums on quiet side streets, filled with the kind of strange and wonderful curiosities that make this indecipherable place as unique as it is eccentric.
From a cabinet of curiosities in an old elevator shaft to a sex museum with an adult fairground, here are 10 of the most unusual museums to explore for a big dose of authentic New York.
The city reliquary
Located on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, it would be easy to pass by City Reliquary on your way to a trendy bar or restaurant and barely know it’s there. But you shouldn’t do it. This small museum/civic organization showcases unique artifacts from all corners of New York life: a small space features everything from pennants and spoons from the 1964 World’s Fair (held in Queens) to old mineral water bottles. from Brooklyn. The Reliquary also hosts rotating exhibits from local collectors and community events such as lectures and burlesque shows.
Admission $10/£8
Museum
Founded by Alex Kalman and filmmakers the Safdie brothers – from uncut gems Fame: The Mmuseumm is among the smallest in the world: a delicate 60 square feet, located inside a former elevator shaft. The Mmuseumm curates ephemera focused on the modern world and manages to pack a surprising number of objects into such a small space, including the taxonomy of cornflakes and air bottles. It’s only open on weekends, but if you can’t make it, there are peepholes that allow you to see inside 24/7.
free pass
Sex Museum
The name may raise some laughs, but the Museum of Sex is about much more than the wow factor. Its permanent and rotating exhibits, such as the popular “Porno Chic to Sex Positivity,” highlight the impact sex has had on history and society. But there’s plenty of fun to be had, too: The museum’s Super Funland exhibit is set up like an erotic carnival, where visitors can receive fortune telling (in a titillating style, naturally) and jump on a bouncy castle filled with inflatable boobs. and really, where else can you do that?
Admission $36/£28
National Museum of Mathematics
Can a museum make math fun? Well, this one manages. Located above Madison Square Park, the National Museum of Mathematics’ interactive exhibits and activities show how mathematical principles underlie everything around us in our daily lives. Visitors can create soundscapes, interact with robots, and shoot a basketball, among other things; It’s great for kids and might even help convince less enthusiastic mathematicians that numbers can be fun after all.
Admission $25/£20
Museum of Recovered Urban Space
Probably the only museum housed in a former squat, MoRUS documents and commemorates the efforts of Lower East Side activists who, since the 1970s, have worked to convert vacant lots and abandoned buildings in the area into spaces that include gardens and community centers. The museum also hosts a walking tour of the neighborhood’s radical history on weekends and has a selection of magazines and books for sale.
Free admission, suggested donation $5/£4
New York City Fire Museum
A museum for everyone who dreamed of being a firefighter when they grew up. NYCFM, housed in a renovated early 20th century firehouse, guides you through the history of firefighting in New York, with antique fire apparatus on display, including a 1901 horse-drawn steam engine and a 1921 gasoline pump, as well as tools. and uniforms.
Admission $15/£12
New York Transit Museum
Venture into this decommissioned subway station in Brooklyn and find a beautifully constructed monument to the history of New York’s famous subway. Exhibits explain how the subways were built (although claustrophobics may want to skip this part) and follow the evolution of fare collection, but the real pleasure comes on the lower level, where several vintage train cars, complete with advertisements and maps Appropriate for the period, Provide a unique photographic opportunity.
Admission $10/£8
Coney Island Museum
It’s hard to think of a more original place than Coney Island, New York’s beach and amusement park area, and the Coney Island Museum helps bring its history to life through exhibits featuring vintage signs, postcards, and targets. shooting galleries from its days as a much-loved place. vacation place. The museum is located on the first floor of a building on Surf Avenue, right above the Freak Bar, which offers vintage arcade games, pop-up exhibits, and, of course, good beer.
Admission $5/£4
Poster House
Whether plastered on the walls of teenagers’ bedrooms or billboards on high streets, posters have long been some of the best (most underrated, most nostalgic) chroniclers of history. This museum’s exhibits consider them both historical documents and methods of communication, whether focusing on the film industry, art deco advertisements or warnings about the looming environmental crisis of recent decades. There are also virtual conferences and children’s programs, so it’s worth checking the website to see what’s on during your visit.
Admission $12/£9; free entry on fridays
The skyscraper museum
The Empire State Building. The Chrysler Building. The World Trade Center. New York and skyscrapers are inextricably linked, and the Skyscraper Museum, packed with fascinating information about its history, the evolution of the city’s skyline, plus models, photographs and timelines, is a love letter of glass and steel for all of them.
free pass
Essentials
TAP, JetBlue and Iceland fly from London to New York from £347 return.
Bryant Park Hotel (001 212-869-0100) has queen-sized rooms from £233 a night. Moxy NYC East Village (001 212-288-6699) has double rooms from £195 per night. Mint House at 70 Pine (001 855-972-9090) has queen rooms from £183 a night
