Behind The Scenes

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we’re revisiting some of the touching human stories we collected from our 2014 exhibition Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion. The exhibition explored the complex history of the Chinese in America and the themes of immigration, citizenship, and belonging that shaped the Chinese American experience. To complement the exhibition, we highlighted…

As the famous saying goes, journalism is the first rough draft of history. Over the years, our Public Programs have touched on the world of newspapers, reporting, and media, and how it has helped shape the momentous events in American history. Enjoy two audio recordings with diverse views of the news: first, an exploration of the…

In 2010, our Public Program series welcomed an all-star lineup: journalist and then-New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, The New Yorker‘s Adam Gopnik, and boxing writer and sports historian Bert Sugar (who sadly, passed away in 2012). The subject of their talk was an irresistible one for any sports fan who’s missing the action during lockdown: longshots, underdogs,…

Our Public Programs have long explored the rich history of Jewish life in America from the colonial era to the present day. They’ve also, not surprisingly, grappled with the ongoing scourge of anti-Semitism and its pernicious hold on world affairs. Listen to two audio programs below that tackle two very different facets of Jewish life: first, a fascinating…

People around the world are stuck at home and socially distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we want to bring the outdoors inside. The New-York Historical Society partnered with the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., to send virtual rays of #MuseumSunshine to lighten moods and brighten social media feeds. Dear @metmuseum, we…

As the COVID-19 crisis continues, perhaps it’s no surprise that alcohol sales are booming. With many of us confined to our homes (if we’re lucky), braving commutes to carry out essential work, or simply trying to figure out how to make a mask out of your last pair of clean underwear, there seems to be no…

“Booze sales are booming,” read a recent CNN headline focused on a spike in liquor, beer, and wine sales as Americans shelter in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our current moment is just another side note in America’s long, complex relationship with alcohol.  Over the years, our Public Programs have explored many facets of this history. Enjoy audio recordings of two past programs below: one…

April 22, 2020, marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, was a remarkably non-partisan affair that brought an estimated 20 million people out into the streets, parks, and beaches across the United States. In New York alone, Earth Day celebrations, rallies, and teach-ins shut down 5th Avenue…

Author and scholar Douglas Brinkley has been described by CNN as “a man who knows more about the presidency than just about any human being alive.” So it was a match made in history heaven when New-York Historical named him our official presidential historian in 2017. He’s long been a fixture at our Public Programs series and…