Sunday, November 22, 2015

Sunday Salon: NYC Tenement Museum

So the big thing I did this week was a visit to the Tenement Museum, a fascinating place in the Lower East Side featuring the history of immigration and assimilation in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Using a partially-restored apartment building where immigrants lived, and walking the streets of the Lower East Side, guides tell the stories of real people who lived there and using their stories to illustrate the larger history of the period. My friend and I did the architectural tour and then a building tour. It was so much fun! The guides were really terrific and we learned so much. One of the apartments even featured things that the actual tenants owned, donated by their daughter years later. (We were not allowed to take pictures inside the building or I'd show you.)

But I could take all the pictures I wanted outside, and whenever I take one of these walks, especially on the Lower East Side or the Village, I'm always on the look out for street art. It's not Bushwick, but there's still a lot and it pops up everywhere.

Oftentimes businesses will also feature intentional fun decoration too. I don't keep track of addresses because it's such an ephemeral art form and I feel like that in order to enjoy it properly you should stumble on it- you shouldn't go looking for it in specific places.

That is, unless you're on a tour. Then the guide should know where to find it! But I love the serendipity of it.
Of course that one is my favorite! Anyway it was a really fun afternoon (the whole thing took from 1:30-5:30 so it was a pretty full few hours of walking) and I can't wait to go back and do more.

4 comments:

Bryan G. Robinson said...

Well, while I was disappointed with no photos from inside, and the lack of photos on the website of inside the building, at least I know that there will be photos later as the museum is allowing people in the building for a special snapshot tour Dec. 4: https://www.tenement.org/snapshot.php. You'll have to return and get us photos of the inside then. :)

As is, though, it's still cool to be able to visit NYC without actually going there. It looks like you're setting into New York now besides still being a Boston girl at heart?

Molly said...

I have The Tenement Museum on my list... the next time we get to the city.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

Megan said...

I've been meaning to do the Tenement Museum when I'm in New York sometime, but I haven't gotten to it yet. Sounds like a worthwhile tour!