A day at the museum

And maybe a love letter to NYC <3

Mar 02, 2025

I don’t often write about things that move me, at least publicly. But maybe I should. There’s something a bit romantic about releasing thoughts into the universe, hoping they’ll latch on to someone else and spark similar moments of joy.

There’s no time like the present, so today I want to talk about something that truly moved me: my first visit to the Museum of the City of New York.

What started as a date with my husband, turned into a reflection about the technical design of exhibits, the value of a niche, and the tremendous respect I have for New York City.

Knowledge sharing through tech and engagement

A museum is kind of like a library. In a family of communal buildings, they’d be sisters. Both are chosen quests into new and familiar topics, with the goal of exposure, knowledge sharing, and engagement. But where libraries offer communion over whispers and books, museums are the bold, theatrical sibling who speaks through curated displays and incredible gift shops (I genuinely mean this in the most positive way bc I’m a gift shop girlie down).

The challenge for museums though, especially art-focused ones, is to communicate their knowledge clearly, and in a well-crafted way. How do you make an exhibit not just informative but engaging? How do you use technology to enhance, instead of overshadow the experience? After my visit, I can confidently say the exhibition designers and curators of the Museum of the City of New York not only do all of this, but do it well. Two examples:

First, their ongoing exhibit, New York at Its Core, is two rooms that span across 400 years of New York City history. Each room features a large screen that loops through 200 years of data, focusing on themes like density, diversity, and money across the boroughs. For a visitor it’s like stepping into the best version of an infographic; balanced pacing, visual overlays, and quick notes that create stories, not just share facts.

Second, and perhaps my favorite exhibit of the day was Songs of New York: 100 Years of Imagining the City Through Music. Designed by Dome Collective, I think I participated in the one of the more compelling exhibits in my recent memory.

It’s simple really (in the design, not the effort that I’m sure went into it), which is why it stands out. As you walk in, the shapes of all five boroughs are lit up on the floor. The magic happens when you step on a borough, and a song from a local artist, or a song that references the borough, is played. I stepped on The Bronx and “Jenny From The Block” played. I stepped on Brooklyn and “Lighters Up” by Lil’ Kim blasted. It was like a dance across the boroughs, but also a geography and history lesson. Alongside the music was an abstracted map, artist facts, and videos that added layers of context.

These exhibits, to me, are the pinnacle of what museums can achieve with the blend of facts, interactivity, and technology. It reminded me that museums aren’t just places to learn, they’re places to experience, connect, and maybe even be inspired.

Other tech favorites

Tate Draw, designed by The Workers
The Exploratorium, I’ve been going here since grade school and I still think it’s one of the most incredible museums I’ve ever been to.

The more you niche, the wider you impact

"You Are Here”, on the third floor, is an exhibit dedicated to films made in NYC. The museum described this exhibit as immersive, which isn’t the adjective I’d use. I’d say…mesmerizing, captivating. It was the most emotionally active experience someone can have while passively sitting and watching. By the end, the only thought I had was: why would I ever live anywhere else?

From a technical standpoint, the exhibit is a U-shaped set of about 20 screens, each playing clips from movies set in New York. The audio and visuals bridge into 10-second thematic collages about a specific aspect of New York; the boroughs, the noise, the buildings, the monsters, and everything else in between. My favorite bit was watching all 20 screens play the infamous scene led by Buggin’ Out in Do the Right Thing.

It’s one thing to live in a city. It’s another to see that city elevated to grandeur, where snippets of its essence are hung across museum walls for the world to witness. It’s a celebration of place, a reminder that the local can be universal.

It reminded me of a similar set up at the Oakland Museum of Contemporary Art in 2018. Only two screens, but they were large, and looped the music video for “Tell Me When To Go” a song by Bay Area artists E-40 and Keak Da Sneak.

My art professor once said something along the lines of: “If you speak deeply about yourself, you speak to everyone. If you try to speak to everyone, you risk speaking to no one.” A rephrasing: there’s power in a niche, there’s power in your story.

I think the Museum of the City of New York understands that power. It didn’t shy away from the contradictions of New York City: triumphs and struggles, beauty and grit. It turned them into stories that resonate with anyone who has ever called New York home, or just passed through the streets on a visit.

I doubt New York City needs another love letter, but I figured I’d just say I love you. Publicly.

Some readings on museum design