Just Another Summer Friday

In my subway station, there are tons of posters advertising the new Center for Women's History at the New York Historical Society.  I've never been to the Historical Society before, so I figured now was as good a time as any to take a look.  Summer Fridays are good for that kind of thing...

First, let me tell you about my bus ride uptown.  It was a little too warm for me to walk the 30-plus blocks to the museum, so I took an uptown bus.  I get on in midtown, near 44th Street. Once I had my seat, a woman hit the 'Stop Requested' button to get off at the next stop.  The bus pulled over, but no one moved.  The driver shouted back, "Didn't someone want to get off?"  A woman replied, "Sorry, I want to get off at 57th Street." So off we went.  When we got near 57th Street, the woman went up to the front of the bus and said, "Well, maybe I want to get off at 74th Street instead."  The bus driver said she could get off wherever she wanted, but she stood there and continued to debate, mainly with herself, whether she should get off at 57th Street or 74th Street.  After her debate, she decided to get off on 61st Street (I don't know where that came into the equation). We get to 61st Street and she says, "Never mind, I'll get off at 74th Street."  So the bus pulls away from 61st Street and starts to move uptown.  She suddenly screams, "Oh my god, I've missed my stop, I have to go back! Go back!"  The driver says, "Yeah, we're not going back, do you want off here?"  She says, "No."  We go a few more blocks and then she gets off the bus.  And way before 74th Street.  It was the craziest thing.

I walked over to the Historical Society - it's really big in there! I'll just say up front that there were so many interesting things to see that I didn't see them all.  Even in the lobby, there was so much to look at.  I should've had lunch before I went, because hunger caused me to miss a few things, but I figure I'll need to go back anyway.  I'll want to see what the Center for Women's History comes up with next!  I certainly felt as if I got my money's worth on this Summer Friday excursion...

After paying my entrance fee, which included a ticket to a movie about New York they show every half hour, and a coupon for 10% off a purchase at the book store.  I was happy to use that discount, because there was much for me to purchase there!  But first, I went to the fourth floor and the Center for Women's History.  I figured since it was the thing I wanted to see most, I should start there.  This is from their website: "Our new Center for Women’s History—the first of its kind in the nation within the walls of a major museum—reveals the untold stories of women who have shaped and continue to shape the American experience. As a hub for scholarship and education, the new Center demonstrates how women across the spectrum of race, class, and culture exercised power and effected change before they could even access the ballot box. Guided by a committee of distinguished historians and informed by the latest research, the Center features permanent installations, temporary exhibitions, and a vibrant array of talks and programs, enriching the cultural landscape of New York City and ushering in a new era of historical discovery."

Interesting stuff.  I started at "Saving Washington," the first exhibition in the new gallery. This exhibit celebrated the contribution of women to the formation of this country - the main focus was Dolley Madison and her influence over Washington D.C., but there were other aspects about the female experience in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as well.  There were a lot of interactive pieces, with voice-overs, readings and computer renderings, along with found objects, such as silver and china.  The exhibit was just filled to the brim with interesting artifacts and information I didn't previously know. I was in that exhibit for quite some time, which I think freaked out the security guard.  He just started following me around; I don't know if he thought I was going to steal something or if he was just stunned I was there for so long.  I practically had the gallery to myself the entire time, most everyone else was in the Tiffany lamp exhibit, which was exquisite (I had no idea most of the designs were executed by a woman AND she was from Ohio!) and I spent a lot of time there myself (I'll put photos below), but I don't know why people were skipping the "Saving Washington" exhibit.  I found it fascinating.  Oh, and you know, Alexander Hamilton was everywhere.  Would I have noticed without the musical? Or would it have even been there without the musical?  I did ponder these questions as I walked around...

The fourth floor hallway also had a lot of wonderful stuff to experience - there was a small exhibit dedicated to Billie Jean King - I saw two of her rackets, a tennis dress, and some fun stuff from her match with Bobby Riggs.  Very cool. There was also a multimedia installation called "Women's Voices," which had a bunch of different notable women speaking about equality. Very interesting.  Further down the hallway, there was a beautiful stretch of American silver, including the oldest teapot made in New York, various trophies and pieces from Tiffany, and a sword dating around Civil War-time.  Lovely stuff. Further down the hallway was an exhibit called "Objects Tell Stories," which I'll admit I sort of raced through because of the hungry thing and there was SO MUCH TO LOOK AT, I got overwhelmed.  There was a bit about 9/11, which made me sad, so I guess I'll just have to go back and check out this exhibit another time.

Jane Peterson, "Red Cross Work Room 5th Avenue, NYC during the War"

I went downstairs to find the coffee shop, got lost, never found it, then decided to see the New York movie, "New York Story," narrated by Liev Schreiber, which (according to the website) "illuminates the story of the nation by exploring the story of New York and its rise from a remote outpost to a city at the center of the world, through immersive video projection, moving scenic elements, theatrical lighting, and surround sound."  It WAS pretty cool, especially the way the screens moved in and out, making the film almost look 3D. After the movie, I wandered into the exhibit "World War One Beyond the Trenches," which took a look at American artists' renderings of what was happening during WW1. There was some powerful art in there - maybe too powerful.  It just made me sad, so I didn't linger. I did get a couple of pictures of amazing art, which I'll include at the bottom. The one at left I got from the internet.

Finally, I went back up to the third floor to wander through the JFK photo exhibit, the Thomas Jefferson exhibit with many of his architectural renderings and gardening elevations, and then the highlights of the permanent collection, which had some delightful paintings, but most excitingly included a magnificent theater curtain, painted by Pablo Picasso for a 1919 ballet, Le Tricorne. Apparently, this curtain had been used as a tapestry at the Four Seasons restaurant, but since I have never been there, I have never seen this piece before.  It's glorious - enormous and vibrant (not in color, but in design and movement).  There was even a little video of the ballet alongside, so that was a treat.  Again, there was no one in this room, but there were crowds of people talking about JFK and Jackie outside the hall.  Oh well.  Those photos WERE cool, but still.  I spent about three hours at the museum and didn't see everything - I have to go back soon.  I highly recommend your taking the time to check out the NY Historical Society, too!

treat for myself from the book store!