I haven’t done a PopUp Pick in a while, so I’m ready for a new one! This time it’s all about my favorite museums in the city. I don’t want to offend the other museums that aren’t on the list, though. You guys are really great too, I promise, but there’s just something about these guys that got them on the list. Let me know what YOUR favorite museums are, and why they’re #1 in your eyes!
1) American Museum of Natural History: This museum will hold first place in my heart. I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid, and it never gets old. Everything has stayed the same since I was young, but I still feel like I learn something new every time I’m looking around. The Blue Whale is the main thing I want to see, as well as the rest of the ocean dwellers, followed closely behind by the dinosaurs. I was around before there were 35 different Land Before Time movies, and Little Foot made me love the Brontosaurus. I hope you all know what I’m talking about and I don’t look like a huge weirdo. As if history isn’t cool enough, you can wander into the Planetarium as well and explore space. Walk around the large diorama or enjoy a nice showing of Journey to the Stars, narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. It’s the type of place that you don’t have to walk around with your hands in your pockets cause you’re afraid to knock anything over and have to go to jail [coughcough The Met coughcough] which makes for a super relaxing & fun time. PLUS, you get to pay what you wish, so hand over a dollar and go exploring. There newest exhibits are Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration and The Worlds Large Dinosaurs. Oh, and the Butterfly Conservatory is open for the winter. What a great place. Central Park West & 79th Street. Open Daily 10AM-5:45PM.
2) Staten Island Museum: This has to be on here, theres no question about it. Not just because of where it is, but because of what’s inside it. This museum is all about the history of Staten Island, which I think is really special. I love history, and you can really learn a lot here. Travel through the Hall of Natural Science and take a look at the plants and animals that reside on the island. Or, wander into the Staten Island Ferry: First 100 Years exhibit and learn the history of New York’s favorite free boat ride. It’s tiny, so it feels pretty cozy. Their latest exhibit is Helen Levin & Golan Levin: An Intergenerational Exhibition. You’ll be able to see Helen Levin’s beautiful canvas paintings, as well as her son Golan’s interactive motion capture art – shapes, lines, and sounds that are put on the screen from the movements of the viewer. 75 Stuyvesant Place Staten Island New York. Open Mon-Fri&Sun 12-5PM & Sat 10AM-5PM.
3) Cloisters: I’m a huge history buff. Plus, I really like castles. Thats why this place is on the list. Located up in Fort Tryon Park, the Cloisters is a branch of The Met that is like a time machine back to the 1400s. Among the suits of armor, wall tapestries of majestic unicorns, and tombs, the best part is the view. Rockefeller purchased the land directly across from the museum on the NJ side. Since no construction is allowed on that land, if you look out the window across the river, all you see are trees and beautiful cliffs which make the whole “being in a castle in 1435″ experience seem even more legit. The Cloisters always holds Highlight Tours, but check back to their calendar, because they always have just one random day amongst the chaos for other fun stuff like “Flower Power” and “The Medieval Artist at Work.” 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park, New York NY. Closed Mondays, Nov-Feb Hours: Tues-Sun 9:30AM-4:45PM.
4) Museum of The City of New York: The first time I ever came here was back in 2008 for a school project. I went by myself to check out a certain exhibit thinking I would be in and out, and I ended up staying there for a couple of hours. This museum is really interesting. Again, I think it has something to do with the whole “history” part, but still. Here you can find furniture and other decorative house objects ranging from the colonial era all the way to the 20th century that were found in NY homes, as well as old-school toy cars buses and trains that are more than toys; they’re a timeline of how transportation evolved in the city. They also play a film called Timescapes: A Multimedia Portrait of New York which brings you through the whole history of our city, from the first settlement to present day. I saw it, it was pretty interesting. Their current exhibitions are Twin Towers and the City [running until Dec 4th], You Tawkin Ta Me? [which opened in Sept], and Cecil Beaton: The New York Years, which is open until February and is all about vintage costumes, drawings, and photographs by photographer Cecil Beaton. 1220 Fifth Ave. Open Daily 10AM-6PM.
5) Lower East Side Tenement Museum: You guys probably think I’m the biggest history nerd. Well, I am. So whatever. But anyway, this one is a must see. Talk about NYC History – the LES Tenement Museum shows us what it was like for immigrants to live in these conditions when they first came to America. They offer two different tours: Hard Times & Sweatshop Workers, which are both must-see’s if this kind of stuff interests you. The museum also offers walking tours, bringing you around the neighborhood for a little history lesson. 103 Orchard Street.
6) Museum Of The Moving Image: I might write a lot more blogs, but PopUp IS a webshow after all. So, what better place to have on the list than a museum that celebrates the history of television and film. Check out the Astoria PopUp Segment to learn more about this museum. Why not watch a little something if it’s a museum dedicated to the moving image? PS: Their current exhibition is called Jim Henson’s Fantastic World. You get to hang with the muppets, so go go go! 36-01 35th Ave, Astoria NY. Tues-Thurs 10:30AM-5PM, Fridays 10:30AM-8PM [free tix 4-9PM], Sat-Sun 10:30AM-7PM.
7) Madame Tussauds Wax Museum: Although Madame Tussauds likes to be referred to as a “wax attraction”, it’s still considered a museum. We PoppedUp here as well, so for more info you can watch the Madame Tussauds segment! But I have a little holiday surprise for you. Selena Gomez’s wax figure has arrived just in time for the holiday season. Not surprisingly, she’s placed next to her famous BF Justin Bieber, standing underneath the mistletoe with him. Visitors can put on santa hats or a kooky holiday sweater and pose with the hollywood teen royalty. Just keep the crazy Bieber lovers away from Selena. 234 W.42nd St. Open 365 Days a Year 10AM-8PM, open till 10PM on Fri/Sat.
8 ) Transit Museum: As much as I hate the MTA right now for all the subway delays and unannounced track changes, the MTA Transit Museum is really cool. It’s all about the history of the subways! Visitors can take a look at how they built the first subway, different devices used to collect subway fare, as well as pictures, maps, and diagrams about our subway systems history. Located at the corner of Boerum Place & Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn Heights. Open Tues-Fri 10AM-4PM & Sat-Sun 11AM-5PM.
9) Queens Country Farm Museum: I mean, sure, this isn’t technically a museum where you walk around and stare at stuff all day. Instead, the historic farm house is considered a museum. The best part about it is that it’s located on the only working farm left in the five boroughs. Theres a whole PopUp Segment about it, so get watching if you haven’t seen it already and go visit! They’ll be selling Christmas Trees from December 3rd until Christmas Eve. I think it’s WAY cooler to buy your tree here this year instead of from the smelly guy on the street corner who only has 15 trees. 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park Queens. The farm is open Mon-Fri 10AM-5PM. Tours of the farmhouse and hayrides are only available on Sat & Sunday, from 10AM-5PM.
10) The Metropolitan Museum of Art: I know it’s cliche, but it makes the list. It was a toss up between The Met and The NY Historical Society, but I figured I had too much history stuff so The Met won. What can I say, I love their section on musical instruments. Everything else inside is pretty awesome, as well. It’s a pretty big place, with art and historic objects from all around the world. One of their current exhibits is called The Game of Kings: Medieval Ivory Chessman from the Isle of Lewis. The pictures looked very interesting. It’s open until April and definitely a must-see. Even if you don’t feel like going inside, the steps are a great place to sit and relax on a nice day. 1000 5th Ave at 82nd St. Open Tues-Thurs 9:30AM-5PM, Fri-Sat 9:30-9PM, Sun 9:30AM-5:30PM.
So, there you go! Those are my Top 10 Fave Museums here in the city. I had a few more, but they didn’t fit! Let me know what you think about my list!
The UNICEF snowflake at 55th Street & Fifth Ave has been lit for more than a week now, officially kicking off the holiday season here in the city. This upcoming week has been nicknamed “Tree Lighting Week in Midtown Manhattan!” PopUp’s friend Anthony Mark sent me a fun e-mail with three special tree lightings happening around midtown in the next few days. I also found a few more fun up-coming tree lightings both downtown and uptown to share.
Normal people like their dogs. New York people LOVE their dogs. You usually can’t go five feet without seeing a dog here in the city, and depending on what neighborhood you’re in, those dogs are usually pretty stylish. Sometimes I feel bad about my own clothes when I see little teacup yorkies with rhinestone collars and houndstooth jackets. Some of these dogs are treated like royalty, and this holiday season I have the perfect place to do some great holiday shopping for your pooch. LazyBonezz a trendy pet furniture & accessories store, was founded in 2008 by Adrienne Shamie & her daughter Lorraine Gold. Lorraine has described their products as “classic, cool, and chic.” They sell everything from pet beds, food bowls, collars, and storage boxes for your dog or cats toys. The best part about it all is that it’s tasteful. Sometimes I buy a bed or toys for my cat and they quickly fall apart. At LazyBonezz, their products are made out of wood, stainless steel, and nice plush fabrics guaranteed to be loved by your pet and last a long time.