About Us
About Us
Experience 400 years of history through groundbreaking exhibitions, outstanding collections, immersive films, and thought-provoking conversations among renowned historians and public figures at the New-York Historical Society, New York’s first museum. A great destination for history since 1804, the Museum and the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library convey the stories of the city and nation’s diverse populations, expanding our understanding of who we are as Americans and how we came to be.
How It All Started
The New-York Historical Society's 11 founders—John Pintard, William Linn, John N. Abeel, Samuel Bayard, David Hosack, Anthony Bleecker, Samuel Miller, John M. Mason, DeWitt Clinton, Peter G. Stuyvesant, and Egbert Benson—had all lived through the turbulent years of the American Revolution and the British occupation of New York. These men believed that New Yorkers needed to take action to preserve evidence of their own historical moment, fearing “dust and obscurity” would be the fate of accounts and artifacts if left in the hands of private individuals. “Without the aid of original records and authentic documents,” they said, “history will be nothing more than a well-combined series of ingenious conjectures and amusing fables.”
It is in this tradition that New-York Historical has moved forward, offering on-site and online visitors a vast collection of art, objects, artifacts, and documents, as well as ongoing collecting programs that demonstrate a broad grasp of history’s enduring importance and its central role in explaining our present day.
How It All Started
The New-York Historical Society's 11 founders—John Pintard, William Linn, John N. Abeel, Samuel Bayard, David Hosack, Anthony Bleecker, Samuel Miller, John M. Mason, DeWitt Clinton, Peter G. Stuyvesant, and Egbert Benson—had all lived through the turbulent years of the American Revolution and the British occupation of New York. These men believed that New Yorkers needed to take action to preserve evidence of their own historical moment, fearing “dust and obscurity” would be the fate of accounts and artifacts if left in the hands of private individuals. “Without the aid of original records and authentic documents,” they said, “history will be nothing more than a well-combined series of ingenious conjectures and amusing fables.”
It is in this tradition that New-York Historical has moved forward, offering on-site and online visitors a vast collection of art, objects, artifacts, and documents, as well as ongoing collecting programs that demonstrate a broad grasp of history’s enduring importance and its central role in explaining our present day.
New-York Historical Society: Uncovering America's History
New-York Historical Society: Uncovering America's History
Take a look back at New-York Historical's founding in 1804 and our ongoing mission to preserve America's history and uncover untold stories from our collective past.
New Wing
The New-York Historical Society announced a major expansion of our longtime headquarters at 170 Central Park West.
President & CEO
Louise Mirrer
President & CEO