About Us
New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution documenting over 400 years of American history through a peerless collection of art, documents, and artifacts. Our offerings span groundbreaking exhibitions; acclaimed educational programs for teachers and students nationwide; and thought-provoking conversations among leading scholars, journalists, and thinkers about the past, present, and future of the American experiment. The New York Historical is a museum of museums and a collection of collections. We elevate the perspectives and scholarship that define the United States’ democratic heritage and challenge us all to shape our ongoing history for the better.
Explore Our Nation's Story
Explore Our Nation's Story
How It All Started
The New York Historical'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 The 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'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 The 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 Wing
The New York Historical announced a major expansion of our longtime headquarters at 170 Central Park West.
President & CEO
Louise Mirrer
President & CEO
