I’m delighted to announce a significant new milestone in the 220-year history of our beloved institution. We are changing our name to “The New York Historical” and introducing a new look and new logo, including an icon—the “H.” We’re also introducing a new tagline: “Our Nation in Conversation.”
In my 20 years as president and CEO, I’ve been incredibly proud of how we’ve transformed The New York Historical into a national history museum that’s a center for groundbreaking exhibitions, thought-provoking public programs with renowned speakers engaging across difference, and award-winning educational programs that teach thousands of schoolchildren about democracy and civic engagement.
This is an important moment both within our institution and in the country at large. Here in New York City, we’re proud to share that, courtesy of a generous gift from our board chair H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang and her husband Oscar L. Tang, our new wing will be called the Tang Wing for American Democracy. Set to open in 2026, it’s a project that has been sought by museum leadership for literally a century and affords us even more opportunities with additional exhibition space, state-of-the-art conservation labs, and classrooms for our civics programs. And as we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, we have an enormous opportunity to be a leader in national commemorations and conversations.
As we embarked on a process to examine, together with our excellent partners at Lippincott, our name and look, much of our discussions focused on defining exactly who we are as an institution. It was through these exchanges that we settled on a new tagline, ”Our Nation in Conversation.” We believe this is core to our identity and mission, whether we’re curating an exhibition, hosting a conversation among scholars and journalists, facilitating research, conducting our own scholarship, or educating and empowering the next generation of American citizens. In recent years, we’ve all learned that sustaining a healthy democracy requires centers of peaceful, thoughtful discourse. We see this new name and look as a chance to amplify how relevant The New York Historical is right now.
The New York Historical’s journey has been a remarkable one. Founded in 1804 to preserve the story of the American Revolution, we’ve borne witness to some of the great trials and triumphs in the history of the United States. We’re a place of memory to be sure, but we’re also a center of the future, and we’ll continue to elevate the perspectives that define our democratic heritage and challenge us all to shape our ongoing history for the better.
—Louise Mirrer, The New York Historical's president and CEO
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