The mesmerizing visual art in the lobby that night.
Day Three Hundred and Ten Private Members Night at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) May 28th, 2024
Tag: Exploring New York City
One World Trade Observatory 285 Fulton Street New York, NY 10007
One World Trade Center Observatory
285 Fulton Street
New York, NY 10007
(844) 696-1776
Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:00am-9:00pm (hours change seasonally)
Admission: See the website for prices depending on individual and group prices seasonally
My review on TripAdvisor:
Though it is not a museum, it is a view of the world. I had been to the original World Trade Center three times before 9/11 and the views were just amazing. There is nothing like it as the Empire State Building’s are a bit different.
https://www.officialworldtradecenter.com/en/local/things-to-do/one-world-observatory.html
The building itself is very impressive to visit (quite frankly I would NEVER want to work here) but with its past leery of anything else. Too many people died on this site and I would not want to work in an office here no matter what company. I would want a parachute in my office at all times. Still this was going to be my second trip to the top of the building since 2015 when I visited with my best friend, Kris.
I had won two tickets to the Observatory from a contest at NYU and had set VIP tickets to skip the line to go to the top. At 10:00am in the morning, there was no line to skip. I went right to the top with not that many people there at that time. If you get there early in the morning in the off season, there are no crowds.
The site is still so impressive. This is the Occulus right by the Tower.
One World Observatory is at the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, One World Trade Center. The Observatory is located on the 100th, 101st, and 102nd floors encompassing over 125,000 square feet. You’ll take an incredible Sky Pod Elevator ride to the top. Once aloft guests can explore three levels of the Observatory filled with innovation and inspiration. One World Observatory offers views of New York City’s iconic sights, surrounding waters, and iconic skyline – amazing 360 views for up to 45 miles in every direction (One World Trade Center website).
The views from the top are so impressive of downtown and Governors Island.
Governors Island in the foreground and lower Manhattan. This is the original colony.
The views of Downtown Jersey City and the Waterfront are so spectacular.
The Statue of Liberty seemed so close.
The views of Downtown Brooklyn were amazing.
Midtown was so impressive on a clear day. You can see all the way up to Central Park.
Even the Battery was so impressive from this vantage point along the Hudson River.
Another shot of the Battery and Jersey City.
The views of New York Harbor are spectacular.
The Oculus and the Memorial Pools of the 9/11 Memorial from the top of the Observatory.
This interesting sculpture, XO World Project, is at the entrance when you leave the building.
The XO World Project was created by artist Daniel Anderson, features two sculptures, “XO PLAY” and “XO WORLD,” that encourage peace and love around the world. “XO PLAY,” on display in the Oculus, depicts children playing a game of jacks, symbolizing childhood innocence and harmony with the world. “XO WORLD,” on display just outside One World Trade Center at West Plaza, features a 12-foot “Jack” from the game of Jacks with an “X” representing “love” in universal sign language and “O” representing the world (World Trade Center website).
Artist Daniel Anderson
https://www.danielandersonart.com/
Contemporary abstract sculptor and painter Daniel Anderson was born and raised in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. His interest and passion for art began at an early age and led him to be recruited and to receive a scholarship to attend the College of Visual & Performing Arts at Syracuse University in New York. He continued his formal education in Florence, Italy, and was the sole artist from New York City selected to participate in an annual residency program in Melbourne, Australia (Artist’s website).
The sculpture is a visual expression of the powerful message of equality, unity, peace, and love. This use of iconography and symbolism is meant to connect with the hearts and minds of the masses as it is intended to motivate, activate, and further progress humanity (Artist’s website).
“As our society faces unprecedented challenges stemming from a global pandemic, economic recovery, racial inequity, and territorial conflicts, World Peace Day offers the perfect backdrop to unveil these two inspiring sculptures intended to bring people together,” said Anderson (Business Wire.com)
The view from the bottom when you leave.
The view from the 9/11 Memorial Park.
The 9/11 Memorial Pools which are the footprint of the original Trade Center Buildings.
https://www.911memorial.org/visit/memorial/about-memorial
This memorial still gets me choked up with what happened here over twenty years ago. I still see flags and flowers of near loved ones names along the edges of the pools. It is nice that family members still remember their family here.
The skyline of the park from the Memorial pools.
The pools are reminder of time when the world went mad. Those feelings are still simmering under the surface of society today.
Museum of Broadway 145 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036
Museum of Broadway
145 West 45th Street
New York, NY 10036
https://www.themuseumofbroadway.com/plan-your-visit
Open: Sunday-Tuesday 9:30am-6:30pm/Wednesday 9:30am-2:30pm/Thursday-Friday 9:30am-6:30pm/Saturday 9:30am-8:00pm
Admission: Adults $49.00/Seniors $32.00/Students $29.00
My review on TripAdvisor:
The entrance to the Museum of Broadway at 145 West 45th Street
The front of the Museum of Broadway
I visited the newly opened Museum of Broadway recently and what a nice surprise the museum is with a great depth in the collection. There was the history of the theater in New York City and how it progressed from small theaters downtown to the theater’s progression uptown to it home now in the core of Times Square.
The Make-Up Room on the way up the stairs.
The Call Board display.
The museum is very interesting in that when you enter the back of the museum you feel that you are going backstage at a theater and preparing for a show. You head up the stairs past make up rooms, wardrobe rooms and the star’s rooms. The you head out the door like you are going out on stage. You feel that rush of the stage.
The Stage Door stairs.
The Broadway Playbill Room exhibit
The Playbill Room display
As you head up the stairs to the exhibition the museum makes you feel like an actor on opening night. The sounds of the stage and the noises of the crew in the background make you feel like you are part of the show. The Playbill Room displays some of the popular shows from the past and present.
The Props of the backstage.
Then you open the door, and you enter the main museum with displays on the history of the theater. As you progress through the museum, you will see displays on popular shows through the years from Flo Ziegfield and the Ziegfield Follies to the modern shows on Broadway.
The Ziegfield Room
The Ziegfield Room
Costumes that were found in a box in the attic of the theater.
Ethel Merman in “Anything Goes” when she first started her career. She was so young. I pulled the movie that featured a lot of the Broadway cast. Ethel Merman never lost her touch throughout her career.
From there, I explored the museum and many of the most famous shows on Broadway had their own displays with props, scripts, pictures and costumes from the shows. Not just the revivals but the original shows as well. It was interesting to see what the original stars wore in the shows as well as these costumes still existed after all this time. I kept the pictures in order as I toured through the displays of the Broadways most popular productions.
The Oklahoma! exhibit with costumes and scenery from the show.
The Oklahoma set props from the recent revival
The West Side Story set
The West Side Story set from the recent revival
When the original “Hello Dolly” came out in the 1960’s, it made a huge star of Carol Channing, who owned the role until the day she died. I had seen her revival production in the early 1990’s and I will tell you that even in her 80’s, she had more pep and vitality than any one person had. She went on tour with the company after the show closed in New York to China and all over Asia. When you hear her sing “Hello Dolly”, you knew it was her.
“Hello Dolly” with Carol Channing’s original outfit from the show.
The display on the original show “Hello Dolly” with Carol Channing.
The video from London’s West End
The original show “Cabaret”
The costumes from “Cabaret”
The costumes from the show “Hair”
There was a large display to the late and great Stephen Sondheim:
There was a large display of props, scripts, costumes and pictures from all of his show especially the groundbreaking show “Company”. Today it might not seem so unusual for a thirty year old not to be married but in 1970 when the show came out, it was rare. Since the passing of Mr. Sondheim, there has been more interest in his life and his productions that he created. I have seen so many of his show especially his last show “Bounce”, when I was seeing his retrospect at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
The groundbreaking show “Company”
“Company” is an excellent show.
The revival of company with the production that my father and I saw in 2010.
The “A Chorus Line” display
“The Wiz” display
The “Cats” display and costumes
The Broadway Timeline
Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera
The Costumes for Evita and Phantom of the Opera
Me in the Hallway of Mirrors
“The Producers” display
The “Avenue Q” display
The ‘Making of a Broadway Show’
The costumes of a Broadway show
The “Chicago” display was the last show display before I got to the gift shop.
The museum progresses room by room and display by display showing the costumes and props of some of the most popular shows on Broadway and shows from the past. The collection has an extensive selection of memorabilia from productions of the past through today and showcases them in such an interesting way.
The Museum of Broadway is such an engaging museum from start to finish and I can see more shows of the future will be displayed here as well. The staff is available to answer any questions you might have and they also have an extensive gift shop in the front of the museum.
Museum of Illusions 77 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10014
Museum of Illusions
77 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10014
(212) 645-3230
https://www.facebook.com/moi.newyork/
Admission: Adults $24.00/Students-Seniors-Essential Workers $22.00/Children Under Six Free/Family Fee (Two Adults and Two Children $75.00)
Open: Sunday 10:00am-12:00am/Monday-Thursday 10:00am-11:00pm/Friday-Saturday 10:00am-12:00am
Video on the “Museum of Illusions”
The Museum of Illusions is a interesting museum in that it is a small museum packed with various exhibitions and hands on displays that are interactive for the visitor. Each one is an experience in itself. The visitor participates in what the display has to offer and it plays with both your mind and with your personality and how you react to it.
The main gallery at the Museum of Illusions
There are a lot of brain teasers and mirrors to throw you off or add to the display to entertain you. The optical illusions will test your mind and your senses. There are titled rooms to test your balance and your sense of sight, mirrored rooms to show location and reaction and small displays to show size and distance.
Admittingly it is a very small museum of the steep price of admission ($24.00 for an adult) and you will only be in the museum for about an hour. The problem with this museum is that once you experience it and if they do not change the displays, there is no reason to go back. The small displays can be experienced on two floors.
The Tilted Room display
The afternoon I was here, the museum was packed with summer campers and school aged kids who dominated the place and it is so small that it was hard to maneuver around the museum. Still it was a very interesting museum to experience once as it will test the power of and exercise your brain.
The Clone Table
Me in the Vertical Room
The Illusions Gallery
History of the Museum of Illusions:
(From the Museum Website)
Enter the fascinating world of illusions which will test your confidence in your senses yet amaze you by doing it. It is world that will confuse you completely, educating you in the process. Visit us and you will be thrilled because nothing is what it seems-especially in the Museum of Illusions!
The Infinity Tunnel
Are you ready for a fascinating adventure? We offer an intriguing visual, sensory and educational experience with a handful of new, unexplored illusions.
The Reverse Room
New York, place to experience illusions!
The Museum of Illusions in New York brings you a space that offers wonderous and entertaining insights into the world of illusions which will delight all generations. The museum is a unique place for new experiences and fun with family and friends. Not only is it an exciting place for children, who adore coming, but it’s also a great place for parents, couples and grandparents!
The Optical Illusions of the museum
Enjoy our collection of holograms, look closely at every optical illusion and observe each installation thoroughly. Our exhibits are a brilliant, playful reminder that our assumptions about the world we perceive are often nothing but a shadow of illusions. Our genuine collection of showpieces will most certainly make your jaw drop!
The Museum of Illusions Master of Numbers
The Museum of Illusions amusing, and awesome features will teach you about how the human brain perceives reality. You will come to understand why your eyes see things which your mind cannot initially comprehend. Make sure you visit our playroom with its intriguing and educational games and puzzles. These brain mashers are great fun but also delightfully tricky!
The Magic Prism
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 