City Artifacts

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Ballot box with glass globe in cast iron frame.
City Artifacts Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The Glass Ballot Box and Political Transparency, 1856/2020

Amid outcries about the possibilities of election rigging or the hacking of electronic voting machines, we are reminded that the democratic process has always been a contested sphere. In 1856, the United States was embroiled in conflicts that might seem familiar to today’s readers. In response to news about election tampering, New Yorker Samuel Jollie proposed a novel solution: a ballot box made of glass.
Enamel pin in the shape of the letter “V.” Top left of “V” says “World,” and top right says “Series.” At center is Yankees logo on stars and stripes top hat. At the bottom, “1953, Press.”
City Artifacts Tuesday, July 16, 2019

New York City Blues

To celebrate the opening of Blue Man Group: Ready…Go!, a new experiential installation at the Museum, we take a brief look at the color blue as it appears around the city.
A museum photo by Alvin Colt of [Macy's Shoppers in Here's Love] in 1963.
City Artifacts Monday, November 20, 2017

The Miracle at Macy’s — the Musical!

Here’s Love, a musical retelling of Miracle on 34th Street, recreated the spectacle of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on stage. Read about the production, and check out some of the original costume designs from our theater collection.
City Artifacts Monday, September 11, 2017

Civil Defense During the Cold War

See how New Yorkers prepared for a nuclear attack during the Cold War through objects in the Museum’s Manuscripts and Ephemera collection, including a 1950s-era Civil Defense kit.