Center For Brooklyn History
Brooklyn Forever, Baby!
On January 1st of 1898, Brooklyn was incorporated as a borough into Greater New York, cementing the fact that one rainy Saturday a girl born one hundred years later would go to see every museum in that borough to fulfill her “every museum in New York City” project. The borough has been growing and changing since long before it was incorporated or even settled, and it is admirable indeed to have a central location built to honor all of that history.
It was pouring rain out when I got to the Center For Brooklyn History, and I couldn’t tell which door was its main entrance at first. Inside, though, it was warm and bright and the reception desk was stationed by two kind workers who informed me that admission was free and bathrooms were on the second floor. The ceilings were high and had the distinct feeling of an old building recently but kindly made new.
The Center for Brooklyn History was formed in the year 2000, combining the resources of the Brooklyn Historical Society and the Brooklyn Public Library in the historic Othmer Library which was built in 1863. It very recently underwent an enormous renovation, reopening only on September 15th of this year with free admission and an emphasis on a comfortable and welcoming space for all.
Until March 14 of 2024, the Center for Brooklyn History is presenting their exhibition Brooklyn Is…, an exploration and celebration of all the many different people who live in Brooklyn and have lived in Brooklyn in the past. The exhibition largely divides up wall space by areas of Brooklyn(“Northeast Brooklyn”, “Central Brooklyn”) with a small paragraph telling the reader about the history of the area and anything it is particularly known for today. There are accompanying historical and contemporary photos, posters and maps of that area, showing the life that has been lived there as it has grown.
In addition to its broader views of the neighborhood, the exhibition also features interviews and photographs of a wide swath of Brooklyn residents— a man whose parents helped to start the Brooklyn Chinese Lunar New Year parade and festival, or someone who moved to Brooklyn from France only three years ago and was delighted to learn that Brooklyn was on the sea. More personal even than that, though, is the participatory element, wherein viewers are encouraged to scan a QR code on their phone and submit their own pictures and thoughts on Brooklyn, anything at all that feels important and worth sharing to them.
Sometimes a place is just a really nice spot to get out of the rain for a little while, and to think about how the place where I live is just a neighborhood. Just a whole bunch of neighborhoods holding hands and stretching back through time. I hope you guys had a nice walk in your neighborhood sometime this week.
ADMISSION: Free
GIFT SHOP: Yes
BATHROOM: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE: Yes
October 22: Bayside Historical Society
October 29: Center for Jewish History
November 4: Chaim Gross Studio Museum
November 11: China Institute
cathy you are THE COOLEST PERSON!!!!!
"Sometimes a place is just a really nice spot to get out of the rain for a little while, and to think about how the place where I live is just a neighborhood. Just a whole bunch of neighborhoods holding hands and stretching back through time. I hope you guys had a nice walk in your neighborhood sometime this week." ---- My favorite thing you've written in a WHILE. What a great way to put it, I love just living in my little neighborhood and visiting all the other neighborhoods <3