Elevator Historical Society
Image: atlasobscura.com
A talented music professional, Simon Whalley enjoys exploring the cultural underpinnings of a city by visiting their museums. While working in New York, Simon Whalley learned about the city’s rich history with visits to the Hispanic Society of America and the Morris-Jamel Mansion in Harlem.
New York has several excellent museums that exist off the beaten tourist track. For example, the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria looks at various aspects of digital media, film, and television with a number of incredible artifacts. The museum is located in the historic Kaufman Astoria Studios, a production studio for Paramount.
Another interesting option is the Elevator Historical Society in Queens. The small museum was opened by elevator repairman Pat Carrajat who collected various button plates, tools, plaques, and car ceilings throughout his career. After it opened, the museum received a number of donations that have rounded out the collection.
Located in a Beaux-Arts firehouse in Soho is the New York City Fire Museum, which has artifacts and gear dating back to the 1700s. Visitors can learn a lot about the history of firefighting in the city and also get a glimpse of more modernized technology.
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