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May 2020
Digital Discussion: Superstorm Sandy
In October 2012, Superstorm Sandy made landfall on the East Coast. The storm caused record breaking water surges and had devastating, long-lasting impacts on New York City’s transportation system. The MTA had to move quickly to get the system that moves millions of people back up and running.
Join Museum Educator Kate Lanceley for a digital discussion about the impact of Superstorm Sandy on the city’s subway system. Learn about what the MTA has done to repair the damage from the storm and the measures being taken to be prepared for the future.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Find out more »Digital Discussion: Elevated Railways
Before the current subway system in New York City was constructed, there were elevated railways. Now considered a beloved relic of the past, Els were built to ease the overcrowding in what is known as Lower Manhattan today, while simultaneously expanding the city outward to the other boroughs. The elevated lines along Ninth, Sixth, Third, and Second Avenues eased congestion and added new development, ultimately changing the geography of New York City.
Join Archivist Katherine Sorresso for a digital discussion that explores the evolution of New York City’s elevated subways from a solution to – literally—get transportation off the ground, to their eventual decline due to the construction and rapid expansion of the subterranean subway.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion – Horsepower: Sanitation and Transportation in Early New York City
American cities were full of horses in the 1800s. Not only were they the motive power for tranportation, they also moved freight, construction materials, and even powered boats. As the earliest form of city transit, omnibuses and horsecars were particularly numerous in Manhattan, whose streets were filled with many lines that carried thousands of people per day. As more people began to move to the New York area in search of a better life, the waste generated by horses as well as humans reached a critical mass and resulted in health problems for animals and people alike.
Join Associate Curator Jodi Shapiro and Pratt Institute Professor and environmental historian Carl A. Zimring for a digital discussion about the intricate relationship between horses, sanitation and transportation in New York City. Learn about the overall impact of horses as the dominant mode of transportation in the 1800s, the increase of the wave of epidemics in the United States and the unintentional consequences of transitioning from horsepower and fossil fuels.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion – Manners Matter: Courtesy Campaigns
Courtesy is a word that is increasingly becoming synonymous with expected behavior while riding public transportation. In New York City, courtesy campaigns have been implemented from the 1940s to the present day with the “Courtesy Counts!” campaign, in order to convince riders that manners matter.
Join Museum Educator Delia Ramos for a digital discussion about the evolution of courtesy campaigns in New York City’s subway system, and explore the various characters and catch phrases used in these campaigns.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Find out more »Digital Discussion: The French Connection (1971)
Join us for an informal discussion of one of our favorite transit movies, The French Connection! Find it on your favorite streaming platform, and join a group to discuss how and where the famous transit chase scene was shot, which stations were used in filming, and talk about the context of New York City Transit in the early 1970s.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Find out more »June 2020
Digital Discussion – Sit, Stand, Lean, Hang
One of the most intriguing components of the New York City transportation system is the evolution of seating design in its subway cars, buses, and stations. During their commutes, riders are often faced with the choice to either sit, stand, learn or hang on the poles. Quality seating design over the years has either made this an easy decision, or a tough one.
Join Curator Kathleen Hulser for a digital discussion about the various iterations of seating design in the New York City transportation system. Discover the key decisions that contributed to the different configurations over the years, and future designs to increase comfort while maximizing space.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion: The History of Subway Advertisements
Advertisements in the New York City transportation system are nearly as iconic as the subway cars themselves. From the first elevated train advertisement in 1884, to posters for products we recognize today, eye-catching advertisements have been used over time to communicate information quickly to commuters and tourists alike.
Join Coordinator Rosa Palermo for a digital discussion on the history of advertising in New York City’s subway system, and discover how these signs of the times communicated with straphangers over the years.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion: A Historic Look at Court Street Station
The New York Transit Museum has a fascinating and unique history. The former Court Street station in downtown Brooklyn, once home to the HH shuttle train, opened in 1936 but closed ten years later due to low ridership. Court Street station opened as the New York Transit Exhibition as part of the celebration of the United States bicentennial in 1976, and today is home to the New York Transit Museum, the largest museum in North America devoted to public transportation.
Join Visitor Experience Facilitator Niko Goutakolis for a digital discussion about the origin story of the New York Transit Museum and discover our 46-year history beneath the surface.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion: Elizabeth Jennings Graham and the Fight to Desegregate Public Transportation in NYC
100 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, a 24-year-old black New Yorker stood her ground on a streetcar. Her name was Elizabeth Jennings Graham.
Join Education Manager Polly Desjarlais for a digital discussion highlighting Jennings Graham's courage and perseverance as she fought for equality, winning the first recorded legal victory for equal rights on public transportation, and creating a powerful catalyst in the fight for desegregation on all of New York's public transit vehicles.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Find out more »Digital Discussion – Sit, Stand, Lean, Hang
One of the most intriguing components of the New York City transportation system is the evolution of seating design in its subway cars, buses, and stations. During their commutes, riders are often faced with the choice to either sit, stand, learn or hang on the poles. Quality seating design over the years has either made this an easy decision, or a tough one.
Join Curator Kathleen Hulser for a digital discussion about the various iterations of seating design in the New York City transportation system. Discover the key decisions that contributed to the different configurations over the years, and future designs to increase comfort while maximizing space.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion: The Dual Contracts of 1913
In 1913, New York City signed contracts with two private transportation companies, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit (BRT) Company, to drastically increase the size of the subway system. The Dual Contracts project more than doubled the system in size (from 296 miles of track to 618!), and remains the most significant transit expansion in New York City transportation history.
Join Registrar Chelsea Reil for a digital discussion that explores the details of the Dual Contracts era of New York City subway construction, and learn more about the Museum's collection and the research process used to tell this story.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion: The History of Subway Advertisements
Advertisements in the New York City transportation system are nearly as iconic as the subway cars themselves. From the first elevated train advertisement in 1884, to posters for products we recognize today, eye-catching advertisements have been used over time to communicate information quickly to commuters and tourists alike.
Join Coordinator Rosa Palermo for a digital discussion on the history of advertising in New York City’s subway system, and discover how these signs of the times communicated with straphangers over the years.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion: Navigating New York
New York’s transportation history happened in phases, from early ships, trains and passenger ferries to more modern subways, trains, buses and cars. Transportation maps highlight the story of New York’s growth through the increasingly connected transportation system.
Join Curator Kathleen Hulser for a digital discussion of our recent exhibit Navigating New York and discover how mass transit catalyzed the greater New York region into what it is today.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion – Second Avenue Subway
Discover how the Second Avenue Subway fits into New York’s past, present, and future transportation landscapes. First proposed in 1919 to rehabilitate the city’s existing transit system, phase one opened between 63rd and 96th streets in 2017. Learn about the multiple steps and massive amounts of backbreaking work needed to bring “the line that almost never was” to life. When completed, the route will run from Lower Manhattan to East Harlem with a connection to the Metro-North Railroad at 125th Street, improving transportation on the East Side of Manhattan and relieving congestion on the Lexington Avenue Line.
Join Associate Curator Jodi Shapiro to explore the evolution of the Second Avenue Subway project, starting with the first proposal in 1919, to plans for expansion in the future.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Find out more »Digital Discussion: A Historic Look at Court Street Station
The New York Transit Museum has a fascinating and unique history. The former Court Street station in downtown Brooklyn, once home to the HH shuttle train, opened in 1936 but closed ten years later due to low ridership. Court Street station opened as the New York Transit Exhibition as part of the celebration of the United States bicentennial in 1976, and today is home to the New York Transit Museum, the largest museum in North America devoted to public transportation.
Join Visitor Experience Facilitator Niko Goutakolis for a digital discussion about the origin story of the New York Transit Museum and discover our 46-year history beneath the surface.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion: The Dual Contracts of 1913
In 1913, New York City signed contracts with two private transportation companies, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit (BRT) Company, to drastically increase the size of the subway system. The Dual Contracts project more than doubled the system in size (from 296 miles of track to 618!), and remains the most significant transit expansion in New York City transportation history.
Join Registrar Chelsea Reil for a digital discussion that explores the details of the Dual Contracts era of New York City subway construction, and learn more about the Museum's collection and the research process used to tell this story.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Digital Discussion – Second Avenue Subway
Discover how the Second Avenue Subway fits into New York’s past, present, and future transportation landscapes. First proposed in 1919 to rehabilitate the city’s existing transit system, phase one opened between 63rd and 96th streets in 2017. Learn about the multiple steps and massive amounts of backbreaking work needed to bring “the line that almost never was” to life. When completed, the route will run from Lower Manhattan to East Harlem with a connection to the Metro-North Railroad at 125th Street, improving transportation on the East Side of Manhattan and relieving congestion on the Lexington Avenue Line.
Join Associate Curator Jodi Shapiro to explore the evolution of the Second Avenue Subway project, starting with the first proposal in 1919, to plans for expansion in the future.
Limited spots available! RSVP here >
Photo: Lonto-Watson Collection, New York Transit Museum.
