Category Archives: Collecting

New-York Historical Society

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New-York Historical Society has launched History Responds: Collecting during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic

Their efforts, which focus on New York and the surrounding region, seek to document all aspects of the crisis, including the heroic efforts of medical personnel; the plight of the victims; the effects on businesses, schools, and cultural groups; and the creativity borne of isolation. They invite and encourage donations from the community.

  • The Patricia D. Klingenstein Library of the New-York Historical Society is gathering paper ephemera that reflect all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic and how people are dealing with it. Formats include: flyers, circulars, handbills, postcards, small signs, small posters, application forms, mass mailing charity requests, emails and print-outs of emails. These can be mailed to:

New-York Historical Society
Attn: Library History Responds program
170 Central Park West
New York, New York 10024

(The Library is unable to return unaccessioned materials.)

Digital items can be emailed to:
NYHSLibrary2020Collect@nyhistory.org

  • The Museum division is collecting objects and images and the stories connected to them. These may include: tools for health and medicine; household items that reflect life under quarantine and social distancing measures; new products created by business and industry; artwork placed in public view; and items that represent community projects and initiatives.

To submit objects and images (or a group of objects and paper) for consideration, please complete our Object Donation Form and email it to historyresponds@nyhistory.org along with related photos.

  • The Education department invites youth to keep and share diary entries on their experiences with the coronavirus pandemic. Students can record their diaries in whatever form they would like—digital, analog, video, voice memo—and share them.

Diary entries can be completed through this form or emailed to teens@nyhistory.org.

Diaries can also be mailed to:
New-York Historical Society
Attn: Teen Programs
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024

Museum of the City of New York

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For nearly a century, the Museum of the City of New York has been documenting New York City’s stories regardless of their nature.
At any given moment, there are a myriad of stories playing out on our streets, in public and private institutions, and in our homes. The Museum wants to share your stories as experienced through the lens of this COVID-19 crisis, arguably one of the most challenging times in New York City history.

MCNY would like to see how the entire city, across all five boroughs, is viewing this moment in our collective history. We invite everyone to share photos—taken from an appropriately socially-distanced perspective—documenting personal experiences during this challenging time. Post those images on Instagram using the hashtag #CovidStoriesNYC, and tag @MuseumOfCityNY.

Museum staff will review the images on a rolling basis, selecting images that reflect on the impact of this event on life in this dense, creative, and resilient city to repost on our social media feed and other digital channels.

Please Note:
MCNY cannot accept physical objects at this time. That said, if you have an object that you think would help the Museum’s collection tell the story of COVID-19 in New York to future generations, please email a photo of it to collections@mcny.org. Unfortunately, MCNY is only able to reply to emails regarding materials we are considering for acquisition, and requests that you do not mail any items to the Museum. Until there is guidance from health officials, for the health and safety of our staff, MCNY will not be accepting physical objects from the public.