![[New York Giants Opening Day line-up at the Polo Grounds [New York]. Left to right: Fred Snodgrass, Tillie Shafer, George Burns, Larry Doyle, Red Murray, Fred Merkle, Buck Herzog, Chief Meyers (baseball)] (LOC)](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3069/2635673019_d58767d6e4_z.jpg?zz=1)
100 years ago today: the New York Giants’ opening day line-up at the Polo Grounds.
Happy Easter! We love this photo of 5th Avenue taken on Easter of 1913. Click to enlarge. (source)
![[New York Female Giants (baseball)] (LOC)](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3330/3598152770_0b673b972b_z.jpg?zz=1)
We love this picture of the New York Female Giants pitcher taken in 1913!
The New York Public Library is the second largest library in the United States, standing only behind The Library of Congress. It contains nearly 53 million items! At the turn of the 20th century, the organizers of the library chose their location in the center of Manhattan on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets. These blocks were formally occupied by the Croton Reservoir, which was demolished in 1898. Construction for the main branch of the New York Public Library began in May of 1902 and took almost ten years to complete. President Taft attended the opening ceremony on May 23, 1911 and the library opened to the public the following day, May 24th.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the two marble lions at the entrance of the library have nicknames? When the library first opened, they were nicknamed Leo Astor and Leo Lenox after New York Public Library founders John Jacob Astor and James Lenox. Later, they were called Lady Astor and Lord Lenox. In the 1930′s, Mayor Fiorello Laguardia renamed them Patience and Fortitude, stating that these were the qualities New Yorkers would need to survive the depression. These are the nicknames they go by today.
I love these pictures of the library under construction! Continue reading
[The Playroom at TLB Music]
During most NYC winter days, outdoor playgrounds just aren’t a possibility because of the cold and bitter wind! During the summer, the heat, humidity, and stormy weather can also mean playtime indoors. Luckily, parents have lots of options available. NYC is home to many fantastic indoor play spaces for children. Here are 5 favorites (including our own playroom) that all offer drop-in rates!
[Prospect Park Entrance, 1894 source]
The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch located at the entrance to Prospect Park in Brooklyn was constructed between the years of 1889 and 1892. President Grover Cleveland led the unveiling in 1892. In 1894, Park Commissioner Frank Squire asked sculptor Frederick William MacMonnies to create the bronze sculptures to sit atop the arch. In 1895, sculptures of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant were added to the interior arch walls. When Frederick MacMonnies added the Army and Navy sculptures in 1895, the arch was complete!
Maypole at Seward Park, NYC (1890)
Click through for a photo collection of New York City children from 1890-1990! Continue reading
(Broadway, looking North to Union Square. 1891 source)
Click through to see the same view 121 years later! Continue reading
The Modern Museum of Art in New York City is a fantastic place to bring your children to inspire creativity and teach them about modern art. After searching through the collection currently on view, we chose 8 of the most important paintings that appeal to children and created a MoMA scavenger hunt! Before your visit, be sure to go through the featured art and learn the name of each painting, the artist, and the extra information listed below. (More scavenger hunts: click here.)
1. The Starry Night- This painting is by the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. It depicts the village Saint-Rémy in the south of France in 1889. He created it from memory during the day! The tree to the left is called a Cypress tree. (Post-Impressionist)
2. Three Musicians- Created by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso in 1921. Picasso is known for co-founding the Cubist art movement. He created 2 similar paintings under this title. One is owned by the MoMA and the other is owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Cubist)
3. The Park- Austrian painter Gustav Klimt completed this painting in 1910. Interesting fact: “I have never painted a self-portrait. I am less interested in myself as a subject for a painting than I am in other people, above all women… There is nothing special about me. I am a painter who paints day after day from morning to night… Who ever wants to know something about me… ought to look carefully at my pictures.” (Art Nouveau) Continue reading
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Happy Labor Day!
[Fifth Avenue and Broadway, 1910]
(July 31, 1913 – source)
A couple weeks ago, we posted our first scavenger hunt for city kids. We had so much fun creating it that we decided to make another one! Click on the link below to download the PDF and print!
Scavenger Hunt for Kids: City Search 2
Want more scavenger hunts? CLICK HERE
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(Brooklyn Bridge, circa 1883)
Happy 129th Birthday, Brooklyn Bridge! Originally called the East River Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge opened on March 24, 1883, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.
