Museum of the City of New York Debuts an Exhibit About Germs

By Brigitt Earley November 21, 2018

Germs are everywhere—they’re lurking on subway seats and poles, on door handles and sidewalks. No matter where you are in the city, everywhere you step and everything you touch is covered in germs. Sound skeevy? A new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York provides a fascinating look at the germs camping out in New York City and the Big Apple’s history of infectious disease.

This September, the exhibit opened in collaboration with the Museum of the City of New York, The New York Academy of Medicine, and Wellcome. It reveals how our understanding of disease hsa changed us physically, socially, and culturally, and the surprising interplay between people and pathogens. It also provides an inside look into how the government, urban planners, medical professionals, businesses, and activists all fight the spread of infectious disease.

Germ City features a hybrid gallery and library where visitors can view historical artifacts and contemporary artworks created for the exhibition, browse a curated selection of books, and explore digital interactives.

In tandem with the exhibit, the museum will host a number of events, including a trip to Roosevelt Island (formerly Welfare Island).

Germ City is located inside the Museum of City NY at 1220 Fifth Ave. at 103rd Street. For more information about Germ City or other Museum of City NY exhibits, please visit the Museum of City NY website.