The Municipal Art Society of New York

The Municipal Art Society of New York Shaping the future of New York since 1893. Learn more about our history: https://www.mas.org/about-us/history/

09/11/2026

Today marks the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001. We mourn the lives lost and those that continue to be harmed by the tragedies of that day.

Since that day, our city has looked and felt different. And despite what’s been rebuilt with the sheer grit so characteristic of New York City, it always will.

In the months following the attacks, MAS collaborated with Creative Time to build a tribute to a loss we could not yet articulate. Conceptualized by John Bennett, Gustavo Bonevardi, Richard Nash Gould, Julian Laverdiere, Paul Marantz, and Paul Myoda, the Tribute in Light still shines each September.

Hear more about the Tribute from our former President Kent Barwick, former Project Director Saskia Levy-Thompson, and MAS Librarian and Archivist Erin Butler.

We’re excited to launch our MAS Insider Series, an exclusive perk for our members at the Gothamist level and above. Insi...
08/14/2026

We’re excited to launch our MAS Insider Series, an exclusive perk for our members at the Gothamist level and above. Insider Series tours offer special behind-the-scenes New York City experiences. From studio visits to explorations of new projects transforming our public realm, each event offers an insider perspective on the people and places defining New York.

Join today at link in bio and start exploring your city with us!

In September, join us for a private studio tour with painter Todd Stone. Over the past two decades, Stone, a long-time artist in residence at the World Trade Center, has created a visual timeline that examines both the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and the ongoing resilience, recovery, and rebound of Lower Manhattan.
 
This will be a rare opportunity to see Stone’s work contextualized in his WTC studio, the architectural setting that has deeply informed his practice. Stone’s work has been exhibited at the 9/11 Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the Bronx River Art Center, and the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA.

In November, our Members have the opportunity to explore the Weir Greenhouse, an 1895 Victorian building that’s become Green-Wood Cemetery’s newest space for exhibitions, research and education, and public events. The tour will be led by Stephen Cassell and Kim Yao, Principals at Architecture Research Office (ARO), the firm responsible for restoring this historic space.

08/12/2026

In case you missed it, we launched the second installment of the MAS Data Distillery last week, which explores the intersections of flood risk and historic buildings—and the impact of this relationship on our city’s affordable housing crisis.

Hear more on this from our summer graduate intern, Noah Johnson, and read the full post through the link in our bio.

MAS was saddened to learn about the passing of historian Mike Wallace last week, who was awarded our 1999 Brendan Gill P...
07/16/2026

MAS was saddened to learn about the passing of historian Mike Wallace last week, who was awarded our 1999 Brendan Gill Prize for his book Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898.

The sprawling account of our city’s economic, cultural, and political history—co-written with Edwin G. Burrows—chronicled 16th-century Lenape settlements to the consolidation of the five boroughs. The book attributes the rise of New York City’s economic influence—often credited to mercantilist trade—not only to millionaire industrialists, but to the distribution of information by everyday New Yorkers.

In addition to receiving the Gill Prize, Mike was involved in the MAS tours program, delivering a lecture to launch our 2007 tour series, Staten Island: Beyond the Boat and Bridge. We’re grateful to have experienced his love for our city firsthand and to have called him a friend.

06/22/2026

How well do you know the history of Grand Central Terminal? Did you know that MAS was instrumental in the campaign against its demolition?

Ahead of our country’s 250th birthday, MAS docent Wendy Felton showed reporter Kirstin Cole around one of our nation’s most revered transit hubs.

Watch the full segment and dive into Grand Central’s history and future, through the link in our bio.

06/15/2026

Over the weekend, New Yorkers took to the city’s public realm to celebrate the New York Knicks first championship in half a century. These celebrations underscored the potential of our public realm as well as where our city needs to improve on delivering quality open spaces for all New Yorkers.

It’s long overdue that we reform our city’s onerous public space permitting processes so that we can more easily activate them. We also need to re-envision our streets for pedestrians and cleaner, greener, transit connectivity. And while doing so, we need to support the stewardship of and maintenance capacity for these spaces so we can use them for more celebrations to come.

Read our full Public Realm Action Plan and latest budget testimony on ensuring maintenance funding for our parks and public spaces, at the link in our bio.

06/11/2026

Last night’s Game 4 comeback showed New York that anything is possible. Can a revamped Penn Station do the same?

For decades, MAS has advocated for a world-class Penn Station—one that moves people efficiently, welcomes visitors with dignity, and strengthens the public realm around it. We support meaningful progress, but progress must be accompanied by transparency, accountability, and a clear plan for meeting the region’s long-term transportation needs.

This summer, New York has an opportunity to demonstrate what it does best: rise to meet a moment of global attention. Whether on the court, on the field, or through the transformation of our most important public infrastructure.

Let’s make sure our city gets this right, and LET’S GO KNICKS! 🧡💙

MAS is grateful for the life and contributions of our former director Margot Wellington—a New Yorker fiercely devoted to...
05/27/2026

MAS is grateful for the life and contributions of our former director Margot Wellington—a New Yorker fiercely devoted to the betterment of our city. It is our hope that we honor Margot’s legacy each day by carrying out the MAS initiatives that she so helped shape. Through Jane’s Walk and our tours program, we invite the public to engage with our city at street level. On the advocacy front, MAS encourages investment in our built environment and preservation and adaptive reuse over demolition. That way, New Yorkers can enjoy well-maintained public spaces and a future that pays homage to our rich history—not only to protect our city’s cultural heritage, but to ensure a more sustainable future for all of us. Read about Margot’s life and civic leadership, through the link in our bio.

05/05/2026

Missed Jane’s Walk NYC this weekend? Relive some of the highlights with our new communications manager Viv, who joined Lisa Burriss for Black Footprints: Lower Manhattan, 1600s–Today and Daniel Wortel-London for Brooklyn Bridge: Infrastructure as Icon! 👣🌉

Registration for Jane’s Walk NYC is now open to the public!We are thrilled to once again offer in-person, guided group w...
04/29/2026

Registration for Jane’s Walk NYC is now open to the public!

We are thrilled to once again offer in-person, guided group walks plus virtual and self-guided explorations. This year, we are proud to bring you over 250 walks across all five boroughs—a record number! We are so grateful for our talented & passionate walk leaders ❤️

The festival is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are required for many walks. In-person guided walks will be capped at 30 attendees. Sign-up and secure your spot today!

🗓️ Explore the 2026 roster & sign-up for walks at the link in bio. Where will you walk this May?

We want to thank our 2026 sponsors:

Swig Equities
New York State Council on the Arts ()
New York City Tourism Foundation ()
BKSK Architects ()
Brown Harris Stevens ()

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488 Madison Avenue
New York, NY
10022

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+12129353960

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