We are so happy to welcome you to 92y. Our health protocols have recently changed. Please read carefully before your visit.
Masks must be worn by everyone over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status.
Adults and children age 5+ must show proof of vaccination upon arrival.
Thank you for doing your part in helping to keep everyone in our community safe.
Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis, Associate Professor at The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, will take us on a virtual architecture tour across the five boroughs in four sessions.
Since the city’s inception, New Yorkers have deliberately engaged with ancient (Roman, Greek, Egyptian & Near Eastern) architecture to design and erect many of its most iconic buildings and monuments, including Grand Central Terminal and the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch in Brooklyn, as well as forgotten gems such as Snug Harbor on Staten Island and the Gould Memorial Library in the Bronx.
When New Yorkers think of famous buildings inspired by the ancient world, the destroyed Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal immediately come to mind. However, the story is much more complicated than that. Ancient architecture was used by New York’s patrons and architects in everything from retirement homes to Masonic Lodges. This session investigates some of the city’s most famous buildings and highlights those that are long forgotten and little known—from Sailors’ Snug Harbor to the Gould Memorial Library.
New York City is constantly redeveloping itself. Countless buildings have been razed to make room for new and modern structures. This lecture explores the most remarkable buildings destroyed as New York became a world-class metropolis—from Penn Station to The Tombs and Murray Hill Distributing Reservoir.
During the peak of the Gilded Age, New Yorkers wanted to dine like Nero. Join us as we venture into the lost Lobster Palaces, where the art and architecture of ancient worlds were used to create immersive dining experiences. When the rich and famous were not out on the town, they could also be found in their opulent mansions, where the art and architecture of Pompeii and ancient Greece reigned supreme.
Even in death, New Yorkers were attentive to prestige. This session will explore New York City’s most important rural cemeteries, Green-Wood and Woodlawn Cemeteries, where famous New Yorkers—from DeWitt Clinton to W.F. Woolworth—made their final home in mausoleums that rivaled the city’s mansions.
Participants will obtain a greater understanding of the architectural history of New York City and the role played by Classical architecture in creating the world-class city.
This class includes several optional self-guided tours for those wishing to visit sites and structures to be discussed in class. Please follow all applicable safety guidelines. Links for virtual access, when available, will also be included for those who are not able to visit in person.
This class will take place on May 20, 27, June 3 and 10 from 10:30-11:30 am ET. Sessions will be recorded and available for later viewing by those who register.
Online programs:An access link will be emailed to you after purchase
In-person programs:Adults and children ages 5+ must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to attend our in-person programs. Learn more.
Masks must be worn at all times by everyone over the age of 2.
Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis is Associate Professor of Liberal Studies and Middle Eastern Studies. She is also the Executive Officer of the MA Program in Liberal Studies at The Graduate Center, The City University of New York. An archaeologist and architectural historian by training, she is the author or editor of six books and has conducted fieldwork in Italy, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt.
Antiquity in Gotham: The Ancient Architecture of New York City
Recanati-Kaplan Talks