The Folk Music Museum of NYC
Contents
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is a world-renowned institution dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of folk music. From its humble beginnings in the early 20th century, the Museum has grown to become one of the most respected places to learn about and experience this unique genre of music.
Introduction
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of folk music in New York City. We offer a wide range of exhibits, educational programs, and public events that showcase the diversity and history of folk music in our city.
We are located in the heart of Greenwich Village, home to some of the most iconic folk musicians and venues in the world. Our museum is a living, breathing part of this vibrant musical community, and we invite you to come and explore it with us!
History
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is dedicated to the documentation, preservation, and interpretation of the music and cultural heritage of New York City’s diverse peoples. The museum was founded in 1998 by Dr. Roberta Bialek and is located in the heart of Greenwich Village, in the historic Washington Square Park neighborhood.
The Early Years
The Folk Music Museum of NYC was founded in 1952 by a group of folk musicians and enthusiasts. The museum’s mission is to promote and preserve the traditional folk music of the city’s various immigrant communities.
The museum’s first home was a small office on West 4th Street in Greenwich Village. In its early years, the museum organized folk music events and educational programs, and collected folk instruments and folk music recordings.
In the late 1960s, the Folk Music Museum moved to a larger space on West 8th Street. In the 1970s, the museum began to focus more on education, organizing workshops and classes on folk music and dance.
Today, the Folk Music Museum is located in Queens, in the heart of New York City’s immigrant community. The museum continues to collect folk instruments and recordings, and offers educational programs for both children and adults.
The Mid-Years
The 1950s were a time of immense change in the United States, and folk music was no exception. The earlier part of the decade saw the rise of artists like Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly, who helped to create the “protest song” genre that would come to define folk music. In the latter half of the decade, however, a new style of folk music began to take hold. Inspired by artists like Pete Seeger and The Weavers, this new style was more upbeat and optimistic, and focused less on politics and more on simple storytelling. This type of folk music would come to be known as “revivalist” or “traditional” folk, and it would become hugely popular in the 1960s.
The Recent Years
In recent years, the museum has been active in digitizing its collections and exhibits and has partnered with the New York Public Library to make them more widely available. The Folk Music Museum is also now a research center affiliated with Queens College, CUNY.
The museum has been working to increase its engagement with the local community and has partnered with local organizations on various programs and events. In addition, the museum has been working to expand its reach beyond New York City and has partnered with folk music festivals across the country to share its exhibits and collections.
The Collection
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is a small, but growing collection of folk music memorabilia. The museum is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of folk music in the United States. The collection includes a variety of items, including folk instruments, folk music manuscripts, and folk music recordings.
Instruments
Folk music is sung using many different kinds of instruments. The most common instrument used in folk music is the acoustic guitar. Other popular folk instruments include the banjo, fiddle, accordion, and harmonica.
The acoustic guitar is a very versatile instrument that can be used to play many different styles of music. It is often used to play folk, country, and blues music. The banjo is a popular choice for playing traditional folk and bluegrass music. The fiddle is commonly used in Celtic and old-timey music. The accordion is popular in many different genres of folk music, including Cajun and polka. The harmonica is often used to add embellishments to a song or to provide a solo accompaniment.
Recordings
The Museum has a rich collection of folk music recordings from all over the world, including wax cylinders, LPs, cassettes, CDs, open reel tapes, and DATs. The recordings are an indispensible part of the collections, and we use them often in our education and public programs. While the Museum does not have the capacity to offer listening stations for the public to enjoy the recordings in the galleries, all of the recordings in our collection are cataloged online and can be searched by artist, genre, or geographic region.
Photographs
The photographs in The Collection date back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. They provide us with a glimpse into the everyday lives of people in NYC during that time period. The photographs are organized into four main categories:
-People
-Places
-Things
-Events
The Museum Today
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is dedicated to the history and preservation of folk music. The museum is open to the public and offers a variety of exhibits, concerts, and events. The museum also has a library and archive that are available to researchers.
The Location
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The museum is easily accessible by public transportation, and there is street parking available nearby. The museum is wheelchair-accessible, and FREE Admission is always available to those who need it.
The Exhibits
There are many wonderful exhibits at the Folk Music Museum of NYC! Whether you are interested in the history of folk music or just want to see some amazing instruments, there is something for everyone.
The museum has a wide variety of exhibits, including a look at the history of folk music, the different types of instruments used in folk music, and the people who play them. You can also learn about the different styles of folk music and how they have evolved over time.
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is a great place to learn about the rich history and culture of folk music. It is also a great place to see some amazing instruments and meet some incredible people!
The Programs
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is committed to providing accessible, educational, and engaging programs that reflect the diversity of American folk music traditions. We offer a variety of programs for all ages, including concerts, workshops, discussions, lectures, and more. Our programs are designed to promote understanding and appreciation of folk music and its role in American culture.
Conclusion
The Folk Music Museum of NYC is a great place to learn about the history and culture of folk music in America. The exhibits are well-organized and informative, and the museum staff is friendly and knowledgeable. If you’re interested in learning more about folk music, this is definitely the place to go.
