Discussions on the history of New York City are inexorably tied to the American immigrant experience, with the ever-growing city serving as both a home and starting point for those arriving on the country’s shores. To celebrate and study this heritage, the Museum of the City of New York will debut "New York at Its Core," which will fill the institution's entire first floor with artifacts that trace the city’s history from its earliest Dutch settlers to the present day.
With more than 400 objects, chiefly from the museum’s substantial collection, the exhibit will be divided into four themes: money, density, diversity, and creativity. According to Untapped Cities, the Museum of the City of New York will exhibit a historic apple peeler originally used at the Lower East Side fixture, Russ & Daughters, to introduce the third theme of the exhibit—diversity—which extends from 1898–1912.
Not only will "New York at Its Core" provide a detailed account of the metropolis’ growth to the city it is today, but also of animals that have played a supporting role such as the beaver, pig, oyster and horse. Adding to the historical immersion will be three interactive galleries on the first floor: Port City 1609–1898, World City 1898–2012, and Future City Lab.