Natural New York
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July 31, 2009
Walking the sidewalks of New York today, it may be hard to grasp that the island that Dutch explorers came upon 400 years ago was a place of old-growth forests, wetlands, rolling hills, abundant wildlife and a people who lived in tune with their natural surroundings. Back then Manhatta meant not hubbub, crowds and excitement but "island of many hills."'
To mark the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's arrival here, the Museum of the City of New York presents an exhibition focusing on New York's natural history. A mix of multi-media artifacts and maps, "Mannahatta/Manhattan" helps visitors imagine the quiet, wooded island that became a metropolis. The exhibition aims to go beyond the past, though, to apply the ideas of diversity, interdependence and interrelativity to the modern mega-city as well as to its bucolic origins.
The exhibition runs through Oct. 12. For more information, go to the Museum of the City of New York.
