In the 1930s the federal government paid artists to paint a fairy-tale mural cycle for the children's ward at Gouverneur Hospital, and the Museum of the City of New York has now restored and rehung it. It is a rare chance to see New Deal public art at the scale and in the sequence it was painted for. If you like the version of New York where the government commissioned murals for hospital corridors, this closes September 27.
What to expect
The murals are shown at full scale with conservation material explaining what it took to save them. MCNY's other floors carry New York at Its Core and The Occupied City, all on the same ticket. The museum sits at the northern end of Museum Mile, across from Central Park.
Good to know
- Take the 6 to 103rd Street and walk west to Fifth Avenue
- One ticket covers every exhibition in the building
- El Museo del Barrio is on the adjoining block if you want to see both
- Central Park's Conservatory Garden is directly across Fifth Avenue
- Fully accessible with elevators to all floors
- Works well for families; the murals were painted for children in the first place
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Common questions
Where were the murals originally?
In the children's ward at Gouverneur Hospital on the Lower East Side, painted as a New Deal-era public art commission.
When does the show close?
September 27, 2026.
What else is at MCNY?
New York at Its Core, The Occupied City, He Built This City and the Timescapes film are all on view.
More this weekend
