NYC, Looking for (woodworking) things to do.

[MarkSmithB]

Hi folks,

I'm being dragged to NYC by my big-city loving spouse. Are there any woodworking tourism things that I should make sure to visit? Or even ones that I should maybe visit?

The only thing I could conjure up from an online search is Tools for Working Wood.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Martin Roper]

Whenever I travel I try to see historic furniture at museums. Some examples are here, here, and here. Of course, all that stuff is completely out of my league, but it does show what truly skilled people are capable of.

In NYC here are a few:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum: Dedicated to historical and contemporary design, focusing on furniture, textiles, and, in some cases, digital interfaces.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met): Collections of American and European furniture, including period rooms.

Museum of the City of New York: Furniture from the late 17th to the early 20th century.

The Frick Collection: High-quality collection of European fine furniture within a historic mansion setting.

I have not been to any of these, but they're the kind of places I like.

These look cool too:

Makeville Studio (Brooklyn): A larger maker space.

MakerSpace NYC (Brooklyn & Staten Island): Everything from a woodshop to fabrication, welding and CNC.

 

[Mark Fogleman]

Tools For Working Wood is in Brooklyn: About Us

 

[Mike Davis]

You will love the woodwork at NYC Public Library.

 

[woodlaker2]

You will love the woodwork at NYC Public Library.
View attachment 242918

I'd second the cudos re: the Met furniture collection and the NYC Library woodwork. Don't know how much time you have but any of the museum collections can easily take several hours to review. Not all allow you to take pics so ask permission before doing so. Get a map. The Met in particular is huge.

 

[Alex]

Tools for Working Wood is indeed a great store, but it is a bit out of the way in Brooklyn, especially if you don't have a car and are pressed for time. (Not having a car is always a good idea in NYC.)

I would also suggest the Metropolitan Museum. There is all of the fine European and American furniture, of course, but what really blows my mind there is going to the Egyptian section and looking at the woodwork. There are dovetails and mortise and tenon joints that were made 40 centuries ago!

The main public library is a beautiful building. If you get there at the right time, you can go sit in the main reading room.

There is the altar made by George Nakashima at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. The building itself is worth a visit - it is a massive stone cathedral, still not finished.

I understand your feeling of getting dragged to the big city. But plan the things you want to see and you will have a great trip. There are lots of cool things to see, and it will be worth dealing with some crowds and bad attitude to see them. (Full disclosure: I was born and raised in Manhattan - but those were different times.)

Let me know if you have any questions or need more information. I'd be happy to help.

Alex

 

[MarkSmithB]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think the Met was already on the agenda, but it's good to know where to focus. We should be able to catch at least one other museum, I think. Probably pass on maker spaces; great places to work, usually not so much tourism appeal. Again, thanks.

 

[ScottM]

Maybe the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum.

 

[Cuthriell]

Second on Tools for Working Wood. It is no more than a 10 minute walk from the nearest train station. They were nice when I visited and walked me through how they make spoon bits.