WWII & NYC Exhibit at the New York Historical Society

Two great passions in my life are New York City and learning more about the history of World War II. I talk about both subjects often online, devour books on this subject, and will watch any movie (no matter how cheesy) that takes place in New York or during WWII. So when The New York Historical Society opened an exhibit simply called "WWII & NYC" mere blocks from my apartment, it felt like it was a showcase just for me.

 The Second World War (1939–1945) was the most widespread, destructive, and consequential conflict in history. WWII & NYC is an account of how New York and its metropolitan region contributed to Allied victory. The exhibition also explores the captivating, sobering, and moving stories of how New Yorkers experienced and confronted the challenges of “total war.

The highlight of the trip for me was seeing one of the original "Instrument of Surrender" documents, which was Japan's official surrender on Sept 2, 1945. Only 20 copies were created at the time and they have not been displayed in New York since 1945. I was unable to take a picture of it because it is placed under a protective cloth away from lighting. 

The only downside to visiting the Historical Society is that cover charge is $15, which seems a bit much for such a small exhibit. I instead went on a Friday night between 6 & 8pm, where you can pay what you want. Cheers for affordable educational experiences!

I in turn picked up the book that accompanies this exhibit written by Kenneth T. Jackson who is a Professor of History at Columbia University and is the Editor-in-Chief of The Encyclopedia of New York City. If you are a WWII & NYC fan like myself but are unable to visit the exhibit you can purchase the book on their site for only $9.95

In their store they were also selling 1940s pin up dresses that I swooned over and then lamented over the prices. They were completely stunning but were $150 each. When I can afford it, I'm going to buy one of these dresses and wear it every day until it becomes socially unacceptable. 

In short, if you enjoy this time period I would highly recommend going to visit this exhibit, located at Central Park West and 77th street in Manhattan. It is well worth the trip.

Photos of the exhibit provided by The New York Times