Queens Museum

💧 Did you know that a working model of the entire NYC water system is hidden in plain sight at the Queens Museum?

The Relief Map of the New York City Water Supply System is a roughly 600 square foot topographical model built for the 1939–40 World's Fair, with blinking lights that trace reservoirs, dams, and aqueducts carrying water from upstate New York into the city. It spent decades in storage before being rediscovered in 2005 and restored through a partnership with the Department of Environmental Protection.

Today, the system it depicts extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs, three controlled lakes, and roughly 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels, and aqueducts, bringing over a billion gallons of fresh water to the five boroughs every day.

Visit the 🔗 in bio to plan your visit.

[Image: The Relief Map of the New York City Water Supply System featuring a selection of works from previous exhibition "Of the Earth: Connections." Photo courtesy Queens Museum, credit Hai Zhang.]

Join us for September Family Day this weekend! 🌠 Presented in partnership with The Legal Aid Society [] and POV/American Documentary [], this event at QM celebrates 150 years of The Legal Aid Society’s service to immigrants, workers, and New Yorkers across all five boroughs.

From 1:00 – 4:00 pm, drop in for hands-on artmaking, a reading by journalist and children's book author Nathalie Alonso [], children's book giveaways by Brooklyn Book Bodega [], and more.

At 2:30 pm, stay for a free screening of POV/American Documentary film "For Venida, For Kalief," followed by a discussion honoring the life of Kalief Browder and examining the human toll of Rikers Island. RSVP is required to attend the film screening and discussion — register on our website.

Please note the last ticketed entry to the Museum is at 4:30pm.

[Images: 1: Photo by Kuo-Heng Huang, 2: Framed photo of Kalief Browder (Left), framed photo of Venida Browder (Right). Credit: Kameron Davis]

💡 Tiffany's leaded-glass lamps were an instant sensation when they launched in 1898! See why in "Tiffany's Lamps: Lighting Luxury," on view now in The Neustadt Gallery at the Queens Museum.

When Tiffany's leaded-glass lamps debuted in 1898, they were an instant hit for combining beauty and function, softening the glare of early electric light while transforming a household object into a work of art. Each lamp was handmade using costly materials like hand-rolled glass and cast bronze, and prices varied widely depending on size and design.

Explore the Collection at QM to learn more about how they were made. Visit the 🔗 in bio to plan your trip!

Glass

[Images: The Neustadt Gallery at the Queens Museum. Collection of The Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, Queens, NY. Photos by David Schlegel.]

📢 ATTENTION TEENS IN QUEENS 📢

The Queens Teens Institute for Art and Social Justice (QTI) is entering its ✨ fifth year ✨ and applications are now open for the 2026–2027 cohort!

Become part of a growing group of young leaders, artists, and social justice-minded individuals while making friends, exploring different professions, and strengthening your passions. QTI brings together art-making workshops, leadership seminars, community service projects, and professional development opportunities throughout the academic year.

Swipe to learn about QTI’s vibe, program responsibilities, benefits, and how you can apply today, and then visit the 🔗 in our bio to submit your application by October 25, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

On the 25th anniversary of September 11, the Queens Museum remembers and honors the lives lost and all those impacted by the events of that day. In 2002, the Museum debuted the "Tribute in Light" on The Panorama of the City of New York. Today, the Panorama preserves the Twin Towers as part of the model's historic representation of New York City. In remembrance, the Museum's facade will be illuminated in blue this evening.

"Tribute in Light" was originally presented by Creative Time () and The Municipal Art Society (), conceived by artists Julian LaVadiere (.laverdiere) and Paul Myoda () in collaboration with architects John Bennett and Gustavo Bonevardi of Proun Space Studio, architect Richard Nash Gould, and lighting consultant Paul Marantz.

[Image: October 30, 2002, "Remembrance Imagination Illumination" Lighting Ceremony, Queens Museum of Art Gala 2002]

🎾 What’s your favorite NYC tennis memory? Share it on The Panorama Digital Twin at the Queens Museum!

Visit the iconic Panorama of the City of New York during the US Open — QM is just a short walk through Flushing Meadows Corona Park. While you’re here, spot the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in miniature, then add your favorite tennis memory to our digital replica of the Panorama and explore stories shared by fellow visitors.

From watching a match at the US Open to picking up a racket for the first time, we want to hear the stories that make tennis a part of your New York. Use The Panorama Digital Twin to drop a pin and share yours!

Do you have questions about the QM–Jerome Foundation Fellowship? Our online info session is just one week away! Join us next Wednesday at 6:00 pm to learn more.

P.S.: The application deadline is September 28, 2026!

About the Fellowship: Two visual artists will receive $20,000 each and professional development consultations from QM staff members working toward an artist’s project. Each fellow will also receive mentorship from a New York-based established artist. The fellowships will culminate in solo project exhibitions at the Queens Museum in 2028. The duration of each fellowship is one year, culminating with the opening of the fellow’s exhibition.

RSVP to the info session at the 🔗 in bio.

Here's what's on at the Museum this September & October! Join us for new exhibitions and family programming this fall:

September
📅 09.26 | From Joy to Justice: Celebrating Community at September Family Day
Enjoy artmaking, a children’s book reading, book giveaways, and more! There will also be a special screening of "For Venida, For Kalief," presented in partnership with The Legal Aid Society and .

📸 09.29 – 11.02 | "New York Proud: A Portrait of New York City"
Presented in partnership with , this exhibition celebrates the stories and contributions of immigrants who help shape our city.

October
📅 10.07 – 02.07 | ¡Te Amo Porque S.O.S. Pueblo!: "Altares Ocultos de Duelo y Memoria (Hidden Altars of Grief and Remembrance)"
Featuring 20 artists, this Community Partnership Exhibition explores grief, memory, cultural survival, and collective care. []

🎶 Oct. 18 | October Family Day
Drop in for artmaking workshops and a special performance of Woody Guthrie’s "Songs To Grow On" by !

Explore what’s coming up and RSVP at the 🔗 in our bio.

[Please note that applications are now closed.]Join the Queens Museum team! We're a Teaching Artist to join our Education Department.

You'll design and facilitate workshops across our school programs, ArtAccess programs for visitors with disabilities, family art-making days, teen leadership initiatives, and seasonal camps. Your work will connect Museum exhibitions and collections to communities across Queens.

We're looking for educators experienced in developing curricula, leading museum tours, and adapting instruction for participants with diverse cultural, linguistic, and learning backgrounds. Bilingual candidates (Spanish, Mandarin, Bangla, Arabic, Korean, ASL) are encouraged to apply.

https://queensmuseum.org/about/

[Image: Photo by Kuo-Heng Huang]