These photos were taken from Parkcentric: Photographs from the Museum of the City of New York, 1890-1940, an exhibition on view from June 14 through August 30, 2012 at the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park.
Featuring 68 photographs illustrating 24 parks, Parkcentric celebrates two great civic institutions—the New York City parks system and the Museum of the City of New York. The Museum, originally housed at Gracie Mansion, and since 1932 at Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street, celebrates and interprets the city, educating the public about its distinctive character. Its photographic collection alone has more than 300,000 images, which provide an extraordinary portal on the past, helping to define New Yorkers’ self-image.