New York City Fire Museum facts for kids
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The New York City Fire Museum is a super cool place in Manhattan, New York City. It's all about the brave firefighters of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). You can find it in the Hudson Square neighborhood. The museum is inside an old fire house from 1904. This building used to be home to Engine Company No. 30.
The museum has over 10,000 amazing objects. It also has thousands of old records, photos, and other items. These treasures show the long history of fire service and the FDNY. You can see modern firefighting gear there too. There is also a special memorial for the 343 FDNY members. These heroes bravely gave their lives at the World Trade Center site after the September 11 attacks. The museum received an important charter in November 2015. This means it is officially recognized by the New York State Department of Education.
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Exploring the Museum's History
The New York City Fire Museum has a long history itself! It first started way back in December 1870. It was located at the Fire Department Headquarters on Mercer Street in Manhattan. We don't know exactly when it closed down there. It probably happened when the headquarters moved in the late 1880s.
Later, the museum's collection found a new home. Chief John McKenna helped set it up at the NYC Fire College in Queens. In 1948, it moved again to the FDNY repair shops in Long Island City. Then, in 1958, it moved to a firehouse on Duane Street in Manhattan. This new spot made it much easier for people to visit. They could see all the cool artifacts spread across two floors.
Finding a Permanent Home
In 1981, another firefighting museum closed down. This was the H. V. Smith Firefighting Museum. Its huge collection was given to New York City. But the Duane Street location wasn't big enough for all these new items. So, the FDNY started a plan to create a bigger, better museum. They wanted to use the beautiful old firehouse at 278 Spring Street. This building was originally built for Engine Company 30 in 1904.
A group called "The Friends of the New York City Fire Department Collection, Inc." helped raise money. Thanks to their efforts, the new New York City Fire Museum opened its doors. This exciting day was July 6, 1987. The museum officially merged with "The Friends" group in March 2017.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum shows how firefighting has changed over time. You can learn about everything from bucket brigades to modern fire engines. It also explains how fire departments grew. They went from groups of volunteer firefighters to official city departments. The museum has a special memorial for the 343 FDNY members. These brave firefighters lost their lives in the September 11 attacks. This memorial includes items found at the World Trade Center site. It also has a monument honoring each firefighter.
The museum's collection includes items from the mid-1600s! Because the collection is so huge, only a small part is shown at any time. Retired FDNY firefighters often visit the museum. They share stories and teach visitors about firefighting history. The museum also teaches about fire safety. It has a pretend apartment to show fire hazards. This is part of its programs for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The New York City Fire Museum welcomes about 40,000 visitors each year.
In May 2024, the museum temporarily closed. This was due to concerns about the building's structure.
Amazing Permanent Exhibitions
The New York City Fire Museum tells the exciting story of early firefighting. It has artifacts and equipment from the 1650s! You can see old carriages, engines, and special fire marks. There are also buckets, trumpets, helmets, and lanterns. The museum's main exhibits include "Firefighting on Parade" and "Romance of Firefighting." You can also explore "Fire Apparatus" and "Tools and Uniforms." The museum also has a large collection of fire insurance marks. These were special signs used long ago.
Learning About Fire Safety
The museum works with the FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit. They offer special programs for school groups. Students watch a video in a classroom. Then, they go to a pretend house. Here, they learn how to escape from a room filled with smoke.
In 2018, this pretend house was completely updated. It is now called the Fire Safety Learning Center. It has cool interactive parts. Now, families can visit the center on their own. They don't need a guide to explore and learn.
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