City of Lights

edited by Sheila Kim-Jamet -- Interior Design, 11/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Paris holds the title, but "Transformed by Light: The New York Night" proves that Gotham could give the French metropolis a run for its money. This exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York draws on 125 objects and artifacts to explore how, starting in the 19th century, the development of lighting technology has shaped the city's physical, cultural, and social landscapes.

Highlights, so to speak, include a lens from the original Statue of Liberty torch, a first-generation fluorescent bulb from 1939, neon signs, and historical lighting from the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Then there's a large-scale photo of the New York skyline at night—showing what all the other lights add up to. December 21–May 7; 212-534-1672; mcny.org.