New York Transit Museum

Visiting the New York Transit Museum gave me a clear understanding of how daily living and historical events in New York City have been impacted by public transportation. I was able to walk through historic subways cars and look at old turnstiles as well as interact with many other exhibits on engineering. Overall, the museum offered me a hands-on educational opportunity that was also fun. The New York Transit Museum demonstrates characteristics of "public pedagogy" due to its use of actual artifacts and active exhibits that convey information about the history of public transportation in New York City. The exhibits were very well-organized, so it was simple to view and learn about different time frames and how they relate to the current configuration of the subway system. Viewing these trains and equipment for myself provided an aesthetically pleasing experience that photos or books could not replicate. This visit to the museum demonstrated to me, as a future teacher, why hands-on experiential learning opportunities are important for students' ability to investigate, question and connect new knowledge to their personal experiences. Additionally, visiting this museum reinforced my belief that museums can be rich educational environments that foster student curiosity while providing them with tangible examples of historical relevance.