The Queens Museum houses New York City’s largest handmade miniature model, the Panorama, which spans 9,335 square feet and is built to a scale of 1:1,200. Originally created for the 1964 New York World Fair, the model captures the city’s landmarks with incredible detail, featuring approximately 895,000 replica buildings. Though the model was last updated in 1992, it remains historically significant, offering a snapshot of the city as it was at that time, including notable structures like the Twin Towers.
To celebrate the model’s 60th anniversary, the museum published a book detailing its creation and showcased original footage of its last updates in a 12-minute video. The model is maintained by a dedicated team and is cleaned regularly to preserve its appearance. Efforts are underway to modernize aspects like the lighting system and to potentially incorporate digital elements. A unique program allows visitors to “adopt” parts of the model, fostering a connection to their personal histories and memories of New York.
Source link
