Pets and the City

It's no secret that New Yorkers love their pets—just look at all the shops selling pet gear, specialized foods, the numerous day cares and dog parks dotting every neighborhood for proof. Our pets are our family, but they weren't always so pampered. This exhibition traces the history of New Yorkers and their pets over the last two and a half centuries, showcasing a visual spectrum of works of art, objects, documents, memorabilia and clips from film and television. The timeline goes back to animals' presence among the Lenape and Haudenosaunee and the hunting culture of settlers through their transition into the urban family and onto the pampered pets of today.