The City Reliquary Museum

Very small space but packed to the brim with interesting things to look at. I really enjoyed the Statue of Liberty collection, the NYC geology cabinet, and the letters to Spider-Man.

It's a nice little museum type place. It has only two rooms, but it's completely full of NYC memorabilia.

As a proper history nerd it was definitely a 5 star experience with the quality of their artifacts. Can definitely understand why a person with more casual NYC history interests might rate it lower as the place would greatly benefit from improved labels and ideally lighting

One of the craziest museums lf NYC, definitely recommend a visit if you like weird stuff and collections of unusual items. The entrance is only $10 From their website: “The City Reliquary is a not-for-profit community museum and civic organization located in Williamsburgh, Brooklyn. Through permanent displays of New York City artifacts, rotating exhibits of community collections, and annual cultural events, The City Reliquary connects visitors to both the past and present of New York. The museum began in 2002 as a window display in founder Dave Herman’s Williamsburgh apartment on the corner of Havemeyer and Grand Streets. Passersby who paused to admire the window’s contents would discover a small button on the building’s exterior. With a push of the button, a recording of Dave’s voice would guide them around the display: two-and-a-half links of a “city hall window chain,” a set of dentures found in Dead Horse Bay, Statue of Liberty figurines. On the building’s exterior, Dave carefully painted directions to nearby landmarks and subways. Orienting yourself toward the Williamsburg Bridge, which the directions note is 1.3 miles west, you face the heart of New York City. DSCN2355In January 2006, The City Reliquary moved to 370 Metropolitan Avenue, a storefront only a few blocks from its original location. Its grand opening on April 1, 2006 featured a ribbon cutting by Marty Markowitz, who at the time was Brooklyn Borough President. The museum’s permanent collection includes Statue of Liberty postcards, terracotta fragments of landmark buildings, subway tokens, geological core samples, paint chips from the L train platform, a “very old shovel,” and countless other artifacts that tell unique stories of New York City’s past. Rotating exhibitions of community collections celebrate the archival work of New York collectors, and temporary exhibitions showcase vital, yet often overlooked stories of the city. Every year, generous donations from patrons like you help us to continue developing our collections. As the museum grows, so does its programming. The City Reliquary hosts block parties, backyard concerts, and film screenings throughout the year. Major annual events include Collector’s Night, Bike Fetish Day, the Havemeyer Sugar Sweets Festival, and the Panorama Challenge hosted at the Queens Museum.

This place is as small as a cup of fruit a mouse would have for lunch if it were sitting on a cork, using a thimble for a table and a children’s button for a plate

A great concept of a small-museum but as a New Yorker, nothing was really nostalgic for me. I will say, I learned a bit though! There’s a lot collected from NYs world fair, which I didn’t even know existed so looking into it was interesting. Also, the superwoman exhibit was cool - though my only commentary is that Margaret Sanger (highlighted for her womens rights work// planned parenthood) was actually very racist and her work was an extension of that. I wish she wasn’t highlighted as a queen without her truth being told. A simple good search will show that she was a practiced eugenics… as a black woman, not surprised to see history hold her up… i think that area can be improved, however, still a gem, and the owner + staff were very nice. I hear they have great events.

I enjoyed The City Reliquary Museum. There were a number of interesting artifacts on display such as NY World's Fair items, old Williamsburg Bridge photos, old NYC shool photos and many other interesting and diverse things to see

Such a great little museum ! I now recommend it to all my friends planning a trip to NYC ! Such a unique way to view the city and its history, I absolutely loved it. And the lady at the front desk was very friendly and offered some nice explanations.

Four stars for creativity, obscurity, and supporting their community. This is a tiny museum, I think it might be closer to someone's personal collection, but it's kitschy and fun, and instagrammable. Not a lot to read--more like a game of "I spy," which can be fun, especially if you're with a friend. Though things are a little different right now due to COVID, there is indication that this place's courtyard is set up for community events (there's a table, a bar, tarot cards?, a movie screen), and I can see the use and the fun in that. The volunteer was very nice. She remarked that many people have lived in the neighborhood for a long time, and had never even noticed the place. It's not a stand alone adventure. It was part of my day going to Bushwick and Frank Pinello's Best Pizza, all within walking distance of this museum.

OK, I admit it. I don't get the appeal of this tribute to the Hoarders TV series. Oh wait, this isn't a museum about compulsive hoarding disorder? For the hardcore New York City trivialist, here is the shrine you've been waiting for in an appropriately claustrophobic space in the heart of the increasingly trendy Williamsburg neighborhood. I think my friend Carlos and I walked by it twice before realizing the old-school storefront was indeed the museum. Two young girls were standing behind an antique desk as they enthusiastically described to us the contents about to be discovered for the $7 admission. As we entered through the turnstile, we knew how Fred Sanford must have felt when he felt the big one coming on. You hear that, Elizabeth? I'm comin' to join ya, honey. There's a shrine to Jackie Robinson on the right (photo: http://bit.ly/2Ew0l8Z) and a bevy of Statue of Liberty figurines on the left (photo: http://bit.ly/2NxlItK). Head-scratchers ahead with a confetti gallery that would make Rip Taylor jealous (photo: http://bit.ly/2IEXP4y) and vintage Ex-Lax cases that will make you look for the restroom toot suite (photo: http://bit.ly/2SZqhmr). Get it? Toot...oh never mind. It's unlikely there's another museum with a bust of Teddy Roosevelt (photo: http://bit.ly/2GLLZnh) in front of a historical display of subway grabholds (photo: http://bit.ly/2IAvX1C). At least I hope not. Two young guys were really excited aboutthe place, or maybe they were just interested in the two young girls. RELATED - Hanging out in Brooklyn? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: bit.ly/2MZRizT

When you consider how the City Reliquary had its start in the founder Dave Herman's nearby Williamsburg apartment as a window display of found artifacts from around NYC which years later moved to its current home in this Bodega-esque location then you know this was started as a labor of love. Yes the space is small, but it seems every bit of it is utilized - look up into a nearby corner and see a collection of iconic to-go coffee cups, look at a narrow strip of wall next to a door and notice a collection of dried wishbones. Even the bathroom is a display room. There is also a cool backyard space with a bar and a projection screen on a wall that is used for events. Perhaps what makes this place so great (if you are old enough) is coming across an item that may have been so commonplace in your life in the past then to have that feeling of rediscovery while you declare to your companion "OH SHIT, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS?!" along with a flood of memories of a different life. The people that complain about the donation for admission (a bargain) do so selfishly thinking only of the value that it brings to themselves, and not seeing the overall picture of the important time, energy and work the Reliquary utilizes to preserve the relatively recent history of NYC and performing its civic duty of fostering a sense of community in the city we love.

Total hidden gem if you have a few free hours in Williamsburg/Greenpoint and want to see some New York paraphernalia! It's astounding how much they've crammed into two little rooms, it's like playing I-Spy in real life. Pro tip that there's more hilarity in the bathroom so don't miss it.

....this is basically a giant room where someone decided to house a bunch of trinkets they collected over the years. It was nice that each area was grouped together with a "theme," but there weren't any placards or anything explaining what you were looking at. The concept is cool, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. Admission is regularly $5. $4 for students.

Adorable tiny bizarre museum, worth a visit if you have thirty minutes and want to do something weird!

Student Admission $5 It's neat to go through but it's overload. So much to look at and I wouldn't say it's a must-see but it's there. You get little laminated cards on a key ring to aid in a self-guided tour but I couldn't even pay attention. And, they also have a restroom.

Nice local Museum. 1) Has one of the largest collection of materials from the 1964 World's Fair. 2) The fee is 5 bucks. A little much for such a small museum. 3) Overall, if you are around the area, give it a shot.

A quirky little spot of common and uncommon NYC artifacts. Things range from pieces of NYC bedrock to coffee cups, and everything in between. The museum is 2 rooms, each no bigger than a typical NYC bedroom, chock-a-block with "stuff". I visited during OHNY so free admission, but normally I believe it's $5. Probably a bit much, but it's not going to break the bank. I'd say good if you want an off the beaten path thing to do or you're nearby. Wouldn't carve time out of my life for it. 30 minutes is plenty.

The City Reliquary has to be some kind of tax write-off scam. The Reliquary tries to pass itself off as some kind of museum of New York antiquity. And to their credit, there are actually a couple of genuine New York artifacts: some old subway grab handles, a few bricks from demolished buildings, and, um... I guess that's kind of it. If there was something else there, I missed it since none of the displays have information about them. I'm also not going to count one of the 2nd Avenue Deli's old signs as an artifact since that place opened in 2007. What is obvious, though, is that the vast majority of the displays are dollar store trinkets which aren't even that old, or even New York-specific. The New York stuff is a lot of cheap Statue of Liberty figurines, subway tokens (which were still in use as of 2003), Dodgers merch, Anthora coffee cups (which you will still get today if you order coffee from a diner), and other Manhattan tourist trap garbage that most people have at the bottom of a junk drawer somewhere in their home. But a lot of it is just random crap that is both relatively new, and in no way connected to the city. There are modern Coke bottles. There are Furby Happy Meal toys from 1998. There are cellphones and beepers. There's also an outdoor area which is littered with broken glass, and has some kind of little wooden minibar there with Brooklyn Brewery bottle caps hot glued onto its surface. And let's not even get into the little bathroom in the corner of the reliquary's display room whose smell of rancid sewage permeates the entirety of the building. This place is a joke, and I can understand why the girl working the entrance had such a look of fear and guilt on her face. The City Reliquary isn't educational, it's not entertaining, and it reeks of human feces.

I'm gonna try to be as fair as possible This place has a LOT of stimulation- it's a cozy little shop that you can probably complete the tour in 20-30 minutes or so. For $5 it's a cheap date ;) I'm not an antique fan so this review is biased, antiques give me the creeps- I won't be returning as a result- if you don't like antiques- this is not the place for you.

I recently visited City Reliquary for the second time to see the Pizza Boxes exhibit. Museum entry is $5, and there are 2 rooms to see. One room with the rotating exhibit and another with the permanent collection. I don't mind paying $5, as it is nice to support a local museum. It is a quirky museum with artifacts of local history. Pieces of stone from famous buildings, collection of Statue of Liberty, memorabilia from the Worlds Fair, different NY coffee cups and glass bottles. Definitely worth a look if in Williamsburg, you'll probably be in there 30 minutes. The gift shop has some great NYC gifts. There is also a garden out the back.

I love this spot.. I always stop by when I go to Pates et Traditions., I always find something I didn't see even in the permanent collection.. I bring people here.. Inexpensive spot.. Yes they may have kitschy things that are relatively recent. But where are you going to find the sign that names all of the businesses housed at the demolished St. Denis building..(that was a crime.)?

Absurd. Odd. Interesting. Quirky. Delicate. Those are the first five words that came to mind after going into the reliquary. They have a very old shovel in a glass case that is labeled "very old shovel". At times it reminds me of a David Lynch movie. Some odd NYC artifacts, some of which I didn't understand. I'd love to have someone guide me around the tiny place telling me a bit about the prized pieces. A must see for those in Williamsburg.

Make this a stop on any tour of Brooklyn. Loved the garbage themed exhibits and the worlds fair memorabilia. Quirky little nook of historical artifacts.

I totally dig this place! It's basically two rooms packed with everything NY and kitchy. But I actually learned a great deal about my city during my time there. We went to see an exhibit of neon sign photos that was very cool. Not sure if they often do rotating artist exhibits or not, but I spent the majority of time looking at the impressive display of Statue of Liberty's. Given that it's free its definitely worth your while. But make donation on your way out at the very least.

This is one of my most favorite places in all of New York. I loved it when it was just a street-side window display outisde the proprietor's apartment, and I love it now that it has its own store-front display and museum installation location. Used to be, it was just a couple of window displays on a corner in Williamsburg. Now it's a proper space, complete with a little shop, a display room, and soon -- as soon as they finish the refurbishment -- another room (at least!) and a backyard. If you love New York, you'll love the Reliquary. They have items of import to the cities development and history, from postcards and water from the old aqueduct system to horse bones and other artifacts. You can look, you can learn, and you can buy. They sell many New York-related items. The Reliquary is also an epicenter for collectors of all stripes. If you have a collection, you can share and show it at their occasional collection nights. And if you're into newfangles bikes -- high riders and the like -- people involved in the project also dabble in that. This is cooler than the McSweeney's superhero shop but not at all in competition. If I could stop by every day, I would. You should, too.

I hate to ruin the 5 star streak on this place but I usually only give 5 stars to places that are breathtaking or perfect where I have no critisisms. The City Reliquary (aka Your Community Museum) is a non-profit group that holds events in the community and has the mini-museum in Williamsburg. The museum admission is a suggested $1 but they'll take whatever you want to give. In addition to the front desk and couple of items for sale the museum is just 2 rooms (probably about 15x15'ish each) where the majority of the things are crammed into the first room and the second room was mostly used as an impromptu gallery when I was there. As far as the first room goes it's got thousands of NYC items from old subway tokens to postcards to pieces of the subway to rocks and minerals from different parts of the city. It's a completely eclectic mix of New York City artifacts and memorabilia some impressive and some not, collected from many different decades. Some things are labeled with information and unfortunately some pieces or not. Some things could be considered "junk" but it's all collected by people who care about the community and it really shows. The biggest piece of junk was so bad it was funny and bears mentioning. There was an old birthday cake with a scantly clad hula girl sitting on top. The cake was real and was obviously at least a couple years old, the frosting was brown, cracked, and falling apart. It was sitting on top of a display case with no plaque to it. I just had to ask, so I asked the girl up front what the deal was. Apparently the bakery down the street that's been there for many years makes cakes for their display window in the front and keeps them there for an obscene amount of time before they make new ones. This is one of the cakes they were getting rid of a year or so ago.

I wandered in here while waiting for a table at St. Anselm across the street. It was SHOW AND TELL night and there was a room full of people taking turns telling stories about funny items from their lives. Some were serious, some were funny, some were downright silly. It was an interesting crowd and fun to do something completely different. They have a suggested donation to get in and sold Brooklyn beers from a cooler for $3 (on the honor system). I will definitely stop by the next time I'm in the area and see what's happening. Neat little spot!

This is quite an interesting museum. Honestly it's just weird and quirky, but has a lot of things you wouldn't see anywhere else - very cheap too so totally worth a visit

Why Not is The theme of The collection With a huge backyard for summer events.

This has to be one of the best museums of New York history. Bits of Manhattan rock dug up during the preliminary subway excavations. Selzer bottles, burlesque, subway trains... Where does the variety end? It gives a little bit of an underground story of New York in years past. I enjoyed it.

A peculiar little community museum filled with curiosities and various junk that is not without it's queer charms. There's a suggested admission price so for a small fee you can enter into this odd treasure trove of idiosyncratic artifacts. You can easily glance at the entire collection of old and weird items in 30 minutes; at a leisurely pace you can saunter around the 2 rooms that makes up this reliquary of strange relics. The main room houses most of the trinkets and bizarre fossils that are remnants of old New York. There's a booth dedicated to burlesques, multiple Statue of Liberty postcards and idols, minerals, stones, old nails and screws that was attached to some forgotten railroad, a small hula doll, as well as a decaying cake. When I went there last, the smaller room had a exhibit dedicated to the Slice Harvester, one man's mission to eat a pizza in every pizzeria in the city. The walls were adorned with framed photos of all the pizza slices he had. Pretty cool. Come here for some cheap thrills. To see the eccentric doodads and other items that reflect the history and uniqueness of New York, that won't otherwise be seen in more prestigious collections, come to Williamsburg and visit the City Reliquary.

Very odd little museum of NYC artifacts- but like completely random artifacts. From water bottles to signs to little souvenirs. It has a $5 suggested donation, but I suggest maybe $3, LOL. It is a cute little trip down memory lane, but it is quite small and not the most interesting stuff. But I like it for it's randomness. There is a great little backyard area too.

def. one of my favorite historic museums ever. NYC natives will especially love this tiny 2 room museum. The City Reliquary in Williamsburg features memorabilia from NYCs past - Old seltzer bottles, water from various NYC sources, and the original metrocard can all be seen here. The Reliquary also hosts events on a regular basis.

An amazing must see museum bursting with charm and love! The character of NYC is quickly being erased so it's great to find a place actively preserving it and sharing our great city's history. Bring your friends and support this awesome local institution!

This place fills me with a whole new degree of wonder. Check out the meticulously arranged collections, and the little phone booth with the mechanical belly-dancer in the back. As a font-geek, the store's gorgeous hand lettering also warms my heart.

To call this a museum is a bit of a stretch, but it's a must visit for anyone who enjoys artifacts and trinkets of days gone by. The size of a small apartment the admission here is by donation and you get to see a collection of Statue of Liberty tchotkes (I had that pencil sharpener too) as well as maps and signs from the past 50-75 years or so. The highlight for me was the original 2nd Avenue deli sign that apparently was rescued from the trash. If you grew up in NY you'll really enjoy visiting here.

Quirky and cool spot giving visitor's a glimpse into the city's past! From old subway maps, to videos of the 1964 World's Fair in Queens to old pictures depicting the evolution of the city's infrastructure; it is sure to NYers and visitors alike. The suggested donation is $1, but you can give what you like.

I went here for a baked goods festival of some kind. That was in the backyard. The reliquary itself is a museum of odds and ends and knick-knacks and whatnot. Very Brooklyn, I suppose, and nice to have in the neighborhood, I'm sure. I hate to be critical of what is probably a volunteer-supported, local institution, but I can't honestly say I found the exhibits all that informative. I would recommend going for an event like I did, though, because there are interesting people to meet there. Plus, it's New York, so you can probably get a beer. There was live music, too, and all these things combined with the usual bantering made for an enjoyable afternoon, even if I didn't want to look at old timey photos. If you're visiting the area, have a look. It's a more original thing to do than vamp on Bedford Ave.

This was one of the coolest (albeit little...could be in and out of it in 5 mins if you wanted) museums. It is all new york-related and that's good enough for me. If you love visiting new york and enjoy history (i.e. old things), stop by if you are in the area. thanks to my lovely friend for bringing me there.

Came here for a friend's Christmas exhibit -if you are in the spirit to read about The Santa Claus Association, a group which answered letters to St. Nick, then please come here. This place is a great little visit. If you like to see a bunch of old stuff about the city, (and not just about Christmas stuff), then definitely visit this place. It has an old-time feel and nostalgia. Very cute.

This place is small, but mighty. And it's filled with so much crazy, interesting stuff. There's a circus/carnival-style marquee above the door with flashing bulbs that says Museum, but if you manage to miss it, it's right between Cupcakeland and the Commodore on Metropolitan Avenue. From the bones of a subway rat, seltzer bottles, suspended roller skates, subway tokens, and light-up statues to early New York Burlesque,and even bricks and mortar from buildings in various boroughs. It's all there. Ephemera of New York on exhibit for free.

This is such a strange and fun way to experience histories of NYC and the Boroughs. Fully worth the 5 bucks(suggested price) I don't imagine you would spend more than an hour in there.

Cool creative idea. Definitely worth dropping in for a not very time consuming visit if in the area.

I had visited many years ago, but it is really something to see now after the renovation. It's hard to imagine that the building was actually raised and a new basement was built under the facility! The evening show in the planetarium was terrific. There were quite a few visitors the evening we visited, but it was worth the trip. In the Leonard Nimoy theater we watched an amazing video about the renovation and the building. And the view of the city from the top was spectacular!

Absolutely fell in love with this tiny local museum!!! Very interesting array of items on display, super inexpensive admission, and quite a cute gift shop. In a very nice area with plenty of cafes and restaurants around so there is so much to do around there! Check this place out if you're in the area, very cool, despite is small size.

a wonderful little community museum to visit, check out the mini-store in front, great gifts for former new yorkers (or current ones)! i was a bit intrigued by the pigeon feather and bedbug, haha!

Small museum with some a random collection of NY artifacts. $5 entry. I googled 'weird places in NYC" and this place popped up. Good place to spend 30-60 min of your day.

Pretty unique little spot here in BK. Lots of odd trinkets from around the city during many different time periods. If you love old NYC, you'll like this place. I only wish it were a little bit larger.