Join the Queens Museum in celebrating The Panorama of the City of New York, a book published on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair.

Commemorating the historical significance of The Panorama in relation to New York City’s history and infrastructure, there will be a conversation held in The Panorama between Vyjayanthi Rao and James Sanders, FAIA, writer of the eight-part PBS series New York: A Documentary Film (with Ric Burns, 1999). Afterward, we will gather alongside authors Marc H. Miller, Valerie Paley, and Rao for a casual book-signing and continued conversation.

Details:

• 2–3pm: Panorama tour with Vyjayanthi Rao and James Sanders
• 3–4pm: Casual Q&A with contributing authors in the Atrium
• Books will be available in The August Tree Gift Shop, and authors will be present to sign books upon request.

James Sanders, FAIA, is an architect, author, and filmmaker who has spent his career interpreting cities and activating urban environments. His work spans civic, cultural, and development projects, in addition to contributions such as his books Celluloid Skyline (Knopf, 2001) and Scenes from the City (Rizzoli 2013), his 2022 exhibition in Grand Central, The Constant Future: A Century of the Regional Plan, and the Emmy-Award-winning eight-part public television series he conceived and wrote with Ric Burns, New York: A Documentary Film.

Book information:

The Panorama of the City of New York
Published by Scala Arts Publishers, Inc, 2024

An awe-inspiring metropolis in miniature, The Panorama of the City of New York has achieved cult-like status with New Yorkers and serves as a locus of memory for visitors from around the globe. This is the first book to fully celebrate the Panorama, featuring accessible text and photographs of its conception, creation, and enjoyment.

The Panorama was one of the most successful attractions at the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair, with millions enjoying what was billed as an indoor helicopter tour of New York City. Comprising an area of 9,335 square feet and built to a scale of 1:1200 (where one inch equals 100 feet), the original 1964 mini city was updated multiple times before its last renovation in 1992. As a part of the permanent exhibition at the Queens Museum, the Panorama brings the magic of New York City to life for thousands of visitors each year.

Authors

• Lauren Haynes is head curator, Governors Island Arts, and vice president for arts and culture at the Trust for Governors Island in New York City.
• Kenneth T. Jackson is professor emeritus of history at Columbia University and president emeritus of The New York Historical.
• Lynn Maliszewski is the Assistant Director of Archives and Collections at the Queens Museum.
• Marc H. Miller is a consultant, writer, curator and educator. He founded Gallery 98, which specialises in art ephemera from the 1960s to 90s.
• Valerie Paley is senior vice president and the Sue Ann Weinberg Director of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library at The New York Historical.
• Vyjayanthi V. Rao is an anthropologist, writer, and curator, teaching at the Yale School of Architecture.

The publication of this volume was made possible by the generosity of Steven M. Polan as well as a generous grant from the David Lion Gardiner Foundation of New York. The Queens Museum and The Panorama of the City of New York are supported by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the New York State Council on the Arts.