Graph Secrets

BMA

From the time BMA first opened its doors, in 1897, until 1934, visitors entered the Museum by going up this grand staircase.

Today, the stairs are gone. What happened to them? Find out by scrolling sideways.

In 1934, Philip N. Youtz, the new director of the Museum, decided that the stairs should go.

When the work was finished, the new entrance looked like this

That's a pretty big change! Why do you think Youtz made this decision? Do you agree with it?

In 1893, when BMA was designed, Brooklyn was a prosperous and still-independent city, the fourth-largest in the country, and it was growing rapidly. Things were looking good! Franklin Hooper was the Director of the Museum, and he had a grand vision for it.

The Brooklyn Museum will embrace all known human history, the infinite capacity of man to act, to think, and to love, and the many departments of science and of art which has has developed. Through its collections and its libraries it should be possible to read the history of the world.

- Franklin Hooper, 1893

By 1934, the United States was in the middle of the Great Depression. Millions of people were without jobs, food, and clothing. At this time, Philip N. Youtz was the Director of the Museum. He chose to eliminate the grand staircase and create a street-level entrance. He felt this would make the Museum more friendly, and less monumental. Coincidentally, the staircase was discovered to be unsafe due to structural problems.

Monumental stairs occupy an excessive amount of space and doors opening on a flight of exterior steps are extremely dangerous in case of a panic, for people are likely to fall and be trampled.

- Philip N. Youtz, 1934

It's 1999, and guess what? The Museum's Director is creating a grand new entrance way.

What do you think? Do you think they should add a staircase again? Do you like the Museum better the way it is today, or the way it was originally?

Try it out both ways and see for yourself by ROLLING OVER the photo!