Under the Subway Sun: 120 Years of Subway Style

The New York City Subway has a distinct aesthetic in the iconography of the city. In honor of our exhibition From the Bronx to the Battery: The Subway Sun, Poster House has arranged a special walking tour of the subway with historian Thomas Rinaldi that will allow participants to explore its unique architecture and design. Using the trains themselves to hop from station to station, attendees will trace the evolution of station design from the system’s opening in 1904 up to the present day, taking advantage of off-peak hours to admire design elements like signage and lighting, mosaics and Art Deco ironwork. We’ll talk about the origins and context of these details and the designers behind them. Subway fare is included with your tour ticket!    

This event is suitable for all ages, but the usual challenges of the subway should be considered when bringing children. Please wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to navigate the typical New York City subway crowds and noise. Not all stations are fully accessible, and unforeseen circumstances (maintenance, line closures, etc) may impact the planned route and cause on-the-fly changes to the schedule. 

Thomas Rinaldi is a New York-based author and architectural designer. His books include Patented: 1,000 Design Patents (Phaidon, 2021), New York Neon (W.W. Norton, 2012), and Hudson Valley Ruins: Forgotten Landmarks of an American Landscape (University Press of New England, 2006). His design work is specialized in historic preservation and facade restoration in New York. He holds degrees from Georgetown University and Columbia University, and has worked for the National Park Service, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, and the Central Park Conservancy. 

Accessibility Note: The museum will provide headsets that are compatible with standard RF devices so that the tour guide can be heard above the noise of the subway. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation is also available upon request. Please note that many of the city’s subway stations are not accessible and can be hard to navigate with a group. While we aim to focus on accessible subway stops, line closures, repairs, and other unpredictable circumstances may force us to consider alternate routes during the tour. Please contact access@posterhouse.org or (914) 295-2387 to request interpretation services and to address any other accessibility needs. For other event-related questions, please contact info@posterhouse.org.