Sorry to disappoint any ornamental plant fans out there, but the Rose Museum is actually named after the Susan and Elihu Rose Foundation, which helps support a small museum dedicated to the history of Carnegie Hall. Opened in 1991 as part of the 100th anniversary, the museum displays its permanent archives and more than a century of concert programs along with a series of rotating exhibits. Some of its more interesting items include a ring owned by Beethoven, a pair of Johannes Brahms’ eyeglasses, one of Benny Goodman’s clarinets, a sequined jacket worn by Judy Garland and the trowel used in laying the cornerstone of Carnegie Hall. The museum also focuses on the Hall’s uncertain future that followed the growth of Lincoln Center and the sale of Carnegie Hall in the late 1950s, which led to the campaign preservation spearheaded by Isaac Stern and New York City’s purchase of the Hall for a sum of $5 million (almost $40 million in today’s money). And speaking of dollars and cents, concerts at Carnegie Hall might not be cheap, but it’s museum certainly is…because it’s FREE!
Rose Museum dedicated to the history of Carnegie Hall – New York City
