Wonder Gallery CIHP Season Extended

WHAT'S NEW

Exhibit Season Extended Thru October 11

Summer is not over! We're happy to announce an extended season for the Wonder Gallery and the Coney Island History Project. Our free exhibits will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-7 PM through October 11th.

View this season's special exhibits curated by Charles Denson and Amanda Deutch in our Wonder Gallery, a collaboration with Parachute Literary Arts.

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Featured Oral History Interviews

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Ralph Avella

Memories of working on the Coney Island Parachute Jump's operation crew at age 16

Yeva Novik

A 90-year-old Coney Island resident recounts her journey from Moscow to Southern Brooklyn

Mike Boodley

Award-winning roller coaster designer looks back on riding the Cyclone 1,001 consecutive times in 1975

Marie Navarro

A lifelong resident's memories of growing up in Coney Island's Gravesend Houses and Kaiser Park

Lolita Divilova

Community Board 13 member and Brightwater Towers homeowner and board member

Mr. Luong

Coney Island homeowner recalls fleeing Vietnam with his family in 1981 and settling in New York City

Explore Our Collection

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McCullough Carousel, West 15th Street
Bowery Shooting Gallery
Kaufman's Photo Studio
Alex Silverman
Boardwalk Corn Stand
Dragon's Cave ticket booth
Steeplechase Park, Bowery Entrance
World of Wax Musee

Hall of Fame

Inventors, performers, impresarios, and community leaders - these are among the many pioneers and visionaries whose creativity and ingenuity helped shape and define Coney Island over the past century. Each year, the Coney Island Hall of Fame pays tribute to a selected group of honorees. Their contributions are highlighted in an exhibit of colorful banners accompanied by illustrated text panels detailing their fascinating lives.

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Featured Video

Memories of Coney Island's Mermaid Avenue in the 1950s

New on our YouTube channel: Charles Denson's Mermaid Avenue in the 1950's brings together photos from the Coney Island History Project Collection and the voices of Michael "Looch" Goldstein and Stanley Fox. They grew up at opposite ends of Mermaid Avenue and recorded their memories of the...
posted Jun 25th, 2020
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Ask Mr. Coney Island
Dear Mr. Coney Island...
I've been doing a search to find images, pictures and films/video and audio showing the incredible Classic Three Rotating Ring Carousel that I remembered, as a young boy, that was housed in the huge indoor Steeplechase Park. As a young boy in the 1950's I had been amazed at the mechanical complexity of such an amazing machine with its 'Three Counter Rotating Ride Rings', Beautifully Hand Carved and Lovingly Painted Motion and Still Horses, and the Powerful music that came from the Huge Mechanical Full Orchestra and Organ/Calliope. I was born and raised in Brooklyn and Coney Island was a regular venue for our family entertainment. I'm hoping you'll be the one to help restore this childhood amazement to me! Regards, namaste
- David

Hello David,

That would be the El Dorado Carousel, now located at Toshimaen Amusement Park in Tokyo. This magnificent machine was carved by Hugo Hasse of Leipzig Germany in 1902. In 1910 it was moved to Coney Island and installed in a building Surf Avenue at West Fifth Street. The carousel survived the 1911 Dreamland Fire, blistered but intact. George Tilyou brought the El Dorado to...
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