Coney Island History Project Exhibit Center

WHAT'S NEW

Exhibit Center Season Extended Thru September 28

We're happy to announce that the Coney Island History Project is extending its 2025 exhibition center season past Labor Day Weekend! The exhibit center will remain open free of charge on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-7 PM through September 28th. Hosted by Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, The Coney Island History Project exhibition center is located on West 12th Street at the entrance to Deno's Wonder Wheel, just a few steps off the Boardwalk.

 

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Featured Oral History Interviews

Shavon Meyers

A poet and storyteller on growing up in Coney Island at Gravesend Houses, the beach and Astroland

Lois McLohon

Brooklynite who posed for a now iconic 1950's NY Daily News pin-up photo on Coney Island Beach

Ralph Avella

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

Father Maxim Pliskov

Russian Orthodox priest at Coney Island's St. John of Kronstadt Chapel for the Homeless

Rob Weissbard

Milton Berger's nephew describes adventures at Steeplechase Park with Coney's great showman

Tim Law

Bilingual educator and founder of Chinese American Social Services Center in Bensonhurst

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.

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...

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...