The City Reliquary

The City Reliquary began in 2002 as a humble window display on the corner of Havemeyer and Grand Streets. Its founder, Dave Herman, lived in a ground-floor apartment and decided to share his personal collection of New York artifacts with those walking by. He even installed a button on the exterior of his building that, when pressed, played a recorded audio tour of the items in his window, which included Statue of Liberty figurines and various subway relics. This unconventional museum quickly transformed from a sidewalk curiosity into a beloved non-profit institution that celebrates the city's overlooked history through its everyday, discarded objects.