Gird yourselves for what may be the coolest, most mysterious, massively-planned public art project to hit the five boroughs of New York City. Tonight, Creative Time (the non-profit arts outfit that has launched groundbreaking public work since 1974) is launching Key to the City, a co-operative effort granting 25,000 keys to the public, all of which open 20 special sites across New York, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

What kind of locations are we talking, praytell? How about a secret room in the 560,000 square foot Beaux-Arts Brookyn Museum? Or vestibules in both Trinity Church downtown (circa 1846) and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine uptown (circa 1892 and still unfinished)?

Artist Paul Ramírez Jonas hatched the idea, wherein members of the public pass off keys to one another in “one-to-one ceremonies,” first distributed from a kiosk in Times Square, open daily from June 3 to 27. Did we mention there are 25,000 of them? And that you get to access to hidden spots around town for FREE? Deep breaths.

Photo preview of some of the citywide scavenger hunt locations after the break. We’ll see you on the trail.

Gleason’s Boxing Gym, Inc.. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

PostNet. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

CES 73X. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

The Louis Armstrong House Museum. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

Rincón Criollo Cultural Center. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

Trinity Church. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

Joe Holzka Community Garden. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

Freshkills Park. Photo by Paul Ramírez Jonas, courtesy Creative Time.

Key to the City key distribution kiosk on Broadway between 43rd and 44th Streets. For further details, visit Creative Time on the web.

by Kelsey Keith

posted in General

tagged brooklyn museum, creative time, key to the city, public art, st. john's cathedral, trinity church

more articles by Kelsey Keith