Discover the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space
The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) in the heart of the Lower East Side, NYC is an exploration into how abandoned spaces can transform into thriving community hubs. Run entirely by volunteers, the museum showcases intimate photo galleries, eclectic artifacts, and interactive exhibits. Every corner of MoRUS invites you to explore the energy and determination that helped shape a neighborhood into an urban icon. Get ready to be inspired by tales of squats, community gardens, and the sheer power of local activism!
The History of the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space
The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space was founded in 2012 by passionate activists from the Times Up! environmental organization. At its inception, MoRUS was conceived as a project to chronicle how everyday New Yorkers turned abandoned spaces into hubs of creativity and activism.
Amid the economic challenges and cutbacks of the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, the Lower East Side saw a mass exodus as property values plummeted and landlords abandoned buildings. However, this period also sparked an extraordinary response: artists, punks, anarchists, and activists banded together to reclaim their environment.
They reimagined these areas as communal living spaces, squats, and lush community gardens—bold moves that would eventually inspire the museum’s core mission.
Side note: The museum was actually housed in the former storefront of C-Squat, a building that once epitomized the squatter movement.
Lower East Side: Resilience and Reinvention
As the decades passed, the Lower East Side continued to evolve. The resurgence in property values in the late ‘80s brought new challenges, including the eviction of many grassroots initiatives and the gentrification of cherished community spaces.
However, the neighborhood was resilient. A handful of squats morphed into legal co-ops, and numerous community gardens still serve as reminders of the neighborhood’s fighting spirit. The museum showcases these shifts with artifacts from moments like the Tompkins Square Park riots and anti-gentrification movements.
Permanent Exhibits at the MoRUS, NYC
There are three permanent exhibits at MoRUS, let’s break them down:
Reclaiming Space: Squats
This exhibit takes you back to the 1970s housing crisis, where a diverse mix of activists—ranging from punks to street kids—occupied abandoned buildings. At its peak, over 30 squats provided shelter to nearly a thousand people, many of which eventually transformed into legal co-ops. Interactive displays and case studies, including engaging video tours of iconic squats like Umbrella House and Jane’s apartment, bring this transformative era to life.
Reclaiming Space: Community Gardens
Alongside the squatting movement, the Lower East Side saw a blossoming of community gardens. Residents turned neglected lots into flourishing green spaces, creating the highest concentration of community gardens in any U.S. city.
Exhibits detail the dramatic efforts to save these gardens from demolition—highlighting campaigns that even involved chaining oneself to cement blocks! And workshops on composting, urban farming, and soil remediation continue to educate and empower visitors.
Activist History: Community, Surveillance, Biking
Rounding out the trio is the exhibit focused on broader activist efforts—from championing safer bike lanes and greener public spaces to standing up against intrusive surveillance and corporate overreach. Through a mix of photos, posters, and video segments, this display captures the multifaceted struggle for social justice on the Lower East Side.
Visiting the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space
Plan Your Visit
Curious to see MoRUS in person? Here’s what you need to know:
- Hours: The museum welcomes visitors from 12:00 pm until 5:00 pm, Wednesday through Sunday. (It’s currently closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.)
- Price: Entry is by a suggested donation of just $5.00, making it an affordable dive into a world of urban activism and history.
Beyond the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space with CityDays
Ready to keep the adventure rolling? At CityDays, we delve deeper into the city's hidden gems and iconic landmarks, with unique scavenger or treasure hunt tours.
Scavenger Hunt tours are a great way to bring family and friends—or even dates and colleagues—together for an afternoon of great fun and adventure, solving clues and snapping photos. Clues will lead you to the big sights and those that you'd walk straight past.
For more information about our New York Hunts then click here: NYC Scavenger & Treasure Hunts | CityDays.
