Event · East Village
Sense & the City: Exploring New York City Through the Five Senses
At City Lore Gallery in the East Village, a multisensory show uses photos, scent strips, a tactile rail and sound to present nearly 200 New York places. It runs through January 18, 2027, open weekends.
By NBT Editors · 2026-10-16
"Sense & the City: Exploring New York City Through the Five Senses" opened October 8 at City Lore Gallery, 56 East 1st Street in the East Village, and runs through January 18, 2027. It invites visitors to take in the city with more than their eyes.
The exhibition grows out of writer Caitlin Van Dusen's blog for City Lore, where she has described places through smell, touch and sound as well as sight. In the gallery, that approach becomes a physical experience rather than a read.
Nearly 200 New York locations are featured. Photographs give each place a face, while scent strips let visitors sniff their way through the city, a tactile rail offers something to feel under the hand, and a sound component brings in the city's noise. Moving through the room, you piece together the city from several senses at once.
The gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6 PM, a comfortable fit for a weekend wander through the East Village. Longtime residents may find familiar corners recalled in a new way, and newer arrivals get an introduction to the city's less mappable character.
- Where
- City Lore Gallery
56 East 1st Street
Open in Google Maps - Dates
- Thu, Oct 8 – Mon, Jan 18
- Hours
- Sat–Sun, noon–6 PM
