A 3-Hour Love Letter to the New York Public Library
Frederick Wiseman’s joyful new documentary celebrates the local branches as public space.
Harvey Tests the Limits of How We Feed People During Disasters
Empty shelves are just the beginning.
How Much Are Trees Worth to Megacities?
Leafy infrastructure saves bustling metropolises about $505 million each year, according to new research.
'This Storm Has It All'
As the heavily developed Houston area braces for Hurricane Harvey, an urban flooding expert sees a catastrophe in the making.
Saving Your Home From Food Waste, One Graying Avocado at a Time
Amazon’s Alexa can now field questions about storing and salvaging food before it lands in the dumpster or compost bin.
How Do We Keep From Going Hungry During Disasters?
Storms and rising waters threaten cities’ food, but some municipalities are taking steps to keep shelves stocked and bellies full.
The Art of Complaining About Noise
A new trove of correspondence with his upstairs neighbors reveals Marcel Proust’s charming but desperate pleas for quiet.
Would You Give Up Your Subway Seat to a Kid?
Readers (and riders) respond to a recent CityLab essay about who deserves to sit.
Helping Homeless New Yorkers by the Books
With a new resident social worker, the Brooklyn Public Library is pushing staff and patrons toward a culture of inclusivity.
The Past and Future of Urban Grocery Shopping
In his new book, Michael Ruhlman charts the overlap of food, commerce, and identity.
Retracing Black Gotham
A walking tour and graphic novel series memorialize Manhattan’s earliest African residents.
The Art of Noise
A new exhibition highlights the curious potential of sounds that are tempting to ignore.
Does It Matter What We Do?
A new podcast and documentary take stock of individual choices against the backdrop of immense, looming threats.
The World's Most Charming, Useless Bodega
In an uneasy critique of independent stores’ vanishing footprint, this art installation sells toilet paper, tins of fish, and tubs of ice cream, all made out of felt.
What Family Photos Reveal About National Identity
The Royal Ontario Museum is staging an exhibition devoted to snapshots—and what it means to be Canadian.
Rural America Is Hungry
Food insecurity is most prevalent in rural, southern counties—which often lack robust networks to meet the need.
Driving Through New York State's Human-Rights History
The state’s latest tourism campaign makes a point to focus on sites at the center of the LGBT movement and the push for abolition and women’s suffrage.
A Brief History of Music Festival Fails
To avoid the next Fyre Festival-style debacle, organizers should heed these five lessons.
Here's What Manhattan Sounded Like in 1609
A new virtual reality project reconstructs the city’s historic soundscape.
How to Disappear
Is it possible to move through a smart city undetected?
The Rituals of Coney Island's Opening Day
For locals, the urban amusement park season starts months before summer’s peak.
