culture now
Photo © Public Domain
person
Rosalind Franklin, Chemist, Scientist, By the time James Watson and Francis Crick etched their names into molecular biology’s history books, a quieter revolution had already occurred—led by a British chemist whose brilliance radiated not from accolades, but from diffraction patterns.Rosalind Franklin, born in 1920 into an intellectually vibrant London family, was no stranger to scientific rigor. Her early work on the porosity of coal during World War II helped optimize gas masks and earned her a PhD. But it was in the crystalline chaos of DNA that Franklin’s legacy would be forged.In the basement labs of King’s College London, Franklin refined X-ray techniques with near-surgical precision. Her most famous photograph, Photo 51, didn’t just hint at the double helix—it practically screamed it. The image, shared with Watson and Crick without her knowledge, became the cornerstone of their model that would win a Nobel Prize in 1962. Franklin was never nominated.But her scientific journey didn't stall there. At Birkbeck College, she pivoted to viruses, cracking the structure of tobacco mosaic virus and laying groundwork in structural virology. Her meticulous work helped shape our modern understanding of viral architecture.Franklin died of ovarian cancer at just 37—a loss attributed in part to prolonged X-ray exposure. Decades later, she’s remembered not simply as a missed Nobel laureate, but as someone whose mind was calibrated to see patterns where others saw noise.Today, her story is a lens on scientific ethics, gender equity, and the quiet brilliance that often goes unrecognized.

July 25th,2025

Consider the world outside a museum. Imagine that the world that we live in is really another kind of museum where the works of art exist in the landscape itself. What if you could have a gallery guide which would tell you about the buildings and artworks you find around you. It would show you what the place used to look like and introduce you to some of the people who shaped it.

Our growing virtual collection of photographs and drawings, maps and documents, podcasts and videos tell the stories of how some of the more iconic places in our cities got to be the way they are and what they might become.

Explore buildings of the past, present and future. Look at the vast selection of artwork that graces the public realm. And discover how places have evolved over time. Deconstruct the layers of history that form the fabric of our urban landscape. Meet people who have made their mark on our cities and country who have lived in the past or are living now. Listen to their voices. Take (or make) a tour. And join us at an event either virtual or real.

Our curators are the artists, architects, photographers and historians who created the images, podcasts and videos to share their knowledge and insights. Our collaborators are museums, universities, cities, and civic organizations who are the stewards of our shared cultural history.

Use the guide online or take it with you on your phone…..

Like the cities we live in, this is a work in progress….. Enjoy!   

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
  • Phone App
  • Membership
  • Add Content
  • FAQ
  • Help
  • Contact Us
Newsletter Sign Up
37-24, 24th St, Suite 102, Long Island City, NY 11101
Patent Pending © 2002-2025 Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy