Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space

What to know

The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, known as MoRUS, is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run institution located in the storefront of the legendary C-Squat at 155 Avenue C. Founded in 2012 by the Times Up! Environmental Organization and founders Bill Di Paola and Laurie Mittelmann, the museum serves as a living archive of urban activism. It documents how neighborhood residents transformed abandoned buildings and vacant lots into vibrant community spaces and gardens in the East Village and Lower East Side. Dedicated to preserving the history of grassroots environmental activism, MoRUS promotes scholarship on the reclamation of urban space. The museum celebrates local activists who fought to preserve community gardens and fought against the city's attempts to clear them. It provides a critical look at the history of squatting and the struggle for sustainable change within the community. Visitors can engage with the museum's programming, which includes regularly scheduled Radical History Walking Tours and custom walking tours of the neighborhood. The museum also hosts exhibitions, workshops, and free public programming, often occurring on Thursdays at 6 pm. The museum is a community-oriented site that fosters environmental and social change. MoRUS is a small, intimate space that offers a unique perspective on New York City's counter-culture history. By archiving the history of community gardens and squatting, it keeps the legacy of the same-street same-street urban reclamation efforts alive for future generations.

Visitor tips

• Tours are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:00pm.
• Museum entry is free, though a $5 donation is suggested.
• Check the museum's website for custom walking tours and Radical History Walking Tours.
• If visiting on a Thursday, check for public programming events starting at 6 pm.

Nearby context

Located in the East Village / Lower East Side, MoRUS is situated at 155 Avenue C, between 9th and 10th Streets, placing it in a heart of the neighborhood's history of urban reclamation.