NEW YORK, NY.- Throwing wide its doors as never before, the New-York Historical Society will re-open its landmark building to the public at 11:00 a.m. on Veterans’ Day, Friday, November 11, 2011. A three-year, $65 million renovation of the Central Park West building has sensitively but thoroughly transformed the face of the institution—the first museum established in New York—to welcome visitors of all ages to a great cultural destination, and to immerse them, from the moment they enter the building, in the Historical Society’s collection of extraordinary objects and sweeping ideas.

To help extend the welcome, the Historical Society will remain open on November 11 until 11:00 p.m., offering free admission during that day to veterans and active service members and to children under 13, and free admission for all visitors after 6:00 p.m.

Entering the Historical Society, renovated by the distinguished firm of Platt Byard Dovell White Architects, visitors will encounter:

• a welcoming admissions area incorporating the ceiling from Keith Haring’s original “Pop Shop,” donated to the Historical Society by the Keith Haring Foundation

• an unprecedented multi-media installation in the reconfigured Great Hall—where the new Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History introduces major themes of American history through stories and figures from New York’s past; to include a rich selection of objects from the Historical Society’s collection

• an innovative new facility, the DiMenna Children's History Museum and the Barbara K. Lipman Children’s History Library, designed especially to engage young visitors as History Detectives exploring the richness and wonder of America’s past

• the first major special history exhibition in the renovated building, Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn, a uniquely ambitious exploration of the interconnections among the American, French and Haitian revolutions

• a revelatory art exhibition drawn from works in the Historical Society’s collection: Making American Taste: Narrative Art for a New Democracy offers for the first time an in-depth look at the 19th-century paintings and sculpture collected by the New Yorkers who founded and built the Historical Society

• an exceptional Italian-themed dining facility operated by the widely acclaimed Starr Restaurants group, offering a light menu throughout the day and full restaurant service at night and

• a host of other amenities, improvements and experiences designed to “make history matter.”

“I believe 11-11-11 – November 11th, 2011 – will be marked as the most important date for our Society since its founding 207 years ago,” stated Roger Hertog, Chairman of the Board of the New-York Historical Society.

“The world has long known that the New-York Historical Society holds unmatched collections in its museum and library,” stated Louise Mirrer, President and CEO.

“More recently, people have also begun to know us for our vibrant special exhibitions, which bring complex historical themes to life. But we have never before opened ourselves up to the public with such light and transparency, or provided the kind of immediate access to our objects and ideas that we will offer when we re-open in November. It’s as if, at entry level, we are going from being a beautiful treasure house to a great showplace of the American experience.’”