The New York Historical displayed facsimiles in a praised new show without widely telling visitors

The New York Historical, a museum on Manhattan's Upper West Side, hung reproductions of light-sensitive works in its new wing after staff determined sunlight risked UV damage to originals, ARTnews reported on 6 August 2026. The show had already drawn enthusiastic reviews. The New York Times raised the transparency question: should museums tell visitors upfront when they are viewing copies?