Want to experience Manhattan as it was in the 1920s, 40s, or 60s? You’re in the right place. Archival footage is the ultimate ticket to New York City’s bygone eras. The videos below show how the city has leveled up and transformed into the concrete jungle we know today. If you love moving antiques as much as we do, you’ll love these films as fine art.
- Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River (1903) Soar over Manhattan as it looked in 1903 with this panoramic short film. Directed by J.B. Smith, with cinematography by Blair Smith, this cinematic time capsule has an almost eerie feel due to its lack of human presence—save for a few silhouettes on a boat drifting by. If you know New York City well, you’ll love spotting the changes from then to now.
- Rhythm and Blues Revue (1955) Here’s your backstage pass to a 1955 musical variety show filmed at the iconic Apollo Theatre in Harlem.The mid-1950s were pivotal years in music, and this revue—with a lineup featuring Willie Bryant, Freddie Robinson, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, and Nat ‘King’ Cole—captures the beginning of the jazz-to-rock-and-roll pipeline.
Variety shows like this one have their roots in vaudeville, which once entertained audiences with everything from pantomime to comedy. By the 1940s, these shows distracted troops from the horrors of war, and by the time TV became a household staple in the 1950s, so were variety shows.
The Apollo Theatre was initially a burlesque venue for white audiences. In 1934, Sidney Cohen bought it, and under his and Frank Schiffman family’s direction, The Apollo Theatre was transformed into a platform for Black talent and culture.
- Unknown Aerials and Sardi’s Restaurant, New York City (1920s-1930s) This collection of black-and-white aerial footage captures New York City and its surroundings from the 1920s and 1930s.Starting at 1:51, you’ll spot Sardi’s Restaurant, which is still operating today with its classic facade intact. Sardi’s, which opened on March 5, 1927, has been a staple of New York’s dining scene, renowned for its walls lined with caricatures of movie stars. The idea for these caricatures came when owner Vincent Sardi, seeking a way to draw in customers during a slow period, was inspired by the caricatures at Joe Zelli’s, a Parisian restaurant and jazz club.
Sardi hired Alex Gard, a Russian refugee, to draw these celebrity caricatures in exchange for one meal a day at the restaurant. Gard continued this work (and the exchange agreement) until he died in 1948.
- New York City (1911) Witness New York City on the brink of modernity: a population nearing five million, skyscrapers transforming the skyline, and a mix of automobiles, trolleys, horse-drawn carriages, and busy pedestrians. Just before World War I, this was a time when everyday dress meant suits and top hats for the men, and corsets with centered busks for the women. As women weren’t tasked with running errands, their presence in this footage signals a leisurely outing.
Originally a silent black and white film, YouTuber Denis Shiryaev has brought the footage to life with artificial intelligence, boosting the frame rate, adding sound effects, and colorizing it.
- New York Calling “New York Calling” is a 1942 travelogue sponsored by the New York Central Railroad, aiming to reignite the excitement of train travel. In the film, see for yourself how some of New York’s iconic attractions—like Coney Island, Times Square, and Rockefeller Center—have barely changed. Plus, the travelogue promotes a tour of NBC and Radio City Music Hall, then the world’s largest indoor theater, which had recently become home to the world-renowned Rockettes.
During the “Golden Age” of railroads—from the 1880s to the 1920s—trains were the main mode of transportation. However, train travel was more than just a way to get from point A to point B; it was a glamorous experience, and the journey was as important as the destination.
On board, passengers ate gourmet meals on white tablecloths, waited on by attentive servers. In the 1940s, as America emerged from the Great Depression and World War II, railroads were shifting from wartime transport back to the preferred mode of everyday travel.
- American music, from folk to jazz and pop This 1967 video takes you on a journey through the evolution of American music, where genres like jazz, swing, blues, and country came together over the years to create the catchy melodies we now call pop music. Guiding us through this journey is the legendary Duke Ellington, a pioneer of big-band jazz in New York City who led his band for over fifty years and elevated jazz to an art form. You’ll get a tour of the retro New York City jazz scene– places like the Village Vanguard and 52nd street.
The video also explores the post-World War II era when jazz began splintering into various streams. As the swing era wound down, jazz moved away from big-band performances and into a more expressive form that reflected the social changes and postwar realities of the late 1940s. This period saw the emergence of bebop—a complex, fast-paced style focused on smaller ensembles, like quartets or quintets.
If you’re curious about how American pop music came to be or just want to listen to Duke Ellington’s Old-Timey accent, this video is a must-watch. It’s more than a history lesson—it’s a celebration of the sounds that continue to define American life.
