Mark your calendars! The Brooklyn Museum has an exciting exhibit coming up in March 2020 that is certain to draw a crowd as huge as the legendary night club on display. The subject is the iconic Studio 54, which opened in 1977 and quickly became a staple of New York City nightlife. People from all over the world could party alongside Elizabeth Taylor, Pat Cleveland, and Andy Warhol if they were chic enough to get in.
Owners Ian Schrager and Steven Rubell believed in packing the club with interesting, high-profile people, which created dynamic energy that lasted far longer than the club itself. If you wanted to party to disco music, this was the only place to see and be seen. For those who didn’t experience the magic of the club themselves, there’s an air of mystery surrounding it. Why does it continue to fascinate America, even decades after it closed?
In an era of hyper-inclusive New York clubs like House of Yes, which won’t ever turn away a guest based on what they’re wearing, there’s something highly intriguing about a space as exclusive as Studio 54. To truly understand the interest surrounding it, one must examine the social, political, and cultural fabric of the time in which it first opened. The Brooklyn Museum exhibit sets out to prove there’s far more to this institution than a star-studded guest list, fancy outfits, hip music, and constant cocaine use.
Shortly after Netflix released the documentary “Studio 54,” director Matt Tyrnauer explained in an interview, “Studio 54 is one of those stories everyone thinks they know, but they don’t.” The exhibit will use fashion, photography, film and set designs to show how the Vietnam War, women’s rights, the Civil Rights Movement, and the LGBTQIA+ community led to an explosion of creativity that culminated inside the velvet ropes of Studio 54. Viewers can expect to learn not only the full story behind the night club, but about New York’s rich history as well.
This exhibit goes from March until July. Tickets can be found on their website.
