Museum of American Finance Opens on Wall Street

January 9, 2008

Press Contact: Kristin Aguilera, Communications Director, 212-908-4695

New York, NY – The Museum of American Finance, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, will reopen to the public in its new home at 48 Wall Street on Friday, January 11, 2008. Located in the historic former headquarters of the Bank of New York, the Museum occupies 30,000 square feet of space and features a majestic banking hall, state-of-the-art financial education center, auditorium, library and research facility.

Formerly located in modest space at 26 Broadway, the Museum has a 20-year lease on its much larger home on Wall Street. It has been renovating and restoring the landmarked space, as well as creating engaging and interactive permanent exhibitions on the subjects of the financial markets, money, banking, entrepreneurship and Alexander Hamilton. The Museum’s new space also includes galleries for changing exhibits and a theater.

According to President/CEO Lee Kjelleren, the move to 48 Wall Street will enable the Museum to expand its reach significantly, giving New Yorkers, as well as national and international visitors, an increased awareness to make more effective financial decisions.

“As the only public and independent museum of finance, we are proud to be a guardian of America’s collective financial memory, while also serving as an interpreter of current financial issues,” Kjelleren said. “We look forward to taking our place among the major destinations on Wall Street.”

Located one block east of the New York Stock Exchange, the Museum will be the Exchange’s de facto visitors center.

“NYSE Euronext is proud of our partnership with the Museum of American Finance,” said Duncan L. Niederauer, CEO, NYSE Euronext. “The Museum is well suited to reside in New York and on Wall Street, and gives the public an opportunity to learn more about our capital markets and NYSE Euronext. This is especially important given the ever changing and rapidly growing global financial marketplace.”

Dr. Richard Sylla and Dr. Robert Wright, both financial historians, authors and professors at the NYU Stern School of Business, are the primary curators of the permanent exhibits. Designed by the renowned New York exhibition design firm C&G Partners, the exhibits were built and installed by the award-winning fabrication firm Maltbie.

About the Museum
The Museum of American Finance, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is the nation’s only public museum dedicated to finance, entrepreneurship and the free open market system. With its extensive collection of financial documents and objects, its seminars and educational programming, its publication and oral history program, the Museum portrays the breadth and richness of American financial history, achievement and practices. Founded in 1988 by John Herzog, the Museum promotes a deeper understanding of risk and reward, helping people to become more financially independent.

The Museum will be open Monday – Friday, 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is $8 for adults; $5 for students/seniors; kids 6 and under free. For information, call 212-908-4110 or visit www.financialhistory.org.

About 48 Wall Street
48 Wall Street is located in the heart of New York’s financial district on the corner of Wall and William Streets. The 36-story 1927 landmark building was home to the Bank of New York through 1998, and has retained much of its wonderful architectural detail. The building is owned and managed by Swig Equities, LLC, a real estate development and management firm based in New York City. The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) funded $1 million towards construction of this project from a community block development grant from HUD.

For additional information, please contact Kristin Aguilera at 212-908-4695 or kaguilera@financialhistory.org.