Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS)

This place is a rip off. It’s run by people who turned squats into middle class co-​ops, and make money off of visitors. They don’t let people actually squat anymore in their spaces and they steal bikes from a the competing Recycle A Bike. They are manarchists who sold out to capitalism and take advantage of others for their own profit. Also $ 20 for a tour that is not even worth $ 5.

Although we went during business hours, the place was locked up. Another tenant in the. Holding said that happens often. I would call before going

It’s so rare that a museum’s built and run by the very people it’s about. MoRUS is one of the few.
For many tourists, the history of the Lower East Side ended with the great immigration of Eastern Europeans during the Pogroms. The Lower East Side Tenement museum does a great job of bringing that history to life. But, what else is there to learn about this vibrant and exciting neighborhood?
There’s a rich history of reclaimed gardens, squats and community activism in the LES. Through a well narrated photographic exhibit, and through walking tours, the staff and volunteers of MoRUS can walk you through a living history.
I was lucky enough to catch «UnrealEstate!” — A lecture, slide show and concert built around an oral history of Lower East Side squats… in the belly of C-​Squat.
Fly’s story, illustrations and photos really brought home the challenges of building C-​squat (and other reclaimed spaces); a living space Giuliani once called, «The most dangerous venue in New York».
Nico De Gallo kept things light with a hilarious Shel Silverstein reading, while Seth Tobocman and Eric Drooker rounded things out with their own graphic histories of their LES experience.
I’ll have to visit again and take the walking tour!

I really enjoyed this spot. I had the chance of going to their recent fashion show and was surrounded by chill, down to earth people. There was food, music, & beer (you all know how much I love beer) Also loved the photos and archived materials hanging on the walls. Might check out the squat tour next time, any Unilocalers wanna come with?

Really great, volunteer-​run space. Be sure to come on the weekends. At 3 p.m. they have squat tours where you actually get to go see active squats! Showed me a previously undiscovered part of this city. The space is growing and expanding all the time. Great activism videos downstairs. $ 5 suggested donation. Tours are $ 20 and take about an hour and a half, we saw about 3 squats and tons of community gardens.

This museum is amazing, the staff, who are all volunteers are knowledgeable, friendly, funny and helpful. The museum is off the beaten path as it a radical history museum. You can learn about squats, protests, history of the lower east side and also get a great cup of tea while you are there. Another awesome thing among the list of awesomeness is that you can write on the bathroom wall!