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New virtual tours explore Brooklyn’s history

virtual tours
File photo by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

Brooklynites can brush up on their knowledge of the borough this month with a slate of virtual tours that explore the fascinating history of Kings County.

The tours from the Municipal Art Society offer a mix of architectural and social history covering early 19th century row houses, the massively scaled work of McKim, Mead & White, and some of the lost architectural treasures of Brooklyn.

First up is a look at the petite Vinegar Hill Historic District, which is actually composed of three noncontiguous sections of early and mid 19th century structures that reflect the period of the founding of the neighborhood. The tour on April 17 with guide Lucie Levine digs into centuries of history to see how immigration, industry and architecture have left their mark on the neighborhood.

An ongoing tour series by architectural historian Francis Morrone has been diving into the work of McKim, Mead & White and the next installment on Sunday, April 18 focuses on the architectural firm’s work in Brooklyn. In addition to looking at some of their statement-making buildings in the borough, Morrone will touch on some of the other architects who worked for the firm before going off to design their own buildings around Brooklyn.

Finally, if you have always wondered about a building that has seemingly vanished from the streetscape, join Brownstoner columnist Suzanne Spellen (aka Montrose Morris) and Morgan Munsey, both preservationists, as they share some of the tales of Brooklyn’s lost architectural treasures. On Saturday, April 24 they will show the theaters, houses and religious, civic and commercial buildings that have been lost to time.

All tours are virtual and are $25 ($15 for MAS members). For more information, including tour times and ticket information, check out the MAS tour page online.

This story first appeared on Brownstoner.