Carousels evoke joy and nostalgia, drawing people across diverse backgrounds, yet their placement is often restricted to wealthier neighborhoods, limiting accessibility for many communities. This project explores and addresses these disparities through an interactive digital exhibit and mapping tool that visualizes carousel locations throughout New York City. Each carousel pin features practical information about the carousel including fee structures and a link to more detailed information with an additional map layer to highlight neighborhood demographics such as income levels and density of homes with children across the city. Through this mapping and analysis, the project will not only to illuminate existing spatial inequities but also to serve as a resource for families to discover accessible carousel options.

The project was conceived for the class Digital Humanities: Methods and Practices within the Digital Humanities department at the CUNY Graduate Center. The project came to an end in May 2025, with a reflective analysis offering recommendations for a more equitable distribution of carousels, inclusive fee structures, and enhanced community engagement strategies for future carousel installations in NYC.

Although this project is complete, and the domain will retire in 2028, the project manager will periodically moderate comments and email messages.

Questions? Comments: carouselsofnyc@gmail.com

Follow Us: @carouselsofnyc