I visited for you… the world’s smallest museum in New York

A location straight out of a movie…

• During my last trip to New York, I had fun jumping between a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the city’s largest museum, and a detour to the Mmuseumm, the world’s smallest museum!
• First pleasant surprise: the Mmuseumm sits on Cordtland Alley, a small street near Chinatown. The narrow, short alley has a worn, slightly eerie look that’s quintessentially New York. Cordtland Alley has appeared in many films, including Gotham, The Smurfs, and Crocodile Dundee. Tucked away in the heart of Manhattan, this isolated spot is perfect for filming confrontations and crime scenes!
• I walk down the alley and at number 4 Cordtland Alley, there it is: the Mmuseumm! The museum actually occupies a former freight elevator opening onto the street. A “curator” stands at the entrance. He greets me with a “Hi!” before returning his attention to his smartphone.

Inside the world’s smallest museum

• After a couple finishes their visit, I step into the elevator shaft. The museum’s concept? Display everyday objects that tell stories about our society. The shelves hold Islamic State coins, artwork created by prisoners, and a list of final meals requested by executed death row inmates. Special mention goes to a cardboard box from McMashallah, an Iranian fast-food chain that mimics McDonald’s branding—McDonald’s is banned in Iran. As a journalist, I really appreciated this unconventional take on current events and how the collection addresses major geopolitical and social themes through small, concrete objects.
• The visit is naturally brief. Even if you read all the descriptions, you’ll spend no more than 20 minutes here. But this museum’s unique concept is worth experiencing! Think of the Mmuseumm as an experience, and it delivers on that promise.
• As you head back up Cordtland Alley, you’ll also see the museum’s shop, equally tiny in scale. The only thing oversized here is the museum’s catalog: a real brick of a book! Overall, the Mmuseumm is a detour I’d warmly recommend, well off the usual tourist path.

Mmuseumm in photos

Mmuseumm in videos

Practical information

Find all the practical details and directions on the Mmuseumm page.