There is one other image of this object. See our image rights statement.
Object Timeline
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1974 |
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1987 |
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2016 |
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2024 |
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Poster, New York City Subway Map
This is a Poster. It was designed by Massimo Vignelli. It is dated 1974 and we acquired it in 1987. Its medium is offset lithograph on white wove paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.
In his 1974 New York subway map, Massimo Vignelli used an eight-color palette to communicate the complex system, assigning each line a specific color. Critics found the diagrammatic plan too abstract, but many aspects of the design, including the color-coding of the lines, were retained in future iterations.
It is credited Gift of Unknown Donor.
- Map, Worldmapper Project: Global Internet Use 1990 and 2007
- digital print on archival paper.
- Museum purchase from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.
- 2012-19-1
- Poster, Prototype for New York City Subway Map
- offset lithograph on white wove paper.
- Gift of Unknown Donor.
- 1987-24-1
![Poster design showing various road signs spread across the page in red, black, yellow white and blue. Signs include a blue circle with two white connected arrows inside it, a hollow red circle with a red car and black car inside it, a yellow square with a black number 30 inside, a hollow red circle with an upwards black arrow and a downwards red arrow inside it, a red circle with a white horizontal line though it, a hollow red triangle with a black x inside it, an upside down yelow triangle outlined in black, a blue triangle outlined in red, a hollow red circle with a black letter P inside crossed through with a diagonal red line, a hollow red circle with a black right facing arrow inside crossed throuh with a red diagonal line, a hollow black square with a black cross inside, a hollow red triangle with a girl and boy holding hands printed in black inside, a hollow red circle, a yellow circle with a black diagonal line through it, and a blue circle outlined in red and with a red diagonal line through it. Included among the signs is the Ford logo which is blue and pill shaped with white writing saying [Ford]. In the lower left black text reads [Signs that say Safe Driving...]](https://images.collection.cooperhewitt.org/65610_d26d06dd31c8fd8c_n.jpg "Poster, Signs That Say Safe Driving...")
- Poster, Signs That Say Safe Driving...
- offset lithograph on white paper.
- Gift of Marion S. Rand.
- 2002-11-9
Our curators have highlighted 5 objects that are related to this one. Here are three of them, selected at random:
- Poster, New York City Subway Map
- offset lithograph on white wove paper.
- Gift of Unknown Donor.
- 1987-24-2
![A large dark green road sign with a small retangular section prodruding from the top right corner, in which white text in Clearviewhwy typeface reads [EXIT 27] in capital letters. In the main section the number 56 is found in black inside a white shield, the interstate symbol, with the word [NORTH] beside it in white Clearviewhwy capitals, and [Metropolis] in white Clearviewhwy normal case beneath. In a yellow rectangle at the bottom are the words [EXIT ONLY] in black Clearviewhwy capitals, with a right facing black arrow between the words [EXIT] and [ONLY].](https://images.collection.cooperhewitt.org/329366_f324c5f7f2464662_n.jpg "Sign, Metropolis, in ClearviewHwy® Typeface")
- Sign, Metropolis, in ClearviewHwy® Typeface
- acrylic pressure-sensitive film, 3m flexible uv ink print on 3m diamond grade....
- Gift of Donald Meeker, Meeker & Associates, Inc., and James Montalbano,....
- 2011-24-4
- Book, Expo '70 color environment
- offset lithograph with collage.
- Gift of Issac H. Godlove, Smithsonian Libraries, QC495 .E96 folio.
- 92.2016.68a,b
Its dimensions are
71.1 x 58.4 cm (28 x 23 in.)
Cite this object as
Poster, New York City Subway Map; Designed by Massimo Vignelli (Italian, active USA, 1931–2014); USA; offset lithograph on white wove paper; 71.1 x 58.4 cm (28 x 23 in.); Gift of Unknown Donor; 1987-24-2
This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibitions Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color and Design USA: Contemporary Innovation.
