Step into the meticulously preserved home of Louis Armstrong, where he lived with his wife, Lucille, and explore artifacts, recordings, and personal memorabilia that tell the story of his extraordinary life
Discover the design principles behind the new Louis Armstrong Center, including its bold yet respectful dialogue with the historic house and its role in bridging past and present
Hear from the architects about the creative challenges and triumphs in incorporating sustainable materials and creating a space imbued with the spirit of jazz
Get a sneak peek at areas and insights not available to the general public, guided by the architects who helped bring this project to fruition
Explore the current exhibition, Here to Stay
Save $5 off regular admission
Center Photos by Albert Vercerka/Esto, House Photos Courtesy of the Louis Armstrong House Musem
About this Event:
The Louis Armstrong House Museum & Archives is a National and New York City historic landmark located in the Corona neighborhood of Queens. The Historic House Tour explores Louis Armstrong's years in the house with his wife Lucille, who purchased this home in 1943. The home was never to be occupied again after the Armstrongs.
The home tour is accompanied by a selection of the more than 750 original recordings created by Armstrong between 1950-70 on reel-to-reel tapes. Those recordings are now part of the Louis Armstrong Collection. Guests will catch glimpses of the social context, their original belongings, archival photos, and details about the Armstrongs' daily life on the guided tour.
On this special hybrid experience, Untapped New York Members will join Sara Caples and Everardo Jefferson, principals of Caples Jefferson Architects, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the recently completed Louis Armstrong Center. Learn how the award-winning architects brought their visionary designs to life, creating a vibrant cultural space that honors the legendary musician's legacy while serving as a hub for education and community engagement.
During your visit, you can explore the current exhibition on display, Here To Stay.
The Louis Armstrong House Archive is now the largest dedicated to a single jazz musician worldwide. It encompasses 13 Research Collections, 60,194 individual assets,111 scrapbooks, about 6,500 sound recordings, over 16,000 photographs and negatives, over 500 musical scores, over 300 videos, over 300 videos, over 300 posters, and 7 trumpets.
About Sara Caples, AIA & Everardo Jefferson, AIA
Sara Caples, AIA, and Everardo Jefferson, AIA, are the co-founders and principals of Caples Jefferson Architects (CJA), an award-winning New York City-based firm dedicated to design at the intersection of social equity, education, and culture. Since its founding in 1987, CJA has committed to performing at least half its work in historically underserved communities, creating transformative spaces that celebrate cultural heritage and foster inclusion. Notable projects include the Queens Theatre-in-the-Park, the Weeksville Heritage Center, and the Louis Armstrong Center, each exemplifying their vision of architecture as a vehicle for joy and equity. Both Yale-trained architects, Sara and Everardo have held prestigious academic appointments at institutions like Yale, Columbia, and MIT. They have also contributed significantly to the profession through teaching, lecturing, and service on boards and committees, including Sara’s roles with the AIA and Everardo’s position as a Commissioner of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. In 2022, they co-authored Many Voices: Architecture for Social Equity, a monograph reflecting their shared commitment to socially impactful design.
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How many tickets can I reserve?
If you are an Insider level member ($20/month), you can reserve 1 ticket to this event. Explorer level members ($30/month) or Superfan ($100/month) can reserve 2 tickets. If you are a Support or Enthusiast level member but would like to attend, it’s easy to upgrade your account here!
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