The Coney Island Museum, which is a room filled with Coney Island memorabilia, was founded in 1980 to “defend the honor of American popular culture through innovative exhibitions and performances.” When we went to visit the museum, we were fortunate enough to have a quick talk with Dick D. Zigun, one of the founders of the museum. The comments he gave are summarized below:
Due to the new parks, the area has gained a family atmosphere that it was lacking before. There used to be mostly teenagers and gangs in the Coney Island neighborhood, when only the old park existed but now it just feels different around the park. Yes, there are a lot of projects, but Coney Island has still improved since the opening of the new parks. The Coney Island Museum has been there through it all, and people still come in to see the relics of the old park.
