Timescapes, a media presentation digitally projected on three panoramic screens,  traces the growth of New York City using animated maps as well as historic photographs, paintings, and prints from the museum’s collection. It is narrated by actor Stanley Tucci and literally turns back the clock to display how the city has changed from a small port town to one of the grandest cities in the world. The evolution of the city was brought about by finding a balance between land, water, transportation and commerce. One of the most interesting aspects of the presentation was the transformation New York City experienced under the governance of DeWitt Clinton. I was aware of his implementation of the grid system but to take a tiny, condensed port city and have the foresight to understand what it had the capability of becoming was incredible. Although his estimates seemed outrageous at the time, they were actually low. Despite that, his grid system provided the foundation for the growth and expansion of New York City into what we know today. The use of map overlays to show his plan was fascinating especially because it aided in showing how extreme his idea for the then fledgling city seemed. My only gripe with Timescapes was that it was very heavily based on geography. There were glimpses of life in the time periods covered but I do not believe they were sufficient. Overall, I was very impressed by the detail and attention payed to aspects of NYC’s evolution that would otherwise go overlooked.