Who is Joe Macken?

Joe Macken is a 63-year-old truck driver, but he's also an artist and a city model maker. He has spent over 20 years building a miniature version of New York City in his basement.

Where did he get his inspiration?

Macken became interested in city models after seeing the New York City Panorama at the Queens Museum as a child. This massive model was created for the 1964 New York World's Fair and took over 100 architects three years to build.

The Miniature City Model

Macken's miniature city model started with a single skyscraper, 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Over time, it grew to cover all five boroughs of New York City. The model is 50 feet long, 27 feet wide, and covers about 1,350 square feet. It's made up of 320 pieces, with each piece representing one square mile of the city.

Materials and Cost

Macken used simple materials to build his model, including balsa wood, cardboard, glue, and paint. He estimates that the model cost between $20,000 and $40,000 to build.

The Exhibition

Macken didn't originally plan to show his model to the public, but his daughter convinced him to share videos of it on TikTok. The videos went viral, and the Museum of the City of New York took notice. The museum invited Macken to display his model in an exhibition called 'He Built This City: Joe Macken’s Model'. The exhibition will run until August 31, 2026.

Future Plans

After the exhibition, Macken will take his model home and continue to expand it. His next goal is to add parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. 'It will never be finished,' says Macken.

Did you know?

The New York City Panorama was created for the 1964 New York World's Fair and was once considered the largest city model in the world. This story shows that imagination and creativity can be limitless. Joe Macken's miniature city model is not just a work of art, but also a reflection of the city's history and culture.