Thursday, November 5, 2026 – Rediscover the Art of Metropolitan Hospital’s Nursing School

MISSING ART
PAINTINGS OF THE ISLAND
METROPOLITAN HOSPIAL
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Issue # 1775
Years ago, when visiting Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan I spotted five paintings hanging on the walls of the Administration Office.
Looking closely, I realized they were scenes from the Metropolitan Hospital School of Nursing when it was on Blackwell’s Island, probably around the late 1920’s.
Years later, I was told that some of the paintings still existed.
NYC Health+Hospitals has a division that discovers, catalogs and displays many works of art that were in possesion of our municipal Hospital system.

Holy Spirit Chapel was specifically built for the patients and staff at Metropolitan Hospital. After the hospital closed, the building had a few lives and it now the Sanctuary.

Draper Hall was the residence for nursing students. Located on the northern tip of the island just south of the Lighthouse.

The lounge at Draper Hall with large windows overlooking the park and river.

The Octagon main entrance to the hospital with the south wing of patient wing.

Chapel of the Good Shepherd on the right with a building from the City Home.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Maggie Messer drops a giant pumpkin to be crushed
at the event yesterday. Fun for all, except the pumpkins!

Judith Berdy

CREDIT
JUDITH BERDY
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.


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rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com
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