The Corona Collection consists of loving recollections from about 15 neighbors who lived near Armstrong and his fourth wife, Lucille Wilson Armstrong, from 1943 until the musician\u2019s death in 1971. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt paints an amazing picture of this icon, but also the neighborhood he lived in,\u201d said Regina Bain, the museum\u2019s executive director, explaining how the museum tracked down the kids seen with Armstrong in hundreds of photos. \u201cThey told us fascinating stories,\u201d said Bain. \u201cIt\u2019s an intimate, first-person narrative from people who knew him.\u201d <\/p>\n
The museum complex is a treasure trove of memorabilia about one of the world\u2019s most famous musicians. Open for public tours since 2003, the home and museum house everything from personal and concert recordings to letters, manuscripts and photos. And, oh, yes \u2014 two trumpets, including one gifted to Armstrong by King George V of England.<\/p>\n
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The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens. Credit: Lisa Kahane, NYC<\/p>\n
Visitors to the\u00a0red brick home, open Thursdays through Sundays, can get a close glimpse of how the Armstrongs lived as they wander the living room with its cream wallpaper, the dining room, the kitchen with its matching aquamarine cabinets and appliances, the paneled den and lavish bathrooms. <\/p>\n
Armstrong was a megastar, Bain said in a video. \u201cHe didn\u2019t want to be in Manhattan because he would get mobbed,\u201d he said. But in Corona, \u201cHe could walk down the street, he could talk to the kids, he could go to his barber.\u201d <\/p>\n
The bedroom where Armstrong died in 1971 is a place of reverence, Bain said. \u201cWhen people come in and we tell them this is where he died, the room changes,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a beautiful respect.\u201d <\/p>\n
Beyond touring the home, visitors have access to a number of collections housed across the street in the Armstrong Center, a distinctive 14,000-square-foot building with a woven brass fa\u00e7ade that brings to mind Armstrong\u2019s trumpet. <\/p>\n
\u201cHere to Stay\u201d is a permanent exhibit curated by jazz musician Jason Moran that covers many aspects of Armstrong\u2019s life. Visitors are drawn to the trumpet, of course, said Bain, along with the Grammy he won for \u201cHello, Dolly!\u201d and several interactive exhibits where visitors can listen to him play. In addition, there\u2019s Jerry\u2019s Place, a 75-seat jazz club that holds frequent concerts to keep the music alive and which has hosted everyone from Wynton Marsalis to neighborhood youth who learn to play the trumpet at the museum. <\/p>\n
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Louis Armstrong House and \u00a0Museum, 34-56 107th St., Corona <\/p>\n