The Point Digital Archives and Oral History Project
As we move toward Socrates’ 40th anniversary in 2026, we’re deepening our work of reflection, remembrance, and renewal. The Point—our multiyear campaign and reimagining of the Park—extends beyond physical transformation. It is also a commitment to honoring the stories, practices, and communities that shaped Socrates from a riverside landfill into a nationally recognized space for art, ecology, and public life.
A central part of this effort is building a public historical record for the first time in our four-decade history. Through two interconnected initiatives—The Point Digital Archives Project and The Point Oral History Project—we are gathering materials, memories, and narratives that illuminate the many individuals who imagined, built, nurtured, and transformed Socrates.
Your contributions—both tangible and intangible—are essential to telling the full story. They help us understand not only what Socrates has been, but who made it possible.
The Point Digital Archives Project
We are creating a new digital archive that will make Socrates’ institutional history and knowledge publicly accessible. To build this shared record, we’re seeking materials from the people who know the Park best: artists, neighbors, collaborators, staff, and community members whose experiences shaped the Park’s evolution.
What We’re Looking For
We welcome materials that enrich, complicate, or expand Socrates’ story, including:
- Letters, emails, postcards, journal entries, clippings, flyers, pamphlets, newsletters, and other documents related to Socrates Sculpture Park
- Photographs and audio/video recordings taken at the Park—or at the site before or during its development
- Personal recollections, anecdotes, or reflections
- Material showing how Socrates impacted your creative or community practice
We are casting a wide net—big moments and small ones all help complete the picture.
If you are contributing physical items, please note that Socrates will not keep your originals. Any materials appropriate for the digital archive will be scanned, photographed, or otherwise documented for inclusion in The Point Digital Archives Project, and your originals will be returned to you.
Before submitting, please review our Materials Consent Form for details about the process. You can express interest in sharing your archival materials by completing this form.
The Point Oral History Project
Not all history lives on paper. Much of Socrates’ story exists only in the memories of those who envisioned the Park, built it, maintained it, and shaped its creative legacy. The Point Oral History Project preserves these stories through recorded, guided conversations with alumni artists, community members, collaborators, and neighbors.
These narratives help:
- Enrich the Park’s public archive with lived experiences
- Illuminate hidden or overlooked histories
- Center voices historically excluded from institutional narratives
- Connect the Park’s past and present to its future
Participants will collaborate with a project interviewer who will guide the conversation and create a digital audio recording. These recordings will be featured on our forthcoming digital archive and preserved in partnership with the Queens Memory Project and Queens Public Library. While you retain ownership of your interview, we request permission for preservation and non-commercial public access.
Share Your Story
If you have something to contribute—or if you’re not sure where to begin—you can either complete the archive submission form or reach out to us directly at archive@socratessculpturepark.org.
Your stories are part of our history. Thank you for helping shape the next chapter of Socrates Sculpture Park.