I passed by the Fashion Institute of Technology many times recently on my way to or from my sister's apartment, but only in late September did I discover that FIT has a museum. I dropped in with a friend and saw a small but curious special exhibit about dolls' clothes through the centuries: they mirror adult fashions of each era, as the labels made clear, and sometimes even clothes for adult women mirror favorite patterns of dolls' clothes.

We loved this little museum. If you're a fashion fan, then it's definitely worth your time. We especially loved the Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis exhibit, which is unfortunately over now. I can't wait to see what they do next

I'm a born and bred New Yorker and didn't know there was a free museum at FIT. I learned about it when I was researching free museums at FIT.When I learned the museum's new exhibition was on Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis I knew I had to see for myself as a former psychology minor in college and a Freudian.This is the first exhibition to explore the complex relationship between fashion and psychoanalysis and features nearly 100 looks by iconic designers such as Alexander McQueen, Elsa Schiaparelli, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Gianni and Donatella Versace, John Galliano for Christian Dior Haute Couture, Rick Owens, Thierry Mugler, Vivienne Westwood, and many more. It took me an hour to see the exhibit on my own and though it wasn't crowded there were a few tour groups. The exhibit was well curated and fascinating as I learned that fashion isn't just skin deep. It's so much more! Fashion and psychoanalysis intersect in a myriad of ways, laden with subtext and deep meaning, reflecting complex psychological insights into identity, culture, and behavior, societal and patriarchal norms and beliefs. The exhibits highlights the psychological layers behind why we wear what we wear, reflecting the trends of the society and political climate of the time. Understanding how we dress the way we do to reflect our emotions and beliefs can deepen our appreciation of fashion not just as a set of trends but as a complex dialogue reflecting human nature and societal dynamics.

The Museum at FIT or the most fashionable museum in New York City. During my visit, the main gallery was unfortunately closed, so I didn’t get the chance to see their famous fashion exhibitions. Instead, there were displays featuring works by various artists, which were interesting but not what I had hoped for. I’ll definitely come back in September for the full experience.

Admission is free! While the Museum at FIT is small, it really packs a punch. Rotating exhibits mean you can come here months apart and still see entirely different things. The exhibits are curated very thoughtfully, and there's a great assortment of clothes from different institutions that play with and challenge many modern conceptions while also blending cultures. It's also a great way to see older archival designer houses and the things that inspired them.