Day Tripper

"MADE in America"

by Laura Smith

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Published: Aug 31, 2006

Open Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m, Fri- Sun, 11 a.m.-mid., runs through Oct. 1, $5-$8, 178 Mulberry St., New York City, miaexhibition@aol.com

They captivate and repulse us—and now we get to know all their dirty little secrets.

Nestled in the heart of New York's Little Italy, "MADE in America" is an exhibition cataloguing the history of organized crime, from its Prohibition-era heyday to its profound influence on American pop culture.

For 15 years, curator Arthur Nash collected artifacts and mob memorabilia from retired cops and bootleggers. "I wanted to explore the public's fascination and relationship with organized crime, and show it in a 3-D format," says Nash.

The exhibit is a maze of small rooms and surprises, featuring pieces dating from 1919 (the first year of Prohibition) to 1970, which marked the murder of Joey Gallo and the release of The Godfather.

Highlights include Gallo's fedora from the day he was killed, Bugsy Siegel's early arrest records from Philadelphia, weapons seized from the Jewish "Purple Gang" and L.A. crime czar Mickey Cohen's lush silk PJs, which Nash says "make most men blush."

Don't laugh, lest you be whacked.

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