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A truck driver built a model of New York for fun with more than 800,000 structures. Now it is a museum exhibition

A truck driver built a model of New York for fun with more than 800,000 structures. Now it is a museum exhibition

B2🇪🇸 Español🇺🇸 English

September 18th, 2026

A truck driver built a model of New York for fun with more than 800,000 structures. Now it is a museum exhibition

B2
Please note: This article has been simplified for language learning purposes. Some context and nuance from the original text may have been modified or removed.

🇺🇸 English

Joe Macken is a truck driver. He spent more than twenty years of his free time building a huge model of New York.

Joe Macken es camionero y pasó más de veinte años de su tiempo libre construyendo una enorme maqueta de Nueva York.

It is his hometown.

Es su ciudad natal.

He made it with balsa wood and foam board.

La hizo con madera de balsa y cartón pluma.

When he finished, his daughter convinced him to show the creation from the basement on TikTok.

Cuando terminó, su hija lo convenció de mostrar la creación del sótano en TikTok.

The videos went viral almost immediately.

Los videos se hicieron virales casi de inmediato.

The model has more than 800,000 structures.

La maqueta tiene más de 800.000 estructuras.

The Museum of the City of New York contacted Macken after his videos passed 10 million views in one week.

El Museo de la Ciudad de Nueva York contactó a Macken después de que sus videos superaran los 10 millones de visitas en una semana.

The exhibition is called "He Built This City" and it opened in February, near Central Park.

La exposición se llamaHe Built This City” y se inauguró en febrero, cerca de Central Park.

It will stay open until October 12.

Estará abierta hasta el 12 de octubre.

Macken said he never thought about finishing it because he was having so much fun building it.

Macken dijo que nunca pensó en terminarla porque se divertía mucho construyéndola.

The main curator, Elisabeth Sherman, said the model attracts both social media followers and traditional visitors.

La curadora principal, Elisabeth Sherman, dijo que la maqueta atrae tanto a seguidores de redes sociales como a visitantes tradicionales.

According to her, people want to take in a city that is impossible to know.

Según ella, la gente quiere abarcar una ciudad imposible de conocer.

This is a way to see it from above.

Esta es una forma de verla desde arriba.

The model includes the five boroughs and parts of New Jersey and Long Island.

La maqueta incluye los cinco distritos y partes de Nueva Jersey y Long Island.

It is 15 meters long and almost 9 meters wide.

Mide 15 metros de largo y casi 9 de ancho.

Each inch represents about 49 meters.

Cada pulgada representa unos 49 metros.

Macken was inspired by a school trip to the Panorama of the City of New York.

Macken se inspiró en una excursión escolar al Panorama de la Ciudad de Nueva York.

He started building it after he turned 40, when he moved upstate.

Empezó a construirla después de los 40 años, cuando se mudó al norte del estado.

He says he probably missed New York.

Dice que quizá echaba de menos Nueva York.

He had no experience with models or architecture.

No tenía experiencia en maquetas ni arquitectura.

The model does not show the city today: it still has the twin towers and the old Kosciuszko Bridge.

La maqueta no refleja la ciudad actual: conserva las torres gemelas y el antiguo Puente Kosciuszko.

Macken hopes to display it somewhere else and add more than 50 new buildings.

Macken espera exhibirla en otro lugar y añadir más de 50 edificios nuevos.

September 18th, 2026

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