Watch some of the clearest footage of Gilded Age New York we've ever seen

From its opening shot of the Statue of Liberty to its closing image of a ferry slowly traversing the harbor, this incredibly clear footage of New York City during the Gilded Age makes for an unforgettable viewing experience. It's basically like watching an episode of Timeless without the commercial breaks.

The circa-1911 footage, which was pulled from the collection of MoMA, was original shot by the Swedish company Svenska Biografteatern on a trip to America in the early 20th century. That’s just a mere 97 years before the IKEA opened in Red Hook, so I guess they liked what they saw! 

YouTube user guy jones then slowed down the print to a natural rate and added ambient sound to create the startlingly lifelike video. In addition to the lively harbor scenes, the seven-minute trip to the past shows instantly recognizable icons like the Manhattan Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge, Fifth Avenue, Chinatown, the Flatiron building and Grace Church.

There are also a lot of hats. So, so many hats. 

Watch the black-and-white footage below to spend some time in the busy public parks and trolley-packed thoroughfares of yesteryear.

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