Poppenhusen Institute

This lovely, landmarked building in Queens was built in 1868, with a charter that broadly offered to serve the community, irrespective of race or creed. Due to a somewhat broad interpretation of its manifesto, everything from a kindergarten to jail cells have crammed its halls. By now it has settled down into being a simple cultural center, complete with a community theater company—the E. Phoenix Idealis Players—performing in its spacious, high-windowed Great Auditorium.