MTA gives subway Rex-treme makeover with dino store and other ‘whimsical’ art installations

NYC’s art scene is going back underground — literally.

As the Big Apple’s subterranean newsstands, shoeshine parlors, barber shops and other vintage conveniences roll down their gates for the last time, the MTA has been experimenting with a creative way to fill the voids — with eye-catching installations.

Dubbed the Vacant Unit Activation program, which the agency said is aimed at making stations “more welcoming and whimsical spaces for riders,” a number of artists are being given a platform to show the world their stuff.

Mira Atherton, senior manager of MTA construction development, told The Post that the spaces had been determined as unfit for rental for a variety of reasons.

“These are often units … that are in old stations, typically ones that have been there for over a hundred years. They are funky shapes. They’re small, they have often a lot of utility issues,” she said. “They don’t have water or a waste line. They might be in stations that are not as well-trafficked.”

By giving drab corners a Gotham-style glow-up, Atherton said the agency aims not only to inspire riders, but also provide “affordable space for artists and nonprofits who often have trouble finding space.”