MHM 2024 Past Programs - Merchant's House Museum

2024 Past Programs

JANUARY

Monday, January 1, 2024
On YouTube!
Celebrating New Year’s Day 2024 with the Tredwells
Paying social calls on friends and family on the first day of the new year was one of Old New York’s most cherished customs. Join us – virtually – for good cheer to toast the New Year and learn how New Yorkers like the Tredwells celebrated the day.

In this immersive video experience, we’ll go back in time to the mid-19th century to meet the Tredwells and hear how they’ve been decking the house for New Year’s Day and preparing their lists of social calls. Join us as we continue the 19th century tradition of renewing, reviving, and reaffirming friendships that last the whole year through. Watch on YouTube.

Open through Sunday, January 7
Special Holiday Exhibition –
Christmas Comes to Old New York
In the early 19th century, Christmas, as we know it, had not yet been invented. Most New Yorkers did their celebrating on January 1, continuing the Old Dutch tradition of making New Year’s Day calls on friends and neighbors. Over the next fifty years, new traditions took hold: from Santa Claus, stockings, and presents; to holiday feasting; to Christmas trees decorated with lights and ornaments; to holly and evergreen garlands decking the halls; to Christmas songs and carols. Many of these traditions were popularized right here in New York City, and quickly spread throughout the country.

Journey back in time to the 1850s and join the Tredwells for Christmas in Old New York. The house is decorated with swags of evergreens, brilliant holly berries, white mistletoe, and red-leafed poinsettias, as the family prepares for the season. Also on display, a selection of holiday gifts from the Tredwell collection.

Wednesday, January 17, 6 p.m.
Edgar Allan Poe: the Man, the Mystery, the Legend!
Virtual Talk
Co-Sponsored by Village Preservation
In celebration and observance of his birthday on January 19 (his 215th), join thanatologist Matilda Garrido and Poe expert Andrea Janes (virtually!) for a deep dive into Poe’s early life and evolution as a writer, his time in New York, when he lived just steps from the Tredwells, and his mysterious death in Baltimore. A Q&A follows the talk. Free (suggested donation $10).

Andrea Janes is the owner and founder of Boroughs of the Dead and the co-author of A Haunted History of Invisible Women. She has also written the YA novel Glamour and several short stories. She lives in Brooklyn, where she can usually be found roaming in a cemetery, swimming in the ocean, or telling ghost stories to her daughter. Visit her online at www.andreajanes.com

Matilda Garrido is a certified thanatologist (Association for Death Education and Counseling) and holds master’s degrees in thanatology and bioethics. She has extensive experience working with the dying, families of the dying, and the bereaved. Matilda is focused on normalizing the experience of grief and reducing death fears through education, action, and increased community support for the dying and grieving. She enthusiastically supports the mission of the Merchant’s House Museum, including its exploration of 19th century death practices and contemporary death education.

Friday, January 19, 6:30 p.m.
Celebrating Poe’s Birthday: Poetry Reading with John Kevin Jones
Virtual Program
Join us, virtually, in celebration of Edgar Allan Poe’s 215th birthday, when the masterful John Kevin Jones takes on the 19th century master of horror, performing Annabelle Lee and The Raven, as Poe himself did at the literary salons of the period. We’ll also present a preview of Killing an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe: Murder at the Merchant’s House, which will return to the Merchant’s House later this year. A live Q&A with Mr. Jones follows the performance. It will be a bone-chilling evening of irrational revenge, obsession and premeditated murder, dismemberment, and the very, very dark. 60 minutes. Free (suggested donation $10).

FEBRUARY

Through Wednesday, February 21
Love in the Parlors:
A Virtual Valentine in Concert
In this virtual concert, the renowned Bond Street Euterpean Singing Society presents lush, romantic vocal music, performed in the Museum’s authentic Greek Revival double parlor. Singers Anthony Bellov, Amy Gluck, Jane Elizabeth Rady, and Dayle Vander Sande perform rarely heard gems by the world’s greatest 19th-century composers, including Beethoven, Liszt, Richard Strauss, Amy Beach, Johann Strauss II, and others. Selected as a Top Pick for Valentine’s Day: NBC Online and TimeOut NY.
$15, $10 MHM Members.

This is a VIRTUAL performance. After purchasing your ticket, you will receive a downloadable PDF with viewing instructions. The concert will be available for unlimited viewing through February 21.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION OPENS Thursday, February 22, through Sunday, May 25
Tiny Beautiful Things: Baby and Children’s Clothing from the Tredwell Collection
Seabury and Eliza Tredwell had eight children and six grandchildren. On display, a selection of baby and children’s garments and accessories spanning the 19th century – including dresses, coats, bonnets, gloves, and three never-before-seen embroidered baptismal gowns. During the 19th century, Victorian ideals transformed childhood into a time of innocence, play, and purity, a view often limited, in practice, to middle-and upper-class families. The Tredwell children’s clothing offers a unique window into their lives here at the Merchant’s House. Included with museum admission.

Friday, February 23, 6:30 p.m.
(Rescheduled from January)
In the Spirit of Science: What’s a Paranormal Investigation All About??
Virtual Program
What exactly goes on during a paranormal investigation? How long does it take, what equipment is used, and what can we hope to realistically discover? Dan, Matilda, and Dr. Lee will discuss past paranormal investigations and what temperature fluctuations, unusual sounds, and visual anomalies might tell us about spirits in a home. What exactly can be considered “proof” of ghosts or spirits? Will we ever be able to prove definitively that ghosts exist and hauntings are real? Join us for an exploration into the scientific method of paranormal investigation.
Free (suggested donation $10).

In the Spirit of Science is a monthly video podcast on topics related to ongoing paranormal research at the Merchant’s House. Using the scientific method, with unbiased observation and systematic experimentation, this research is building a better understanding of the strange and fascinating phenomena experienced by staff, volunteers, and visitors at “Manhattan’s Most Haunted House” (The New York Times).

The research project and monthly virtual programs are led by neuroscientist Dr. Lee, thanatologist and MHM volunteer Matilda Garrido, and Dan Sturges, founder of Sturges Paranormal, who appears on the Travel Channel’s weekly series, Paranormal Caught on Camera.

NEW VIRTUAL PROGRAM SERIES!
Wednesday, February 28, 6 p.m.
“ASK A … ” Funeral Director: Amy Cunningham
Virtual Program
Death and mourning were pervasive and integral parts of life in the 19th century. In the 20th century, with advances in medical care and changes in the industry around death and dying, the end of life moved from the home to hospitals, causing many customs of dying and bereavement to disappear. Today, many of these 19th century customs are making a resurgence.

Join thanatologist Matilda Garrido for interactive interviews with those working today in the field of death and dying. Bring your questions and be part of a larger conversation as we explore death and celebrate life.

Although the funeral industry has evolved and changed dramatically from its rise in the 19th century, we are seeing an increased interest in returning to the practice of home funerals. In February’s “Ask A…” program, home and green funeral director Amy Cunningham will speak with Matilda about the current state of the funeral industry, thoughtfully planning your own funeral, and ecologically-friendly options that are in development. Free (suggested donation $10).

Amy Cunningham‘s thirty-year career in magazine journalism took an abrupt turn in 2009 when her elderly father’s memorial event in South Carolina opened her up to the healing power and magnificence of end-of-life experiences and funerals. She attended mortuary school in her mid-fifties and became a New York licensed funeral director in 2012. Her well-respected blog TheInspiredFuneral.com and her earth-friendly company, Fitting Tribute Funeral Services, have contributed to the changing landscape of the funeral industry. When not directing funerals, she teaches end-of-life experience design, funeral planning, and the greening of the funeral business at Green-Wood Cemetery and the NY Open Center/One Spirit Learning Alliance where she is on the faculty of the Integrative Thanatology Death Education Counselor Program.

MARCH

Thursday, March 7, 6 p.m.
The Peculiar Story of Doesticks and the Fortunetellers
In-person Illustrated Talk with Author Marie Carter
Co-sponsored by Village Preservation, Salmagundi Club, and the Victorian Society
Meet Q.K. Philander Doesticks, P.B. (real name: Mortimer Thomson), a reporter for The New-York Tribune, who in 1857 investigated the fortune tellers of the Lower East Side, and eventually wrote a book about them titled The Witches of New York. When his articles were published in book form in 1858, they catalyzed a series of arrests that both scandalized and delighted the public. But Mortimer was guarding some secrets of his own, and in many ways his own life paralleled the lives of the women he both visited and vilified.

This talk, in celebration of the release of Marie Carter’s book, Mortimer & the Witches: A Nineteenth-Century History of Fortune Telling from Fordham University Press, leads us into the world of Doesticks who hobnobbed with literary luminaries of his time including Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, the wildly-popular columnist Fanny Fern, and biographer James Parton. It will also examine some of the stories of those supposedly “evil” fortune tellers who showed up in the press in surprising ways. Free (registration required).

Event location: Rockwell Gallery at Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street).

Marie Carter is a New York City-based writer and tour guide who hails from Scotland. She is a tour guide with Boroughs of the Dead, a NYC walking tour company that specializes in macabre, strange, and ghostly histories. Her most recent book, Mortimer and the Witches, will be published by Fordham University Press in March 2024. She is also the author of The Trapeze Diaries and Holly’s Hurricane, a historical novel set in the future. www.mariewritesandedits.com

Sunday, March 10 & March 24, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
(Second & Fourth Sunday of each month)
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

Wednesday, March 13, 6 p.m.
In the Footsteps of Bridget Murphy: A Virtual House Tour
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, join us on Zoom for a “back-stairs” virtual tour of the Merchant’s House to experience what daily life was really like for the Tredwells’ Irish servants, and for the thousands of women like them who worked in domestic service in 19th century New York City. We’ll visit four floors of period rooms, from the ground floor kitchen to the 4th floor servants’ quarters, “arguably the oldest intact site of Irish habitation in New York City” (Time Out New York). Free (suggested donation $10).

Saturday, March 16, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: Reinventing the Bond Street Neighborhood, 1865-1900
Created and led by museum docent Michelle Barshay
Join us for a captivating journey to discover the pivotal changes that shaped the “Bond Street area,” once a residential neighborhood for wealthy merchant families like the Tredwells. On this 90-minute tour, we’ll witness the dramatic changes that unfolded as commercial interests began to encroach, compelling these families to move uptown and triggering a metamorphosis of the entire neighborhood. Homes evolved into boarding houses, business establishments, or were demolished. By 1900, the once-fashionable neighborhood was primarily a commercial area, known for printing and manufacturing. Our walking tour will lead you to the majestic landmarks – from the imposing De Vinne Press to the Schermerhorn factory, Robbins & Appleton, and the historic Fire Engine #33. $20; MHM Members Free.

Sunday, March 24, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
(Second & Fourth Sunday of each month)
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

Wednesday, March 27, 6 p.m.
“ASK A … ” Death Doula: Diane Button, Angela Shook, & Gabby Jimenez
Virtual Program
In the 19th century, the dying were cared for at home by family, friends, and servants. As we move into the 21st century, we are seeing a desire to return to these practices of compassionate care in the rise of the End of Life Doula profession. What is an End of Life Doula? Should you use one? Join Matilda as she interviews End of Life Doulas Diane Button, Angela Shook, and Gabby Jimenez, authors of The Doula Toolkit. Free (suggested donation $10)

“ASK A…” is a recurring virtual program in which thanatologist Matilda Garrido interviews those working today in the field of death and dying. Death and mourning were pervasive and integral parts of life in the 19th century. In the 20th century, with advances in medical care and changes in the industry around death and dying, the end of life moved from the home to hospitals, causing many customs of dying and bereavement to disappear. Today, many of these 19th century customs are making a resurgence.

Diane Button, MA, has a passion for having deep and meaningful conversations about life and death. She is an author, educator, and has been working with the dying for over 18 years. She is a former National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) board member and has written several books on death, dying, and doula work including Dear Death: Finding Meaning in Life, Peace in Death, and Joy in an Ordinary Day. She recently co-authored The Doula Tool Kit: The Complete Practical Guide for End-of-Life Doulas & Caregivers. Her work has been featured in the NY Times, Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, Compassion and Choices, MarketWatch, Hour of Power, AARP, UCSF, and Stanford University. In addition to her work with the dying, Diane is the Director of Dream of a Better World, a 501(c)3 non-profit.

Angela Shook is an end-of-life doula, a hospice volunteer, and a pet loss doula. She is the owner of Dragonfly End-of-Life Services and served on the board of directors of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) from 2018-2022. Along with Diane Button and Gabby Jimenez, she recently co-authored The Doula Tool Kit: The Complete Practical Guide for End-of-Life Doulas & Caregivers. She is also an instructor for the University of Vermont’s End-of-Life Doula and Companion Animal Doula professional certificate programs.

Gabby Jimenez is a hospice nurse, end-of-life doula, conscious dying educator, blogger, and author. She is dedicated to helping educate others on the kindest and most compassionate ways to help support someone who is dying, as well as those who are preparing to say goodbye, and are grieving. She has created a beautiful community on Facebook, which has over 142,000 followers who have found comfort and relief from what she shares about death, dying, and grief. Since the recent death of her brother, grief education has become a focus for her, which has offered many people comfort and healing. She is a well-respected public speaker, she teaches classes, and she holds seminars where she generously hands over her tools, education, and experience. Her goal is to help improve the way human beings are cared for when they are dying, and when they are grieving.

Friday, March 29, 6:30 p.m. (Rescheduled from February)
In the Spirit of Science
Paranormal Investigation of the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage: The Results Are In!
Co-sponsored by the Bronx Historical Society/Poe Cottage
Poe, his ailing wife, Virginia, and mother-in-law Maria Clemm moved into the c. 1812 cottage in the Bronx during the spring of 1846. It was Poe’s last home. Virginia died in the house in 1847. Dan, Dr. Lee, and Matilda will report on the paranormal investigation undertaken on January 30, the anniversary of Virginia Poe’s death, in the room in which she died. Tune in for the results! Free (suggested donation $10).

APRIL

Thursday, April 4, 6 p.m.
Early Mansions of Lower Fifth Avenue: Illustrated Talk with Anthony Bellov
Co-Sponsored by Salmagundi Club, Village Preservation, the Coffee House Club, and the Victorian Society
Opened in 1823, Fifth Avenue originally vied with several other locations for social supremacy, including St. John’s Park, Lafayette Place, and Second Avenue. By the Civil War, Fifth had become “The Avenue” superseding all other addresses in which to flaunt you had arrived.

In this talk, we’ll explore some of the early mansions constructed on Fifth Avenue below 14th Street in the years prior to achieving social victory. Only one of these early mansions – the Hawley Residence at 47 Fifth – still survives today in anything resembling original condition. It’s now the Salmagundi Club, in which this talk will take place. This talk is presented both in-person (47 Fifth Avenue, at 12th Street) and virtually, via Zoom. Free.

Thursday, April 11, 6 p.m.
Ask An … Embalmer: Monica Torres
The 19th century brought embalming into the mainstream, but Jessica Mitford’s 1963 book The American Way of Death cast the field in a tarnished light for many. Matilda will speak with Monica Torres about how she entered the field and her recent book, Embalming Tips Revealed. We’ll discuss how embalming is evolving in the 21st century and whether it might be an appropriate choice for your family. Join us for this fascinating discussion! Free (suggested donation $10).

Monica H. Torres is a LE, LFD, LC, Reconstruction Specialist, Desairologist and internationally recognized public speaker and technical trainer. Monica is also the owner and founder of NXT Generation Mortuary Support, a trail blazing trade service company which not only offers traditional embalming services and staff support, but also develops untraditional modern online death education programs for professionals and families. She is a first-generation Funeral Director and Embalmer and has worked in the beautification of human bodies since the age of 16.

Monica was honored in 2016 by Vernie Fountain with the FNA Distinguished Professional Service Medallion for her contribution to funeral service. Her company was featured on the cover of American Funeral Director Magazine in 2018 and recognized as one of the funeral industries most innovative companies helping to shape the future of funeral service. Find her online at www.nxtgenmortuarysupport.com and @ColdHandsHosts.

Sunday, April 14 & April 28, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
Co-Sponsored by Village Preservation
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members & VP Members Free.

Saturday, April 20, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: Reinventing the Bond Street Neighborhood, 1865-1900
Created and led by MHM docent Michelle Barshay
Co-Sponsored by Village Preservation
Join us for a captivating journey to discover the pivotal changes that shaped the “Bond Street area,” once a residential neighborhood for wealthy merchant families like the Tredwells. On this 90-minute tour, we’ll witness the dramatic changes that unfolded as commercial interests began to encroach, compelling these families to move uptown and triggering a metamorphosis of the entire neighborhood. Homes evolved into boarding houses, business establishments, or were demolished. By 1900, the once-fashionable neighborhood was primarily a commercial area, known for printing and manufacturing. Our walking tour will lead you to the majestic landmarks – from the imposing De Vinne Press to the Schermerhorn factory, Robbins & Appleton, and the historic Fire Engine #33. $20; MHM Members & VP Members Free.

Friday, April 26, 6:30 p.m.
In the Spirit of Science: Ghost Hunter Spotlight — Ed & Lorraine Warren
Virtual Program
Join Dan, Lee, and Matilda as they look closely at the lives and work of Ed and Lorraine Warren, potentially the most famous ghost hunting couple in America. Notable for their investigations of the Amityville Horror house and the evil doll Annabelle, according to the New Engalnd Society for Psychic Research, “religious authorities consistently turned to Ed & Lorraine to control some of the most profane outbreaks of diabolical phenomena in the country. If you had nobody that would listen or help, you turned to the Warrens.” Famous and infamous at the same time, accusations of fraud ‘haunted’ them throughout their careers. Were they the real deal, or imposters and charlatans? Tune in for our fascinating deep dive. Free (suggested donation $10).

In the Spirit of Science is a video podcast on topics related to ongoing paranormal research at the Merchant’s House. Using the scientific method, with unbiased observation and systematic experimentation, this research is building a better understanding of the strange and fascinating phenomena experienced by staff, volunteers, and visitors at “Manhattan’s Most Haunted House” (The New York Times).

Sunday, April 28, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
Co-Sponsored by Village Preservation
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members & VP Members Free.

MAY

Friday, May 3, 3 p.m.
At the Tredwells’ Table: A Culinary Tour of the Merchant’s House
This unique tour focuses on the culinary customs of mid-19th century New York, including favorite foods, cooking methods, dining etiquette, and entertaining. What did the Tredwell family eat on a daily basis? How did the cook manage meals for a large family without the modern kitchen amenities we take for granted today? What was it like to attend a dinner party in 1850? From grocery shopping, to elaborate parties and receptions, to the Irish servants’ experiences with food, this tour provides an unparalleled look at the Tredwells’ culinary world. 90 minutes. $25 general admission, $20 MHM Members.

Thursday, May 16, 6 p.m.
1830s NYC: A Decade of Social, Political, & Geographical Upheaval
Virtual Program with James Scully
Co-sponsored by Village Preservation and Salmagundi Club.
While New York is a city continually changing and evolving in almost every aspect, it’s hard to top the upheaval of the 1830s. From the worst fire in New York City history to absolute pandemonium surrounding Moving Day — when all NYC leases expired simultaneously — it was truly one of the city’s wildest periods. It’s time to uncover the stories and remnants of 1830s New York like never before.

Join James Scully, NYC tour guide and director / co-creator of Burning Gotham to explore lower Manhattan and the notable sights and scandals of 1830s New York, with a close look at 1835 and how a single year forever changed New York City in big ways. Free.

Saturday, May 18, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: Reinventing the Bond Street Neighborhood, 1865-1900
Created and led by museum docent Michelle Barshay
Join us for a captivating journey to discover the pivotal changes that shaped the “Bond Street area,” once a residential neighborhood for wealthy merchant families like the Tredwells. On this 90-minute tour, we’ll witness the dramatic changes that unfolded as commercial interests began to encroach, compelling these families to move uptown and triggering a metamorphosis of the entire neighborhood. Homes evolved into boarding houses, business establishments, or were demolished. By 1900, the once-fashionable neighborhood was primarily a commercial area, known for printing and manufacturing. Our walking tour will lead you to the majestic landmarks – from the imposing De Vinne Press to the Schermerhorn factory, Robbins & Appleton, and the historic Fire Engine #33. $20; MHM Members Free.

Sunday, May 12 & 26, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
(Second & Fourth Sunday of each month)
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

Tuesday, May 21, 5 to 7 p.m.
NoHo Art Night in the Garden
Bring your sketchpad, water colors, or other medium and join artist Sonya Sklaroff in creating in our 19th century garden, or just come by to enjoy a spring evening. This event is part of the NoHo Art Nexus, a month long art exhibition featuring the work of Sonya Sklaroff in 19 NoHo stores.

Sonya Sklaroff has been painting “en plein air” since she was a child. She draws inspiration from the world around her and is particularly interested in patterns of light and shadow and loves to play with perspective and space. For the evening event, Sklaroff will be using special Japanese opaque watercolors and will be painting the beautiful spring blossoming gardens of Merchant’s House in her unique whimsical and colorful style. Bring your drawing materials or watercolors and join her, or sit alongside and enjoy watching her process while taking in the exquisite garden views. Please note that easels are not allowed.

Free. Enter the garden via Manuel Plaza at 35 East 4th Street.

About the Artist: Sonya Sklaroff graduated with a BFA from The Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA from Parsons School of Design. Her work is included in international corporate, private, and museum collections. Sklaroff’s studio has been based in NoHo for 25 years. Her current exhibition “NoHo Art Nexus: Outside In” (May 2-28) comprises 76 paintings in 19 businesses throughout her NoHo neighborhood.

Opens Wednesday, May 22
Tredwell Costume Collection: Spring & Summer Dress, 1862-1865 (MHM 2002.0840)
This two-piece spring and summer dress, 1862-1865, reflects a transitional style between the 1850s and the 1860s. The invention of synthetic aniline dyes in 1856 made possible the pink color of the fabric, which is printed in an ikat pattern. The use of both aniline dyes and printed (rather than woven) patterns made dresses like this one less expensive, and thus accessible to middle-class women.

Through May 26
Tiny Beautiful Things: Baby and Children’s Clothing from the Tredwell Collection
Seabury and Eliza Tredwell had eight children and six grandchildren. On display, a selection of baby and children’s garments and accessories spanning the 19th century – including dresses, coats, bonnets, gloves, and three never-before-seen embroidered baptismal gowns. During the 19th century, Victorian ideals transformed childhood into a time of innocence, play, and purity, a view often limited, in practice, to middle-and upper-class families. The Tredwell children’s clothing offers a unique window into their lives here at the Merchant’s House.

JUNE

Thursdays in June and July, 5 to 8 p.m.
Summer Evenings in the Garden
Join us for an informal evening to celebrate summer with light refreshments in the garden. Garden admission is free, enter via Manuel Plaza. No reservations.

Live music and guided tours on select evenings at 6 p.m., reservations recommended for house tours.

Thursday, June 6, 6 p.m. – Guided House Tour – $20, MHM Members Free.
Thursday, June 13, 6 p.m. – Guided House Tour – $20, MHM Members Free.
Thursday, June 20, 6 p.m. – Costumed Guided House Tour – $25, MHM Members Free.
Led by a costumed guide; come in your best 19th century attire (costumes optional)
Thursday, June 27, 6 p.m. – Live Music with Jazz Flutist Cheryl Pyle – Free, no reservations.

Friday, June 7, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: Reinventing the Bond Street Neighborhood, 1865-1900
Created and led by museum docent Michelle Barshay
Join us for a captivating journey to discover the pivotal changes that shaped the “Bond Street area,” once a residential neighborhood for wealthy merchant families like the Tredwells. On this 90-minute tour, we’ll witness the dramatic changes that unfolded as commercial interests began to encroach, compelling these families to move uptown and triggering a metamorphosis of the entire neighborhood. Homes evolved into boarding houses, business establishments, or were demolished. By 1900, the once-fashionable neighborhood was primarily a commercial area, known for printing and manufacturing. Our walking tour will lead you to the majestic landmarks – from the imposing De Vinne Press to the Schermerhorn factory, Robbins & Appleton, and the historic Fire Engine #33. $20; MHM Members Free.

Friday, June 7, 6:30 p.m.
In the Spirit of Science: Can a Building Drive People MAD?
Virtual Program
Dan, Lee, and Matilda are joined by Andrea Janes, co-author of A Haunted History of Invisible Women, to explore whether buildings themselves can drive their inhabitants crazy. Using the particular case of a building in NYC’s West Village, we’ll discuss energy and vibrational patterns (or actual possessions) of structures that might impact the actions and mental states of those who live in them. Free (suggested donation $10).

Sunday, June 9 & 23, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
(Second & Fourth Sunday of each month)
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

Wednesday, June 12, 6:30 p.m.
An Interior Designer’s Perspective: Life, Customs, and Style in Mid-19th Century New York
A Virtual House Tour
The miracle of the Merchant’s House is that it remains intact with the family’s original 19th century furniture, decorative arts, artwork, curtains and other textiles, encapsulating a moment in time. In this immersive video experience, you’ll follow interior designer and MHM volunteer docent Dennis McAvena through a unique portal of New York City’s design history. You’ll tour all five floors of this landmark late-Federal and Greek Revival rowhouse, exploring how the design of the period rooms, from the elegant to the utilitarian, reflected the family’s values and taste, and informed their use. A Q&A with host Dennis McAvena will follow the tour. Free (suggested donation $10).

Special Exhibition opens Thursday, June 13
I MHM: Fan Art of a National Treasure
The landmark 1832 Merchant’s House is indisputably a National Treasure. It is also much beloved by the many people who have been swept up in its magic over the years. The house has inspired visitors, volunteers, children, and passersby to create artworks in homage since it became a museum in the 1930s. Today, our archive is bursting with photographs, paintings, sculptures, mixed-media, and other artworks.

On display, for the first time, are pieces depicting the late-Federal and Greek Revival facade and selected architectural features by professional and amateur artists. As the Museum fights development next door (and faces possible closure as a result), these works can’t help but serve as a reminder that we must save the Merchant’s House! Included with regular admission.

Through June 28
See You at the Ball! Objects from New York’s 1860 Prince of Wales Ball
In October 1860, Albert Edward, the 19-year old Prince of Wales, arrived in New York as part of his four-month tour of North America. The visit was the first of its kind by a British Monarch, and his arrival was eagerly anticipated by New York society. As part of the four-day visit, a grand ball was held in the Prince’s honor at the Academy of Music, just a few blocks from the Tredwells’ home. With thousands in attendance, it was the highlight of the social season. On display, items worn or brought to the ball by Miss Anne Punnett. This collection has recently been donated to the Merchant’s House by an anonymous donor.

Saturday, June 29, 1:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Walking Tour: Rediscovering 19th-Century Women in the Bond Street Area
Created and led by MHM docent Michelle Barshay
Step into the vibrant world of 19th century NoHo, then known as the “Bond Street Area,” where women from all walks of life made their mark on history. On a captivating 90-minute walking tour through this historic neighborhood, we’ll uncover the fascinating stories of the diverse women who helped shape its character.

Our tour will showcase the rich tapestry of female experiences that once graced these iconic streets: resilient servants, savvy boarding house managers, visionary artists, pioneering publishers, bustling shopkeepers, and society women seeking education. Along the way, we’ll see some important buildings of the period, including the first lending library and the first animal hospital, both founded by visionary women.

Get ready for a journey filled with inspiring tales of the Bond Street Area’s remarkable women!

JULY

Thursdays in July, 5 to 8 p.m.
Summer Evenings in the Garden
Join us for an informal evening to celebrate summer with light refreshments in the garden. Garden admission is free, enter via Manuel Plaza. No reservations.

Live music and guided tours on select evenings at 6 p.m., reservations recommended for house tours.

Thursday, July 4 – Closed for Independence Day.
Thursday, July 11, 6 p.m. – Live Music with Jazz Flutist Cheryl Pyle – Free, no reservations. CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER
Thursday, July 18, 6 p.m. – Guided House Tour – $20, MHM Members Free.
Thursday, July 25, 6 p.m. – Guided House Tour – $20, MHM Members Free.

Wednesday, July 10, 6:30 p.m.
Strong Passions: A Scandalous Divorce in Old New York
Book Talk with author Barbara Weisberg
Co-sponsored by Village Preservation, the Salmagundi Club, and the Coffee House Club
On a sparkling spring day in 1853, Mary Emmeline Stevens married Peter Remsen Strong at her family’s elegant Bleecker Street townhouse. They were said to be ideally matched—charming, well-educated, deeply in love, and from two of New York’s best families.

A dozen years later, the couple’s supposedly storybook marriage catastrophically collapsed when Mary confessed to Peter that she was having an affair with his brother. Peter sued Mary for divorce for adultery, but not before she accused him of forcing her into an abortion and having his own affair with the abortionist. The abortionist lived on Waverly Place, where Peter was her landlord.

Barbara Weisberg recounts how the divorce trial Strong v. Strong riveted the nation with a shocking glimpse into the private lives of New York’s elite and raised issues related to women’s rights still in the headlines today. The true tale of a family and country in turmoil at the end of the Civil War, the Strongs’ story—largely set against the backdrop of Greenwich Village—illuminates a world and neighborhood in process of transformation. Free (registration required).

Event location: Skylight Gallery at the Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street)

Sunday, July 14 & 28, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
(Second & Fourth Sunday of each month)
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free,

AUGUST

Wednesday, August 7, 6 p.m.
When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion
Virtual Event
Co-sponsored by Village Preservation
Join author Julie Satow as she discusses her new book When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion. Satow draws on her expert knowledge of New York City history and culture to whisk readers back to a bygone era of innovation and glitz. She chronicles the rise of the department store through dazzling portraits of three female powerhouses who broke barriers and created new and evolving possibilities for working women.

In the golden age of the American department store, every wish could be met under a single roof: one could take afternoon tea, browse the latest fashions, and even plan a wedding or funeral. From bustling big cities to Main Street, USA, women—shopper and shopgirl alike—found newfound opportunities for independence. Men may have owned the buildings, but inside, women ruled. Though the names of these iconic stores, from Bendel’s to Lord & Taylor, are well known, the stories of the women who ran them have been largely lost to history—until now. Free.

Sunday, August 25, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
(Second & Fourth Sunday of each month)
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

SEPTEMBER

Sunday, September 8, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
(Second & Fourth Sunday of each month)
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

Friday, September 13, 6:30 p.m.
In the Spirit of Science Virtual Program: Live Walk-Through!
Dan, Lee and Matilda return to the ghostly world of the Merchant’s House, with a live walk through and discussion of phenomena experienced in each room. Different from our formal ghost tours, we’ll touch on the paranormal experiments done in various rooms in the house, and staff encounters with paranormal beings. This hour will whet your appetite for our wildly popular October ghost tours (tickets on sale now!). Don’t delay … they fill up fast! Free (suggested donation $10).

Saturday, September 14, & Sunday, September 22, 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Ghostly Women of Greenwich Village Walking Tour
Presented by Boroughs of the Dead
Meet the ghostly women of Greenwich Village on a 90-minute walking tour that explores the haunting histories of the neighborhood’s most iconic female ghosts. Discover the stories of Gertrude Tredwell, the women of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, Edith Wharton, Rose Butler, Jan Bryant Bartell, Theodosia Burr and more. On this tour we’ll discuss the prevalence and significance of women in ghost stories, and share some chilling and fascinating true life tales.

As a special tribute to one of our most beloved ghosts, Gertrude Tredwell, who was born September 17, 1840, take a self-guided tour of Gertrude’s home prior to joining us for the walking tour at 5 p.m. $35 (MHM add-on $10.50).

Wednesday, September 18, 6 p.m.
Leeches! Arsenic! Water Therapy! Blistering! Unusual Medical Cures from the 19th Century
Virtual Talk
Co-Sponsored by Village Preservation
Before Pasteur and development of germ theory in 1859, medicine was nothing short of the wild wild west. And with antibiotics almost a century away, doctors could only treat the symptoms of the sickness, not the sickness itself. The cures were often strange, indeed — and could be worse than the illness. Join MHM volunteers Matilda Garrido and Ashley Semrick on Zoom for a lively discussion of medical cures used in the 19th century. Matilda will tell us all about “cures” such as leeches, bloodletting, and the medicinal use of maggots; Ashley will discuss hydropathy and other cures used by the Roebling family, as well as unusual 19th century ideas about pregnancy and birthing. We’ll finish up with a discussion of the ‘wandering uterus,’ thought for centuries to be the cause of all female ills. Free (suggested donation $10).

Saturday, September 21, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
How Our Garden Grows: Members Only Tour and Reception
Join Head Gardener John Rommel for an exclusive tour of our 19th century garden in bloom. Light refreshments will be provided. Free. This event is open to Members only. Become a Member today!

Through Sunday, September 22
Tredwell Costume Collection: Spring & Summer Dress, 1862-1865 (MHM 2002.0840)
This two-piece spring and summer dress, 1862-1865, reflects a transitional style between the 1850s and the 1860s. The invention of synthetic aniline dyes in 1856 made possible the pink color of the fabric, which is printed in an ikat pattern. The use of both aniline dyes and printed (rather than woven) patterns made dresses like this one less expensive, and thus accessible to middle-class women.

Saturday, September 28, 1:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Walking Tour: Rediscovering 19th-Century Women of NoHo
Created and led by MHM docent Michelle Barshay
Step into the vibrant world of 19th century NoHo, then known as the “Bond Street Area,” where women from all walks of life made their mark on history. On a captivating 90-minute walking tour through this historic neighborhood, we’ll uncover the fascinating stories of the diverse women who helped shape its character.

OCTOBER

Open through Wednesday, October 2
I MHM: Fan Art of a National Treasure
The landmark 1832 Merchant’s House is indisputably a National Treasure. It is also much beloved by the many people who have been swept up in its magic over the years. The house has inspired visitors, volunteers, children, and passersby to create art in homage since it became a museum in the 1930s. Today, our archive is bursting with photographs, paintings, sculptures, mixed-media, and other artworks. On display, for the first time, are pieces depicting the late-Federal and Greek Revival facade and selected architectural features by professional and amateur artists. As the Museum fights development next door (and faces possible closure as a result), these works can’t help but serve as a reminder that we must save the Merchant’s House!

Bandboxes from the Tredwell Collection
Women in the 19th century used hat boxes, or bandboxes, to store personal items such as hats and accessories; the Tredwell Collection contains more than two dozen hats and bonnets, many featuring ribbons, bows, and elaborate plumage. Highly decorated hat boxes were an opportunity to show off one’s wealth and status.

Two bandboxes from the Tredwell collection, 1840-1860, were recently conserved by The Found Object, Inc., thanks to a grant from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network. The conservator found that the boxes had been repaired several times during the 19th century, showing that they were valuable and worth preserving to the Tredwell family.

Sunday, October 13, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

Friday, October 18; Saturday, October 19; Friday, October 25; Saturday, October 26; Sunday, October 27; Wednesday, October 30
Celebrating 20 Years!
Candlelight Ghost Tours of Manhattan’s Most Haunted House

Candlelight Ghost Tours 50 minute tours run every half hour, 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Doors slam, floorboards creak, voices call into the dead of night. Venture into “Manhattan’s Most Haunted House” by flickering candlelight to hear chilling – and true – tales of decades of otherworldly activity in the house, the results of years of paranormal investigations, and the latest stunning scientific findings.

The Tredwell family lived at 29 East 4th Street for nearly 100 years, and at least eight people died in the house. Reports of strange and inexplicable occurrences have been widespread since Gertrude, the last surviving Tredwell, died in 1933. Is it Gertrude who is watching over her family home? Join us and decide for yourself. $45; $35 MHM Members.

Super Spooky Candlelight Ghost Tours with Paranormal Investigator Dan Sturges
90-minute tour begins 9:30 p.m.

In 2020, the museum closed due to COVID-19, leaving the house empty of staff and visitors. Dan Sturges, who has undertaken paranormal investigations at the Merchant’s House for 15 years, teamed up with neuroscientist Dr. Lee to conduct scientific research using specialized equipment custom-built for the house. Mounting fact-based evidence points to the very likely reality of paranormal activity at the Merchant’s House.

Join paranormal investigator Dan Sturges on a 90-minute In-Person Super Spooky Candlelight Ghost Tour for an in-depth look at the latest research and findings. Dan is the founder of Sturges Paranormal and appears on the Travel Channel’s weekly series, Paranormal Caught on Camera. He has performed investigations at the Merchant’s House – and documented his spine-chilling findings – since 2007.
$70; $60 MHM Members.

Ghost Tour Policies

- - Please arrive on time! Doors open 10 minutes before each tour.
  - No late entry once the tour begins. Latecomers will only be moved to a different time slot if there is room. No refunds for latecomers.
  - Large bags and coats must be checked in the coat room. They may not be carried on the tour. Bags include handbags, briefcases, suitcases, backpacks, and shopping bags.
  - Participants must be able to climb four flights of stairs and stand for 50-90 minutes.
  - Children under 12 not permitted.

Saturday, October 19, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: Reinventing the Bond Street Neighborhood, 1865-1900
Created and led by museum docent Michelle Barshay
Join us for a captivating journey to discover the pivotal changes that shaped the “Bond Street area,” once a residential neighborhood for wealthy merchant families like the Tredwells. On this 90-minute tour, we’ll witness the dramatic changes that unfolded as commercial interests began to encroach, compelling these families to move uptown and triggering a metamorphosis of the entire neighborhood. Homes evolved into boarding houses, business establishments, or were demolished. By 1900, the once-fashionable neighborhood was primarily a commercial area, known for printing and manufacturing. Our walking tour will lead you to the majestic landmarks – from the imposing De Vinne Press to the Schermerhorn factory, Robbins & Appleton, and the historic Fire Engine #33. $20; MHM Members Free.

Friday, October 25, 6 p.m.
Book Talk with Barbara Weisberg
Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism
Co-Sponsored by Village Preservation and the Salmagundi Club
Ghosts, seances, and the macabre go hand in hand with Greenwich Village’s reputation as a haven for Bohemians, writers, and artists. Washington Square Park was once a mass grave with over 20,000 bodies buried there. In the 19th century, Spiritualism swept the country as people wanted to talk to the dead. But where did Spiritualism get its start?

Join Barbara Weisberg for this special event, just in time for Halloween, as she recounts a fascinating story of spirits and conjurors, skeptics and converts in the second half of nineteenth-century America viewed through the lives of Kate and Maggie Fox, the sisters whose purported communication with the dead gave rise to the Spiritualism movement – and whose recanting forty years later is still shrouded in mystery. Free; registration required. Event location: Skylight Gallery at Salmagundi Club, 47 5th Ave (at 12th Street)

Wednesday, October 9 – Sunday, November 10
Exhibition – “Truly We Live in a Dying World:” A 19th Century Home in Mourning
Including rarely exhibited items of Tredwell family mourning dress and accessories from the collection.
Step back in time to 1865, when family patriarch Seabury Tredwell died at home in his second floor bedroom. Poignant scenes of death and grief recreated in the House will explore mid-19th century mourning customs. Pay your last respects at his deathbed upstairs, or join the mourning in the double parlor, hung with black crepe curtains and set for a mid-19th century funeral. Also on display, mourning accessories from the Tredwell collection. Included with regular admission.

NOVEMBER

Thursday, October 31 – Sunday, November 10
12 Performances Only!
Killing an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe: Seance at the Merchant’s House
In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe lived on Amity Street (now West 3rd Street), just blocks from the Merchant’s House. His publication of “The Raven” had brought him instant fame and invitations to the city’s most fashionable literary salons in the city, where he performed his work.

Join John Kevin Jones (A Christmas Carol at the Merchant’s House) in the Merchant’s House Museum’s double parlor — set for a 19th century funeral complete with casket — for a hauntingly memorable performance of Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Angel of the Odd” and, of course, “The Raven.” It will be a bone-chilling evening of irrational revenge … obsession and premeditated murder … dismemberment … and the very, very dark. Tickets $65-75, run time 60 minutes.

Sunday, November 17, 1:30 p.m.
Walking Tour: The Tredwells’ World of 19th Century Noho
With the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, the city’s economy boomed and wealthy merchant families escaped the increasing noise, congestion, and commercialization of the seaport area to move “uptown,” to what is now modern day NoHo, then an exclusive residential enclave. Join us as we explore the Tredwells’ elite neighborhood and discover what life was like for the wealthy merchant class in the mid-19th century. $20; MHM Members Free.

Walking tours are 90 minutes and meet outside the Merchant’s House.

Friday, November 22, 6:30 p.m.
In the Spirit of Science: Is there a “Seance Brain”?
Virtual Program
Are seances just a bunch of random spooky stuff, all that sitting around a table in the dark, or are they potentially something more? And if they do facilitate communication with the dead, how do they do that?

We’ll discuss why seances are conducted the way they are, the varying rituals involved – and how they affect participants, both neurologically (the brain) and psychologically (the mind and feelings). Free (suggested donation $10).

Tuesday, November 26 – Sunday, December 29
Celebrating our 12th holiday season!
A Christmas Carol at the Merchant’s House: Charles Dickens in New York, 1867
In December 1867, Charles Dickens arrived in New York City for a month of sold-out performances of his beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. As the New York Herald exclaimed, “The Christmas Carol becomes doubly enchanting when one hears it performed by Dickens.”

Join Mr. Dickens, portrayed by John Kevin Jones, as he tells his timeless Christmas tale in the elegant intact Greek Revival double parlor of the landmark 1832 Merchant’s House Museum.

Surrounded by 19th century holiday decorations, flickering candles, and richly appointed period furnishings, audiences will be transported back 150 years in this captivating performance created from Dickens’ own script.

DECEMBER

Saturday, December 7, 1:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Walking Tour: 19th-Century Women of Noho
Created and led by MHM docent Michelle Barshay
Step into the vibrant world of 19th century NoHo, then known as the “Bond Street Area,” where women from all walks of life made their mark on history. On a captivating 90-minute walking tour through this historic neighborhood, we’ll uncover the fascinating stories of the diverse women who helped shape its character.