During the weekend of October 17-18, Open House New York celebrated it’s 13th annual Open House New York weekend, which included free admission to the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum (BPMM) in The Bronx.
BPMM was on the list among many other contemporary, residential, and industrial historical sites that also opened its doors to visitors, offering the opportunity to enjoy a fall day at the centuries-old mansion.
The day spent at the museum featured free tours of the 1840s mansion and carriage house, guided walks through the 1916 formal sunken garden, wigwam explorations, terrarium-making demonstrations, trail hikes, and live music.
Four centuries of history were explored upon entering BPMM, as visitors were invited to to climb up the same steep spiral staircase of a millionaire 19th century family. Even if the history might have been lost on them, it was fun for the kids, too. The mansion ran a scavenger hunt, where guests of all ages were challenged to find various items throughout the 200-plus acre site.
The 1840’s Greek revival home is open to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12 pm to 4 pm for guided tours.
Here’s a rundown of events the museum will be offering this fall:
Young Scholar Talk: Follow along as fashion history scholar, Claire McRee discusses the social and political implications of the controversial “debutante slouch,” a trendy posture that was condemned as unhealthy and degenerate in the early twentieth century. 7:30 pm, October 22. Show is free, but registration is requested.
The Cemetery Walk and Tombstone Talk: Take a guided, candlelit walk through the Pell Cemetery followed by a 7:00 p.m. talk by tombstone expert and carver Robert Neal Carpenter. 6 pm October 29. Registration for this event is required. Cost: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students; for members, it is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students.
For a full rundown of the museum’s events, check its online calendar.
The Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
895 Shore Road, Pelham Bay Park
Bronx, NY
bartowpellmansionmuseum.org