Is Van Cortlandt Park & Museum worth visiting?

The Van Cortlandt House Museum, the oldest house in the Bronx, offers a critical setting to examine how colonial economies, migration, and nation-building shaped contemporary life within its 18th-century New York provisioning plantation setting.

What are the best things to see and do at Van Cortlandt Park & Museum?

Visitors can engage with history through self-guided tours that explore the house, its grounds, and historical collections, focusing on its historical inhabitants from 1749-1823. The museum also frequently hosts exhibitions, talks, and workshops on themes such as enslaved people, women's work, and the Revolutionary War era. Check the official site for current programs.

What are the opening hours at Van Cortlandt Park & Museum?

The Van Cortlandt House Museum is open for self-guided tours Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Please check the official site for date-specific hours, as the museum will be closed June 3-5 for exhibition installation.

Is Van Cortlandt Park & Museum suitable for young children, and what ages is it best for?

The Van Cortlandt Park & Museum is suitable for all ages, providing educational experiences about an 18th-century New York provisioning plantation.

What is the address for Van Cortlandt Park & Museum?

Van Cortlandt Park & Museum is located at 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471.

Van Cortlandt Park & Museum

Write a Review The Bronx, New York All ages Verified•Historic Site

Last reviewed June 2026 by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards

Visit Website

About Van Cortlandt Park & Museum

Step inside the oldest house in the Bronx and the layered history of an 18th-century estate.

The oldest house in the Bronx, the Van Cortlandt House Museum preserves an 18th-century estate and tells the full social history of those who lived and worked on the property.

What you'll see and do - Take a self-guided tour interpreting the historical inhabitants from 1749 to 1823 - Learn how the Van Cortlandt family built wealth through trade with the Caribbean and Latin America, including the forced labor of enslaved African people - Explore decorative arts and the workings of an 18th-century New York provisioning plantation - Attend public programs, exhibitions, talks, and workshops on enslaved people's lives, women's work, and the Revolutionary War era

Attraction Details

Facilities

Toilets
Gift Shop
Baby Changing
Food Options
Parking
Pushchair Friendly
Wheelchair Friendly

Events at Van Cortlandt Park & Museum

History Stitched Together: Bronx Bicentennial Quilts
On View through June 6, 2025
This traveling exhibition displays intricate patchwork quilts created by Bronx women in 1976 to honor the U.S. Bicentennial, depicting landmarks, national icons, and personal memories.
Virtual Book Talk- Washington's Gay General: the Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben
Thursday, June 5, 2025
Authors Josh Trujillo and Levi Hastings discuss their graphic novel about Baron von Steuben, a significant but often overlooked gay military leader of the American Revolution.
Black Landowners in the Bronx in the Early 1800s
Tuesday, February 11th, 2025
Historian Keith Doherty discusses early farms in the Bronx owned by free Black men during the era of Gradual Emancipation and their struggle for financial independence and suffrage.
The Legacy of Former "Colored" School No. 4
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Historian Eric K. Washington discusses the 19th-century 'Colored' School No. 4 in Manhattan, highlighting its significance as a Black heritage site and the people associated with it.
Heartfelt History: Valentine Card-Making Workshop
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Step back in time to craft handmade Valentines inspired by 18th and 19th-century designs, using classic techniques like paper folding and cutouts.
Free Pop-Up Craft: Mimosa Flowers for International Women's Day
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Celebrate International Women’s Day by creating mimosa flowers, a symbol of strength and resilience, with a free craft activity.
Through Their Hands: Three Centuries of Women's Work and Daily Life in New York
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Join VCHM Director Margaret Holmes for a guided tour exploring the lives of women in New York from the 17th through 19th centuries, using museum objects and historic spaces.
She-Merchants, Sachems, and Slaves: Women in Colonial New York
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson discusses women’s rights, roles, and challenges in diverse colonial New York cultures, including Munsee, Iroquois, African, Dutch, and English.
The Barbados-New York Connection: Enslavement and Exchange in the 17th and 18th Centuries
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Dr. Seth Kamil presents an online presentation exploring the intertwined history of enslavement and exchange between Barbados and New York that shaped the colonial landscape.
Through Their Hands: Women's Work and Daily Life in Early New York
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
VCHM Director Margaret Holmes talks about the lives of women in New York from the 1600s to 1800s, examining their roles, challenges, and how race, class, and gender influenced their opportunities.
Pinkster: New York’s First African American Celebration
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Celebrate Pinkster with live music, storytelling, tours, art making, flower crown creation, and an Afro-Dutch cooking demonstration on the picturesque museum lawn.
Between Enemy Lines: A Revolutionary War Hike Through Van Cortlandt
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Explore the Revolutionary War history of Van Cortlandt Park with a guided walking tour and optional hike, visiting little-known places that played a role in the conflict.

Plan Your Visit

Family-tested advice for a smoother day at Van Cortlandt Park & Museum.

Best time to visit

Arrive within the first hour of opening for the shortest queues and best photo light.

Who it's for

All ages

Getting there

Onsite or nearby parking available at 6036 Broadway.

Pro tip

Pack snacks, refillable water bottles and a portable charger to keep the day running smoothly.

Directions

Van Cortlandt Park & Museum

6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471

Get Directions Visit Website

This attraction has been claimed and verified.

Last updated 6/23/2026