Merchant's House Museum

Join us tomorrow, May 26, at 6 p.m. for a special reprise of "Changing Tastes in 19th Century Furniture," a "Behind the Ropes" virtual tour! Can't make it tomorrow evening? All ticketholders will receive a link to the recording, valid for one week, to watch (or rewatch) at your leisure! Tickets at https://merchantshouse.org/calendar/reservations/

Today’s Tredwell Times in Art salutes the medium of photography with this 1855 image of Washington Square Park @gettymuseum by American photographer Silas A.Holmes (1820-1886). The image is looking towards Broadway and facing Washington Square East and Washington Place. Visible in the background on the left are the Gothic Revival towers of NYU’s Old Main Building (1835-1894), designed by Alexander Jackson Davis. On the right is the Dutch Reformed Church (1840-1895), designed ...by Minard Lafever, also in the Gothic Revival style. Washington Square Park, after its site was used as a Potter’s field and a parade ground, became a public park in 1827. The area began attracting wealthy families who built the fancy Greek Revival mansions along its edge. Stanford White’s famous marble Washington Arch would not appear until 1890-92. Holmes, who had a studio on Broadway, was known for capturing New York City’s buildings and neighborhoods as it underwent tremendous change. The Tredwells of Fourth Street would have been thoroughly familiar with this view of the Park; they may even be in the photograph! #tredwelltimesinart #washingtonsquarepark #silasholmes #dutchreformedchurch #newyorkuniversity #gothicrevivalarchitecture #americanphotographers #nychistory #oldnewyork #oldwashingtonsquare #tredwellfamily See more

American Gothic: Spine-tingling Tales to Raise Your Spirits is a Facebook Live four-part storytelling series of 19th-century American Gothic literature read by actor Dayle Vander Sande in the authentic period parlor of the Merchant's House Museum. Authors Washington Irving, Nathanial Hawthorne, Mark Twain and Louisa May Alcott make your blood run cold with scenes of terror and woe. Dayle is a longtime museum volunteer and Director of the Bond Street Euterpean Singing Society,... the vocal arts group-in-residence at the Merchant's House. Each Facebook Live event contains Part I of each story. For Part II, visit merchantshouse.org/calendar Previous stories in the series: Thursday, October 1, 7:30 p.m.: "The Devil and Tom Walker" from Tales of a Traveller (1824) by Washington Irving Sunday, October 11, 5 p.m.: "The White Old Maid" from Twice-Told Tales (1837) by Nathanial Hawthorne Sunday, October 18, 7:00 p.m.: "A Ghost Story" (1870) by Mark Twain *Each LIVE event will be 20 minutes long, reading the opening of each story. A link will then be provided to hear the pre-recorded conclusion.

As we are in October’s Mourning Month, today’s Tredwell Times in Art, features a lithograph of a family in mourning ca. 1840 by Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888). This image of remembrance commemorates the death of Sarah Jane, who died on May 11, 1838. Her parents and sister mourn at her grave. Mourning prints such as this were ubiquitous in the 19th century. As the infant mortality rate was so high, they often honored a deceased child. The iconography included weeping willow ...trees in a lush garden, urns engraved with dates of death and comforting Bible verse, and grief-stricken relatives in mourning attire. Mourning images were depicted in works of art, embroidery and other needlework, and mourning jewelry. They replaced the macabre images depicted in Memento Mori of earlier centuries, which focused on reminders of one’s mortality, and were frequently displayed in the home. Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888), established his lithography business in New York City In 1835, and in 1850 he was joined by James Ives. The pair went on to achieve enormous success in the field. #merchantshousemuseum #nathanielcurrier #currierandives #nineteenthcenturyart #lithograph #mourningimages #mourningattire #tredwellfamily #arthistory #mourningcustoms See more

During the six months the Museum was closed due to COVID-19 and the house was empty (or was it?), paranormal investigator Dan Sturges, along with scientist Dr. Lee, conducted extensive paranormal research using specialized equipment custom-built for the house. You're invited into the dark shadows of history virtually, from the safety of your home to hear true stories of the strange and chilling happenings over the Museum’s eight decades, and the startling results of Dan a...nd Dr. Lee's recent investigations. : ' , starts TONIGHT at 6 p.m.! Tickets at www.merchantshouse.org/calendar/reservations Can't join us tonight? This virtual presentation is also offered next Thursday and Friday evenings!

Today we begin the series, The Tredwell Times in Art, which will explore depictions of 19th Century life as it was most likely lived and experienced by the Tredwell family. As October is our Mourning Month, here we have Inconsolable Grief (1884), by Russian artist Iván Kramskoï (1837-1887). Like Mrs. Tredwell would have appeared after the death of her husband Seabury in 1865, the woman depicted in the lush interior is dressed in full mourning attire. In this case, however, ...she is mourning the loss of her child. Visible on the table among the floral arrangements is a glimpse of the white burial dress of her child. All of Mrs. Tredwell’s children lived to adulthood; her two eldest daughters predeceased her, however. So she did share the mother’s grief. #tredwellfamily #arthistory #merchantshousemuseum #tredwelltimesinart #deathandmourning #ivankramskoi #inconsolablegrief #nineteenthcenturymourningcustoms See more

Did you see the Merchant's House and paranormal investigator Dan Sturges on GMA3 today? To discover more about our resident ghosts, including startling new evidence uncovered while the museum was closed due to COVID-19, join us for "Lingering in the Shadows." This virtual paranormal presentation starts TOMORROW, October 23 -- don't miss it! Tickets at www.merchantshouse.org/calendar/reservations.

Join us for the final frightful story in the American Gothic series this Friday, October 23 at 7:30 PM. Read by Dayle Vander Sande, this week's story will be "Lost in a Pyramid (or The Mummy's Curse)" by Louisa May Alcott.

The next in our series of Behind-the-Ropes Virtual Tours, (-) offers a close look at the Tredwell family furniture collection, examining pieces bought for this house, as well as those brought from their previous home. You’ll learn about both the tastes and values of mid-19th century New Yorkers and how growing international connections made lasting impact on design, trade, and international relations. Join MHM Board Member Anthony Bellov and special guest Carswell Rush Berlin for an extraordinary up-close and personal experience of the Tredwell home you won’t want to miss behind the ropes and no stairs to climb! Tickets at http://merchantshouse.org/calendar/reservations/

American Gothic - Spine-tingling Tales to Raise Your Spirits A four-part series of American gothic short stories of the 19th Century read by Dayle Vander Sande, longtime museum volunteer and director of the Bond Street Euterpean Singing Society, the vocal arts group-in-residence at the Merchant's House. This video contains Part One of the story. For Part Two, visit merchantshouse.org/calendar.

Is the Merchant’s House Manhattan’s Most Haunted House, according to The New York Times really haunted? Come hear the evidence and decide for yourself. We're unable to present our in-person Candlelight Ghost Tours this year, but hope you'll join us for : ’ , & , starting next Friday, October 24! Tickets at www.merchantshouse.org/calendar/reservations Venture into the dark and ghostly shadows of history v...irtually to hear true stories of the strange and chilling happenings over the Museum’s eight decades. We'll discuss the methods and findings of past paranormal investigations, and share the startling results of current research conducted during the six months the museum was closed due to COVID-19. The house was empty or was it? Photo by Hal Hirshorn.