Merchant's House Museum

07/08/09

Great historic house, staff, and events!

by tjdny at Citysearch

This bit of history is presented well for the modern audience! The house is under constant care and restoration, and the governing board makes an effort to keep the community involved, interested and coming back by offering "behind the scenes" viewings, historic recreations, and great holiday events.

Check out the website at merchantshouse (dot) org, for a listing of coming events, things that make big ol' NYC feel like the small town it once was.

Unique, engaging, historic, and worth return trips for fun events!

• Pros: staff, furnishings, detail, and cool events year-round!
• Cons: a little dark inside, but true to the period

11/01/07

fabulous!

by prettyprettyprincess85 at Citysearch

i LOVE this stuff. went on a ghost tour here last week and loved it so much that i went back for the ghost stories last night (halloween). this place is awesome...highly recommended for history buffs and...anyone looking for an educational scare, really. i'm a history girl but my friends arn't and they were completely into it too. totally eerie...not fake like those other crappy haunted houses (trust me, i've seen it all). this is the real thing...and they have some great stories to prove it. no bs. everyone was so nice, i can't wait to visit again during the day.

10/28/06

"Haunted Tour" interesting historical event

by trulyobjective at Citysearch

Went to the candlelight haunted tour on Friday night. It was a dark and stormy night, perfect for touring a truly haunted house. A bit dissapointed that we were led by flashlights and not actual candellabras (I'm guessing because of fire codes), but there were candles in the actual recreated spaces. The scenes eloquently recreated 19th century living. The tour guide would offer accounts of ghost sightings in the building, but his delivery was very didactic - not spooky or dreary (and our tour group seemed to be ready for a scare). The actors were convincing but the scenes were a little questionable, I would've liked to have learned more about 19th century mourning rituals, etc..

Overall, it was an interesting museum visit with a haunted tinge. Far from the typical maze with chainsaw crazies and clowns.

• Pros: Historical lesson, different halloween experience
• Cons: Tour guide could've been creepier

10/15/05

Beautiful historical house!

by daylevs at Citysearch

I love this house museum! I just went to its Halloween Ghost Tour (Fridays in October) last night and loved the true ghost stories and seeing the house draped in black for mourning. Very creepy! I went for New Year's Day last year and have been back for many events since. I'll be at the Psychic Night this Wednesday, too!

• Pros: Creative events, Educational, Living history
• Cons: Could use audio phone

10/15/05

The best haunted house in the world

by citikid34 at Citysearch

Went on a deeply engrossing special tour of the museum last Friday night, during which they explained the October installation - "Victorian Mourning" - and shared tales of ghosts and supernatural happenings in the house. Terrific orientation video and an entertaining way to spend money for a good cause. I can't wait to go back and see the historic house during regular hours to see the antiques, art, and 19th Century stuff. If you like history, this place is a treasure!

• Pros: educational, entertaining, important cause
• Cons: crowded, no place to sit

A Gilded-Age, seven-floor home formerly inhabited by the tradesman Seabury Tredwell.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Seabury Tredwell, his wife, his eight children and numerous Irish-immigrant servant girls inhabited this dwelling. Forbidden by her father to marry, Gertrude Tredwell resolved to live a life of spinsterhood in the family home. She died in 1933 at age 92, having changed virtually nothing in the 100-year-old house. Ninety percent of the furnishings are original New York Federal, Victorian and Greek-revival style pieces that were popular in the early- to mid-19th century.

09/27/02

Authentic and unique

by bradamant at Citysearch

Much of the renovation has been completed since the last review was written. What is amazing about this house is that so much of the furnishing is orginal to the house -- not just period furniture brought in from elsewhere. I do agree that the bulky binders have to go. A well-designed booklet would be better.