Van Cortlandt House Museum

The oldest structure in the Bronx was built in 1748 to house a prominent New York family. The mansion and surrounding grounds—once a provisioning plantation—have been open to the public since 1897. The museum offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Van Cortlandt family as well as the economic development of early New York. VCHM strives to bring to light the identities and experiences of the enslaved Africans whose unfree labor made families like the Van Cortlandts very wealthy and who left a legacy in today’s Van Cortlandt Park that is still visible. Van Cortlandt House Museum also boasts one of the finest collections of eighteenth century decorative arts in New York City, with a special focus on the Queen Anne and Chippendale periods. Get away from the urban bustle without leaving the city: The museum grounds boast a fragrant Colonial Revival herb garden.