Historic Hudson Valley is pleased to announce that tours of Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, Philipsburg Manor, Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, and Union Church of Pocantico Hills will begin on Friday, May 12. Several popular events will also highlight the spring and summer season, including Celebrate Pinkster on Saturday, May 27 and Vote Like a Girl on Saturday, June 10.
At Philipsburg Manor visitors tour the gristmill, walk through the manor house with period artifacts, and learn about the 23 enslaved individuals of African descent who lived and labored on the plantation. At Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, visitors explore the author’s cottage and the bucolic grounds, which were designed by Irving himself, and learn about America’s Founding Father of Literature. Picnic tables are available at both sites and light snacks, as well as souvenirs and local finds, are available to purchase in the museum shops. Visitors to Union Church of Pocantico Hills view spectacular stained-glass windows by European masters, including the last commissioned work by Henri Matisse and nine windows by Marc Chagall, and learn the inspiration behind each one.
At Kykuit, the estate’s modern and classical art collection, architecture, and expansive gardens make it one of the top-rated cultural attractions in the lower Hudson Valley. Visitors to Kykuit learn the story of the Rockefellers, beginning with John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil, whose business acumen made him the richest man in America in his day. He later became the country’s first significant philanthropist and by his death in 1937, he had given away more than half his fortune through various philanthropic programs.
Kykuit visitors can choose from three tours: Classic, Grand, and Selected Highlights.
Celebrate Pinkster, New York’s oldest African American holiday, will be commemorated on May 27 at Philipsburg Manor with a day filled with art, poetry, live music, dance, and storytelling. Visitors will hear spoken word performances, dance to the beat of African drums, listen to a jazz band, participate in a call-and-response song, and more.
Vote Like a Girl at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside on June 10 will explore the exciting lives of women past and present. Activities include a live suffrage debate, photo-ops with suffragette sashes and 19th-century clothing, and STEAM activities and experiments.
Capacity is limited for all the historic site tours and events, and visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online in advance at hudsonvalley.org. Same-day admission prices are subject to a $2 surcharge.
PHILIPSBURG MANOR
In 1750, Philipsburg Manor was home to 23 enslaved individuals known to have lived and labored there. It is the country’s first living history museum to focus on the history of northern slavery.
The site will be open for guided tours Friday-Sunday, May 12-November12 and Saturday-Sunday, November 18-December 17. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and young adults, and $10 for children. Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley members. Admission is by timed ticket only.
Philipsburg Manor is at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., two miles north of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
WASHINGTON IRVING’S SUNNYSIDE
America’s “Founding Father of Literature” created a romantic, picturesque estate nestled along the Hudson riverbank. The house and the furnishings, many of which are original to Irving, have been restored to their 1850s character.
The site will be open for guided tours Friday-Sunday, May 12-September 10. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and young adults, and $10 for children. Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley members. Admission is by timed ticket only.
Washington Irving’s Sunnyside is at 3 W Sunnyside Lane, Irvington, one mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
UNION CHURCH OF POCANTICO HILLS
Union Church was organized as a non-denominational Protestant church in 1915, with John D. Rockefeller among the founders. Over the years, the Rockefeller family commissioned stained-glass windows by European masters Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall to adorn the unassuming country church.
The site will be open for guided tours Friday-Sunday, May 12-November 12. Tickets are $10. Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley members. Admission is by timed ticket only.
Union Church of Pocantico Hills is at 555 Bedford Road, Tarrytown.
KYKUIT, THE ROCKEFELLER ESTATE
Built between 1906 and 1913, Kykuit was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, beginning with John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil. Later, his grandson Nelson Rockefeller, the former governor of New York and vice president of the United States lived there with his family.
The site will be open for guided tours Friday-Sunday, May 12-October 2; Wednesday-Monday, October 4-October 30; and Friday-Sunday, November 3-12.
Kykuit, a historic site of the National Trust, is operated and maintained by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund as a center for its philanthropic programs. Historic Hudson Valley operates the public visitation program.
All visits to Kykuit start at the Kykuit and Philipsburg Manor Visitor Center, located at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., two miles north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. Selected Highlights tour tickets are $25 for adults, $23 for children, young adults and seniors. Westchester County residents receive a $5 discount on the adult ticket price for this tour. Classic tour tickets are $45 for adults, $43 for children, young adults and seniors. Grand tour tickets are $65. Historic Hudson Valley members receive a 15% discount on all Kykuit tickets.
CELEBRATE PINKSTER
Pinkster has been celebrated in New York since the 1700s and is the region’s oldest African American holiday. Visitors will be able to tour the historic site and take in live performances throughout the day. Featured performers include Malik Work, spoken word artist and founder of The Real Live Show; Maurice Brown, Grammy-winning trumpeter; Maxwell Kofi Donkor, master African drummer; Joy Kelly, storyteller; Hallowed Dreamz, krump dance troupe; Imani Uzuri, vocalist and founder of Revolutionary Choir.
Tickets are $14 for adults; $12 for young adults and seniors; and free for children under 17 and Historic Hudson Valley members.
Celebrate Pinkster takes place at Philipsburg Manor, 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., two miles north of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
VOTE LIKE A GIRL
Vote Like a Girl celebrates the power of the vote and the 19th amendment with fun and educational hands-on and interactive activities. Tours of the historic site features stories about the women who lived there in the 19th century.
Tickets are $14 for adults; $12 for young adults and seniors; and free for children under 17 and Historic Hudson Valley members.
Vote Like a Girl takes place at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, 3 W Sunnyside Lane, Irvington, one mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
