Merchant's House Museum

Merchant's House Museum

Merchant's House Museum
4.5
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
The Merchant's House Museum is New York City's only 19th century home preserved intact, with original family furnishings and personal belongings.A unique survivor of Old New York, the House offers a rare and intimate glimpse of how a prosperous merchant family and their Irish servants lived from 1835 to 1865, when New York grew from seaport to thriving metropolis."The distinction of the Merchant's House -- and it is a powerful one -- is that it is the real thing. One simply walks through the beautiful doorway into another time and place in New York."The New York Times
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: Downtown Manhattan (Downtown)
How to get there
  • Bleecker St • 4 min walk
  • 8th St – NYU • 4 min walk
Reach out directly

See what travelers are saying

  • Farwriter
    London, United Kingdom169 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of my favourite museums in New York - under threat!
    A wonderful and important museum. A 19th century house which was lived in by a merchant and his family, and occupied by his daughter until her death in the 1930s, when it became a museum. The decor and furniture is therefore completely authentic and not recreated later on. They have extensive collections of artefacts and clothing from the period (not all on display but an important historical resource). The atmosphere is wonderful. I paid $15 and was there around an hour and a half. I prefer a self-guided visit, and the museum provides a comprehensive folder of information about each room so that worked well. I was one of only a few visitors so it was great to be on my own in those rooms and imagine one of the family about to walk in! The building is an official landmark but is there are plans to build a 7 storey building next door which would damage the historic foundations, plasterwork etc. Shocking that such a development is permitted right next to a rare surviving historic house. They are campaigning and fundraising at the moment to fight against the development - please support the campaign!
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written February 27, 2024
  • Justin W
    Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey7,037 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful warm evening concert in the garden
    The Merchant House Museum has an excellent evening outside in the summer when they have music in the back garden. What a wonderful evening it was that night. Flutist Cheryl Pyle played an hour concert of classic songs and explained a bit about her career. It was such a relaxing concert with a small crowd set in the Merchant House Museum gardens when in full bloom. For a small donation, there was wine and small snacks to enjoy. In between we had time to admire this wonderful setting. The flowers and plants were so colorful.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written June 28, 2024
  • Kevin B
    Mount Juliet, Tennessee4,243 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely museum!
    This is such an interesting museum! We had heard about it as the building is under duress with the building of a high rise next door and we wanted to make sure we saw it now in case some of the plaster inside is damaged due to the construction. The house is one of the only preserved homes from the 19th century and it's fascinating to see how people lived at that time. You're given a binder of information at the beginning of the tour and we enjoyed that there was a self-guided options (docents are available for questions and they were very helpful). The home is beautiful and they've done a great job in preserving it. It was a lovely museum to tour and we hope that the building can be preserved and not damaged due to nearby construction!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 11, 2024
  • batmom99
    Brooklyn Park, Minnesota129 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    History of a Home
    I heard about this place on a podcast I listen to (And That's Why We Drink) and that really piqued my interest. When I traveled to Manhattan for a long weekend, I knew I had to make this part of my trip. I tried to buy a ticket online, but it appeared the tour was sold out... however when I showed up, I found out the website is still at to COVID protocol for group numbers, but they allow more than 8 on a tour, so I paid in the little shop and joined the tour. A truly fascinating house-- most of it is still decorated in the original family's pieces. There are also many informational plaques and displays throughout the 3 stories. Once the tour is over, guests can spend as much time as they want exploring on their own. You can also visit and not pay for the tour.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written July 11, 2024
  • Voyager212
    263 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating and unique Manhattan experience
    Fascinating small museum. Furnished 19th century house, as it would have been lived in at the time. Self guided tour - borrow a helpful well written guide book providing insights into the lives of the family who actually lived there. Highly recommended.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written November 11, 2024
  • Beth D
    Gurnee, Illinois17 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden gem in NoHo
    Unique place to visit in NYC since there are only a few presented houses from this time period. This one includes the original furnishings. Great place to pop in to and spend as much or as little time as you would like.
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 17, 2024
  • mishmosh_1
    Cincinnati, Ohio184 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So glad we went!
    We did the tour with the docent guide, rather than self guided. It was great! The house is interesting, a real time capsule right in the middle of nyc. Amazing that it is still there and preserved. The guide helped everyone understand what the day to day lifestyle was like at the time for the family who lived there and their staff. He also pointed out details that were easy to miss otherwise. At the end you can wander around and look at everything on your own. We are so glad we managed to fit this experience into our trip. We learned a lot. TIPS: Book ahead—the docent-led tour is small and sells out. There is a coat room and restrooms. A small part is outdoors in the garden. There are lots of stairs! It’s tight in many spots so dont carry big bags on the tour. There is a tiny gift shop corner near the ticket desk.
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 2, 2024
  • Joseph M
    East Sandwich, Massachusetts2,396 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden Gem of Museum
    This is an 1832 townhouse that was lived in by the same family until the daughter of the man who built it died in 1933. The family had never updated it beyond electricity and plumbing so it retains its original layout, and it retains all of its original 1800's furnishings. A bit old school -- they give you a binder with written info about each room for your self-tour. There is a guided tour at noon Wednesday to Sunday. It is in great shape and I learned a lot about how a wealthy merchant lived in that time.
    Visited January 2025
    Traveled solo
    Written January 27, 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles337 reviews
Excellent
225
Very good
86
Average
25
Poor
0
Terrible
1

Justin W
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ7,037 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
The Merchant House Museum has an excellent tour during the Halloween season taking a Candlelight tour of the house. You join a group of people walking around the house in the dark hearing stories of the family and the strange occurrences of the house.

The 50 minute tour of the house takes you to levels and the tour guides gives you a nice depiction of the family life at the house. During the day, the tour is much more informative and lets you see the whole house. At night though, it really does spook you. Don't miss the Halloween tour.
Written October 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Justin W
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ7,037 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
The Merchant House Museum is a fascinating tour of a turn of the last century house owned for 100 years by the Tredwell family When the last family member died in 1934, they turned it into a museum. A family member saved a time capsule of artifacts and antiques that show a look into the life of a Upper Class merchant family.

The rooms are furnished in original family furniture and includes all family items, furniture, clothing and collections of the family. Each room is tastefully maintained and furnished as if the family was still living there. The tour is self guided so you get to explore the house at your own pace.

There was a very interesting exhibition on Valentine's Day cards that the family collected, the parlor was set up for New Year's Day visiting where neighbors would call on each other for a short period of time and the downstairs kitchen was set up for cooking a meal. It was if the family was still living there and just left for the afternoon.

There are four floors of rooms to visit including the living room, dining room, library, bedrooms and servants quarters. The gardens in the back were just coming into bloom but were well maintained and it was nice to walk around.

This is a little hidden gem of a museum and should not be missed.
Written March 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Judy423
East Brunswick, NJ46 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Friends
Our docent Dennis really brought the house to life for us with his stories about the family, the servants, their lifestyle, and the objects and furnishings that have remained in the house since the early 1800s. He pointed out its evolution over the nearly hundred years it was occupied by the Treadwell family. This incredible museum is unique and sadly may be in danger from the erection of a modern building in the vacant lot next-door. Don’t miss this museum and ask for Dennis to be your tour guide. You won’t be disappointed!
Written January 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

aehall7
Columbus, OH233 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Friends
It was amazing to walk through a house with rooms as they were long ago. It helps to try to picture some of what daily life would have been like. The binder available at the start of the self-guided tour was informative as we made our way through rooms. There are many small steps with shorter depth than usual to climb from floor to floor. Recommend in particular for fans of history.
Written May 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mamabug7
Webster73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021 • Solo
This was the highlight of my recent trip to NYC. The house is incredibly well preserved & maintained. I loved that the tour was self-guided. I was given a very thorough guide book & docents were available to answer any questions I had. The house provides a glimpse into a family and time period of New York that I didn’t know a lot about.
The fact that the city wants to build a hotel right next door is horrifying- the museum would not be able to withstand all the construction. Your visit will help the museum in its continued fight against this.
Written October 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MSUmindy
Shelby, MI706 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
I am a fan of Dicken’s literature and have nearly memorized A Christmas Carol, so I was. It excited about seeing it performed at Merchant House during our Christmas visit to anew York City. How wrong I was! The performance is a “one man show “ in the parlor of Merchnt House. Chairs are set up in the parlor and dining room, lit by electronic candle light. The performer was outstanding, and the ambience of Merchant House made the book come alive in the excellent rendition. Time flew by as the story unfolded. It was wonderful! I highly recommend seeing it if you are in NYC during the Christmas holidays, starting in mid November. Merchant House itself was very interesting as a historical site in Greenwich Village.
Written February 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your excellent review! We agree, it is a "must see"! You might want to take a look at your first sentence. I think a typo snuck in, might confuse readers unless they keep reading.: "I am a fan of Dicken’s literature and have nearly memorized A Christmas Carol, so I was. It excited about seeing it performed at Merchant House during our Christmas visit to anew York City. How wrong I was!" Thanks again, and if you get to NYC in November we are doing a one-man show about Edgar Allan Poe with the same actor, John Kevin Jones.
Written February 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

50207Ann
Cleveland, OH15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
I highly recommend the $20 guided tour. This is a very special experience for anyone who cares about how people lived back when. I can imagine some folks (and SOME children) being bored to tears, but I was hanging on every word of our excellent tour guide, Dennis. He really knows his stuff, and how to bring this house and its residents alive for us nearly 200 years later. I'm a big fan of the NY Tenement Museum not far from here, so if you like that, don't miss the Merchant's House. The peaceful garden in the back is a lovely quiet sanctuary to linger in after the tour.
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alfred R
Houston, United States7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
The tour was great and very informative. Also, the guide was very professional, friendly, and was willing to answer questions along the way. I was impressed with the way the house has been kept up for so long and all the care that’s been put in to it. I hope the city of New York stops the development near this fragile house in order to preserve this home. I highly recommend taking a tour of this. Thank you!
Written January 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leslie S
New York City, NY8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
I've lived in NYC for 12 years and finally made it to the Merchant's House. Tickets aren't that hard to come by with some foresight. I made a plan about 4-6 weeks in advance for a guided tour. The 2 hr tour (Marguerite, our lovely guide, was generous with her time) was so informative and fascinating.

Don't let the pictures fool you. Yes it's just a few rooms and you've seen it on the internet, but it's the history and the stories that bring the rooms to life. All of the volunteers were so informative and passionate about the preservation of this home. I hope that with the popularity of HBO Max's The Gilded Age, more people will visit and help to keep this landmarked treasure alive.
Written April 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

WCove
Ottawa, Canada130 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
I popped into the Merchant's House Museum for a good hour or so exploration in mid-January 2024. It's a lovingly cared for glimpse into the life of a bygone age. Unfortunately I missed the guided tour but the notes provided were very helpful and added a nice flavour to the experience. I appreciated seeing not just the beautiful main level parlor but also the quarters of the live-in "Irish girls." I have previously visited the Tenement Museum and the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace Museum so this house added another window into C19 and early C20 NYC life. Definitely worth an hour of your time.
Written January 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Merchant's House Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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