Event Series Twilight Tour

Twilight Tour

There are few places more atmospheric than a cemetery at dusk - and Green-Wood is top notch when it comes to beauty and atmosphere. As the sun sets on 478 spectacular acres, you'll weave through stunning landscapes and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This not-to-be-missed walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.

Event Series Historic Trolley Tours

Historic Trolley Tours

Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States

Experience the most magnificent and historic 478 acres in New York City. Join our expert tour guides to hear fascinating stories of Green-Wood’s permanent residents, see breathtaking views of Manhattan, tread where George Washington and his troops fought the Battle of Brooklyn, and much more.

Event Series Twilight Tour

Twilight Tour

There are few places more atmospheric than a cemetery at dusk - and Green-Wood is top notch when it comes to beauty and atmosphere. As the sun sets on 478 spectacular acres, you'll weave through stunning landscapes and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This not-to-be-missed walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.

Event Series Twilight Tour

Twilight Tour

There are few places more atmospheric than a cemetery at dusk - and Green-Wood is top notch when it comes to beauty and atmosphere. As the sun sets on 478 spectacular acres, you'll weave through stunning landscapes and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This not-to-be-missed walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.

Event Series Birding in Peace

Birding in Peace

Just because it's winter, doesn't mean that there aren't interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we'll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.

Event Series Twilight Tour

Twilight Tour

There are few places more atmospheric than a cemetery at dusk - and Green-Wood is top notch when it comes to beauty and atmosphere. As the sun sets on 478 spectacular acres, you'll weave through stunning landscapes and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This not-to-be-missed walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.

Managing the Designed Landscape: Curating Collections in a Time of Environmental Change

How do stewards of botanical gardens and arboreta manage the design projects within their grounds? What happens when landscape design conflicts with and curatorial goals, such as expanding diversity, and increasing specific species or classes of plants? What impact does climate change have on an institution's plant collection and the plants selected for new projects? Join us for a lively discussion of these questions and more with Todd Forrest of New York Botanical Garden, Melanie Sifton of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and Green-Wood's Director of Horticulture, Joseph Charap. Our moderator, Art Presson, is Vice President of Design and Landscape here at Green-Wood.

Event Series Twilight Tour

Twilight Tour

There are few places more atmospheric than a cemetery at dusk - and Green-Wood is top notch when it comes to beauty and atmosphere. As the sun sets on 478 spectacular acres, you'll weave through stunning landscapes and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This not-to-be-missed walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.

Event Series Birding in Peace

Birding in Peace

Just because it's winter, doesn't mean that there aren't interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we'll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.

Event Series Twilight Tour

Twilight Tour

There are few places more atmospheric than a cemetery at dusk - and Green-Wood is top notch when it comes to beauty and atmosphere. As the sun sets on 478 spectacular acres, you'll weave through stunning landscapes and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This not-to-be-missed walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.

Historic Landscapes as Venues for Sustainable Design with Larry Weaner

For just under thirty years, renowned landscape designer Larry Weaner has urged America to rethink its love affair with the manicured lawn. Since establishing his firm in 1982, Weaner has pushed for "planned, natural landscapes" that eliminate the need for frequent mowing and other unsustainable practices, advocating native plants that have an ecological relationship to the indigenous landscape. Weaner is now one of the most sought-after and forward-thinking landscape designers in the world. At Green-Wood, he has just completed the first phase of redesigning the tiered slopes (dotted with nineteenth-century mausoleums) alongside the Historic Chapel. Through his thoughtful plant selection, he has introduced flora that might have grown here in the cemetery's earliest days (1830s), creating a habitat for pollinators and wildlife. In this program, Weaner will discuss how historic landscapes can become pioneers in the field of sustainable design.

Wreath Making Workshop

Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States

There's no time like the holidays to impress your friends and family. A beautiful home-made wreath will win you enough kudos to last you the whole year. Join Brooklyn-based expert florist Mindy Cardozo for an evening workshop to learn how to make your own wreath. Whether you're super crafty or super klutzy, Mindy will guide you through the process using a variety of wintry plants and materials.

Murder, Mayhem & Disaster Trolley Tour

Serene, beautiful Green-Wood is the final resting place for many victims - and perpetrators – of violence. Join Historic Fund tour guide Ruth Edebohls to hear some of their fascinating stories. The Morro Castle disaster and possible murder of her captain, the sinking of the steamship Artic, the Malbone Street train crash, a suicide on the grave of a beloved wife, the arsenic and clam chowder murder, Titanic survivors, the Brooklyn Theatre fire, and the couple who mysteriously drowned together are just some of the stories you’ll hear.

Event Series Dead Distillers Trolley Tour

Dead Distillers Trolley Tour

Green-Wood is teaming up with our friends at Kings County Distillery to delve into the storied past of distilling in Brooklyn. The afternoon kicks off with a trolley tour of the cemetery’s “permanent residents” with whiskey connections, including the one and only casualty of the Brooklyn Whiskey Wars of the late 1860s and early 1870s. Afterward, the trolley will head to Kings County Distillery in the Brooklyn Navy Yard where visitors will see first-hand how whiskey is made and enjoy a tasting of four delectable varieties.

Event Series Death Café

Death Café

Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States

The Death Café is inspired by the centuries-old European salon (or café), an informal gathering to discuss philosophical, political or scientific ideas. In 2011, British entrepreneur Jon Underwood brought this concept to discussions of the most universal topic of all: death. Underwood’s intention was to provide an opportunity to “increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their lives.” Today, there are over 4,400 Death Cafes in 26 countries around the world.

(Sold Out) Shortest Day, Longest Night: A Winter Solstice Meditation

Come celebrate the winter solstice! Sure, it will be cold and it will get dark at some ridiculously early hour, but our fellow human beings have marked this day with festivities for millennia. Why not join them? Did you ever wonder why pine trees are such a big part of winter celebrations? The tradition dates back to ancient people who believed that evergreen trees had magical powers to stay green and withstand winter? Join evergreen-filled Green-Wood to celebrate the shortest day and longest night of the year.

Cremation: History and Modern Process

Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States

What is cremation? How long have we been doing it, and how does it work? Amy Cunningham, death educator, leads this presentation of cremation's history and its impact on present-day and future funerals. This engaging and sometimes even light-hearted exploration will also touch on how to choose an end-of-life mode of disposition that expresses your own beliefs and values. Afterward, you will have the opportunity to visit the crematory with Gema LaBoccetta, Green-Wood's Crematory Manager, then chat with Amy and other attendees at a short reception.

Event Series Death Café

Death Café

Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States

The Death Café is inspired by the centuries-old European salon (or café), an informal gathering to discuss philosophical, political or scientific ideas. In 2011, British entrepreneur Jon Underwood brought this concept to discussions of the most universal topic of all: death. Underwood’s intention was to provide an opportunity to “increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their lives.” Today, there are over 4,400 Death Cafes in 26 countries around the world.

Event Series Dead Distillers Trolley Tour

Dead Distillers Trolley Tour

Green-Wood is teaming up with our friends at Kings County Distillery to delve into the storied past of distilling in Brooklyn. The afternoon kicks off with a trolley tour of the cemetery’s “permanent residents” with whiskey connections, including the one and only casualty of the Brooklyn Whiskey Wars of the late 1860s and early 1870s. Afterward, the trolley will head to Kings County Distillery in the Brooklyn Navy Yard where visitors will see first-hand how whiskey is made and enjoy a tasting of four delectable varieties.

Event Series Birding in Peace

Birding in Peace

Just because it's winter, doesn't mean that there aren't interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we'll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.

How to Talk to Kids About Death

Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States

How do we explain death and dying to our children? How much should they know and when? How can a pet's death or a grandparent's declining health be explained in a way that's understandable? How can we engage their curiosity, talents, and emotions in funeral practices and traditions? Join funeral director and death educator Amy Cunningham and child and adolescent psychotherapist and registered play therapist Liana Smith-Murphy for an enlightening conversation on the best practices for discussing death with children.

Event Series Death Café

Death Café

Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States

The Death Café is inspired by the centuries-old European salon (or café), an informal gathering to discuss philosophical, political or scientific ideas. In 2011, British entrepreneur Jon Underwood brought this concept to discussions of the most universal topic of all: death. Underwood’s intention was to provide an opportunity to “increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their lives.” Today, there are over 4,400 Death Cafes in 26 countries around the world.

Valentine’s Day Bouquets

Valentine’s Day. We all know the drill: a box of chocolates, a goofy card, and a dozen red roses. Why not give that special someone in your life a personalized hand-crafted gift? Join Brooklyn-based expert florist Mindy Cardozo for an evening workshop to learn how to make a truly unique floral arrangement. Whether you’re super crafty or super klutzy, Mindy will guide you through the process and explain how to use a variety of seasonal flowers and plants to add your own distinct touches.

Black in Brooklyn

In honor of Black History Month, Green-Wood presents this celebration and recognition of the unique stories of black lives in Green-Wood. Although Brooklyn and New York City have long struggled with segregation and racism, they also have a history of diversity, progress, and activism. This trolley tour, led by Green-Wood Historian Jeff Richman, will examine the life and accomplishments of many prominent black New Yorkers, as well as several abolitionists who fought for freedom in America.

Green-Wood’s public programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, as well as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.