Cremation: History and Modern Process
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesWhat 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.
Members-Only Opening Reception
Explore Among Trees and Stones before it opens to the public at a special reception in honor of artist Matthew Jensen. The evening will include a brief curator’s talk, refreshments, great company, and twilight tours of the cemetery.
Artist Walk: Discovering Trees and Stones
There is no better way to enjoy the impressive array of fall foliage than by exploring New York City’s best kept greenspace. Beginning at the Fort Hamilton Gate House, artist Matthew Jensen will guide visitors on three-hour walks to discover Green-Wood’s rich collection of majestic trees and historic monuments. Jensen will be accompanied on each walk by a member of Green-Wood’s staff who will share their own behind-the-scenes experience and knowledge of the cemetery. No walk will be the same; come once, twice or three times for unexpected encounters!
Birding in Peace
Before our gates open to the general public, birding expert Rob Jett leads these peaceful Sunday morning walking tours to discover the many birds that call Green-Wood home. By September, all our nesting birds’ offspring will be on their own. Returning warblers will be in their less flamboyant fall plumage. Large numbers of blackbirds, flycatchers, sparrows, vireos, and swallows will also be passing through. By October, waterfowl are returning, and we’ll look for raptors heading south. November will bring back our overwintering denizen from the north.
Fall Family Scavenger Hunt
Green-Wood and Park Slope Parents (www.parkslopeparents.com) are partnering together to present a fun-filled exploration of one of Brooklyn’s most famous landmarks. Enjoy a crisp autumn afternoon with activities, crafts, and refreshments in a picturesque greenspace. Decipher mysterious symbols on historic monuments, take in the view from the highest point in Brooklyn (where a famous battle of the American Revolution was fought), peek inside elaborately decorated mausoleums with exquisite stained-glass windows, and go on a scavenger hunt discovering Green-Wood’s famous permanent residents.
Historic Trolley Tours
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesExperience 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.
Obit
It's a shame no one wants to talk to them at parties, because obituary writers are a surprisingly funny bunch. Ten hours before newspapers hit neighborhood doorsteps—and these days, ten minutes before news hits the web—an obit writer is racing against deadline to sum up a long and newsworthy life in under 1000 words. The details of these lives are then deposited into the cultural memory amid the daily beat of war, politics, and football scores.
Open Doors
It’s back! One of Green-Wood’s most popular events returns with an afternoon of exploring some of the cemetery’s most impressive and elaborate 19th-century mausoleums. Venture inside the elaborate bronze gates of these ancient stone structures to explore stunning examples of Green-Wood’s distinct architecture. At each location, docents will offer a glimpse into the lives of the personalities who now rest in these opulent edifices.
Twilight Tour
Our most popular tour just got better! Inspired by Matthew Jensen’s artist-map for Among Trees and Stone, visitors will enjoy the rare opportunity to explore the quiet beauty of the cemetery bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. Your tour guide will go deeper into the cemetery to reveal 19th-century monuments that often go unnoticed even in broad daylight! The tours ends with a visit to the catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.
Gay Green-Wood
Green-Wood celebrates LGBT History month with a special trolley tour illuminating permanent residents who have made a lasting impact on American culture in the 19th and 20th centuries. You will visit the graves of important LGBT figures including “It’s Raining Men” co-writer, Paul Jabara; sculptor of Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain, Emma Stebbins; activists, Drs. Emery Hetrick and Damien Martin; and Broadway lyricist, Fred Ebb, among others. Tour goers will mark each grave with a rainbow flag.
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.
