Where: 18-20 Flushing Avenue
Ridgewood, Queens, NY
Who: Ages 5 and Up
The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House is the oldest Dutch fieldstone house in New York City. The house was named after two of the families that previously owned the property, the Vander Endes, and the Onderdoncks. It has been operating as a museum since 1982. The location is also the headquarters for the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society which runs the museum.
In addition to being a private residence, the location also had a variety of other uses prior to becoming a museum including as a glass business, an office, and a factory. The permanent exhibit includes objects that were found on the site as well as objects related to the daily life of the families that lived there although the latter are not necessarily the actual objects that belonged to the families. There is also a collection of donated objects not directly related to the house which is located on the upper level of the museum. The museum hosts a series of changing exhibits as well.
The museum is open for public tours from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM Saturdays & Sundays at a cost of $5 per adult. Children, as well as military members past and present, are free. Tours cover all three levels of the house, which does not appear to be handicapped accessible. They encompass the history of the location as well as the lives of the families who lived there. Visitors are free to walk around the grounds of the property at their leisure during operating hours and explore the seasonal gardens. They can view Arbitration Rock which marked the historic border between Brooklyn and Queens and which can also be found on the grounds of the property.
The museum also hosts various events throughout the year including neighborhood walking tours, nighttime tours, children's events, and more. The location is also available for rental for private events.
For more information, visit onderdonkhouse.org
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I love museums. I especially love small ones that are about the local town or city.
ReplyDeleteUs too! Thanks for visiting Says Me Says Mom and your comment.
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