The Van Cortlandt House Museum is a Georgian-style manor built in 1748, the oldest surviving building in the Bronx, inside Van Cortlandt Park. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
This guide was updated in July 2026. Right now, a site-wide contemporary art installation, Overlapping Empires by Samantha Box, runs throughout the historic house through 30 August, alongside its usual 18th-century period rooms, so the current visit differs from what older descriptions of the house alone might suggest.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Wed–Sun, 11am–4pm (self-guided); arrive by 3:30pm |
| Ticket prices | $5 adults; $3 seniors/students; free for children 12 and under and Bronx residents |
| Address | 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471 (inside Van Cortlandt Park) |
| Nearest transport/parking | Subway 1 train to 242nd Street; free parking in the park’s lot |
| Typical time needed | 45 minutes–1 hour |
The Van Cortlandt House Museum opening hours
The Van Cortlandt House Museum is open for self-guided tours Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm. Arrive by 3:30pm to allow enough time to complete the tour before closing.
The museum closes on Thanksgiving Day and the day after, and again from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day; check the holiday schedule before visiting around these dates.
5 great New York City experiences to book
- 🕊️ Make sure you get into the 9/11 Memorial Museum by booking tickets in advance.
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- 🌳 Take a pedicab tour around Central Park – and spot the hidden secrets on the way.
- 🍜 Taste the local flavours of New York on a Chinatown and Little Italy food tour.
The Van Cortlandt House Museum ticket prices
General admission costs $5 for adults, $3 for seniors aged 60 and over, and $3 for students with ID; children 12 and under enter free.
Admission is always free for Bronx residents, aside from special events. These general admission rates don’t apply to school field trips or group tours, which are booked separately by emailing or calling the museum.
The Van Cortlandt House Museum accepts the NYPL Culture Pass, Museums4All, the Bronx Cultural Card, Cool Culture Pass, Blue Star Initiative cards, and Historic House Trust membership cards for admission.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official Van Cortlandt House Museum visitor page and last updated in July 2026.
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How to get to the Van Cortlandt House Museum
The Van Cortlandt House Museum is inside Van Cortlandt Park, at Broadway and West 246th Street in the Bronx, reached by a paved, tree-lined pedestrian path from Broadway.
By subway, take the 1 train to 242nd Street and walk north on Broadway to the pedestrian path into the park. By bus, the Bx9 or the BxM3 Express Bus both stop at West 246th Street and Broadway. Metro-North’s Hudson Line also stops at Marble Hill, where you can transfer to the Bx9 bus or the 1 train.
Parking at the Van Cortlandt House Museum
Free parking is available in Van Cortlandt Park’s parking lot, about a five-minute walk from the museum on park trails. Metered street parking is also available on Broadway.
Drivers coming from outside the Bronx generally follow the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87) to the 230th Street exit, then Bailey Avenue to the Major Deegan North/Van Cortlandt Golf Course signs, bearing left under the overpass into the public parking lot.
How long to spend at the Van Cortlandt House Museum
Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour at the Van Cortlandt House Museum, enough time to complete the self-guided tour of the historic rooms.
Visitors also exploring the wider grounds of Van Cortlandt Park, including its lake and trails, should allow extra time beyond the house itself.
Inside the Van Cortlandt House Museum: what to see
The historic house was built in 1748–1749 by Frederick Van Cortlandt from native fieldstone and brick, and the museum’s research and interpretation focuses on the period from 1749 to 1823, when the Van Cortlandt family occupied it.
Period rooms are furnished with 18th- and 19th-century antiques and decorative arts, including heirlooms donated back to the house by Van Cortlandt descendants.
Overlapping Empires by Samantha Box, the current site-wide contemporary art installation, is on view throughout the historic house through 30 August.
The house has a Revolutionary War history: General George Washington is known to have stayed there at least twice, as did British General Sir William Howe, during the years the property changed hands between Colonial and British forces.
The house is located within the much larger Van Cortlandt Park, which also includes Van Cortlandt Lake, extensive trails, and the nation’s first public municipal golf course.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Arrive by 3:30pm at the latest to have enough time for the self-guided tour before closing. |
| Crowds | The museum is small and rarely crowded, though the surrounding park can be busier on weekends. |
| Layout | Follow the tree-lined pedestrian path from Broadway rather than trying to drive directly to the house. |
| Entry process | Bring ID if claiming the Bronx resident, senior, or student discount. |
| On-site logistics | Combine your visit with a walk in Van Cortlandt Park, since the house tour itself is fairly quick. |
Frequently asked questions about the Van Cortlandt House Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Van Cortlandt House Museum free to visit? | Bronx residents and children 12 and under always enter free; other visitors pay $3 to $5. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | No, general admission is self-guided and walk-in, though group tours need advance booking. |
| Is the Van Cortlandt House Museum open on Mondays? | No, it’s closed Monday and Tuesday; it opens Wednesday to Sunday. |
| Is the Van Cortlandt House Museum wheelchair accessible? | The museum doesn’t publish detailed accessibility information; call ahead to check for a specific visit. |
| Who lived in the Van Cortlandt House? | The Van Cortlandt family, a prominent New York merchant family, lived there from 1748 until the estate was sold to the city in 1886. |
Things to do near the Van Cortlandt House Museum
Van Cortlandt Park, with its lake, trails, and golf course, surrounds the museum directly.
Wave Hill, a public garden with river views, is about 20 minutes away.
The Bronx Zoo is about 25 minutes away.
The New York Botanical Garden is about 25 minutes away.
The Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, another 18th-century Dutch farmhouse, is about 15 minutes away.
What to visit tomorrow
The Morris-Jumel Mansion in Manhattan, the borough’s oldest surviving house, is about 30 minutes away.
The Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum in the Bronx, a 19th-century estate with formal gardens, is about 25 minutes away.
The Wyckoff House Museum in Brooklyn, New York City’s oldest structure, is about 1 hour away.
Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, a colonial-era farm and mill complex, is about 45 minutes away.
Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s historic home in Tarrytown, is about 45 minutes away.
More New York City travel
Other New York City travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Visit the Fraunces Tavern Museum and the Charging Bull Sculpture in Lower Manhattan.
- Manhattan Museum guides: American Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Mathematics and Intrepid Museum.
- Guides to NYC’s wildlife attractions: Queens Zoo, New York Aquarium and Prospect Park Zoo.
- New York City’s other parks: Roberto Clemente State Park, Riverbank State Park, Fort Tryon Park.
- What to expect at the General Grant National Memorial in Manhattan.
