Mansions in Manhattan
 

We like to see Mansions and antique furniture. We will be in Manhattan Sun, Mon and Tues and have a car so going outside of Manhattan is not a problem. Any suggestions welcome.

No a mansion, certainly, but the Metropolitan Museum of Art has one of the finest furniture collections in the world. The Frick, a little further down Fifth Avenue is a mansion turned museum.

Regarding the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this site includes a virtual tour of the period rooms, and information about the American furniture collection.<BR><BR>http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/vr_html/vr/temp_virtual_intro1.htm<BR><BR>This is a history of the Frick Collection, which includes furniture and decorative arts.<BR><BR>http://www.frick.org/html/chist1f.htm<BR>

I really really really hope you go to the Old Merchants House Museum, which is the only private house in Manhattan which has all of its original furnishings. It's a well-to-do merchant's house (not a mansion like the Frick), but historically and furniturally very very lovely and interesting.<BR><BR> Find out about when tours are scheduled (you are only allowed to go in as a tour member, the docents are lovely).

Thanks. Anyone know about the Rockerfeller mansion in Tarrytown. Directions from Times Square area.

ttt

Kykuit is closed and won't reopen until April.

You're probably thinking of Kykuit, John D. Rockefeller's estate. It's open from April through October and advance reservations are required.

Another mansion worth visiting is the Cooper Hewitt Museum on Fifth Avenue.<BR>One minor correction on Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate: Reservations are not required, but are advised! If you're in the area when it's open, it's a must-see! It's easy to reach: Take a Metro North train to Tarrytown and a cab to Phillipsburg Manor (another restoration); the Kykuit tours leave from there.

Are there any others to see in Tarrytown?

Myrna, not in Tarrytown, which is the beginning of the Hudson Valley. Starting in that town and driving north along the Hudson makes for a great weekend (or longer) trip in the spring, summer or fall.<BR>For more details, check out these two websites:<BR>http://www.hudsonvalley.org<BR>http://www.hvnet.com<BR>Let me know if you have any more questions about the area.

Visit the Morris-Jumel Mansion at 65 Jumel Terrace in upper Manhattan (at 160th St, between St. Nicholas & Edgecombe which are between Amsterdam & Harlem River Drive). It's Manhattan's oldest house, lived in by Eliza Jumel, Aaron Burr's wife at one time. You could drive up there but I'm not sure about parking or you can take the C train (local) to 163rd and Amsterdam.<BR><BR>While you're up there, especially if you drive, you can zip up to the Cloisters Museum and also Dyckman House, which is not a mansion, but is the last Dutch colonial farmhouse in Manhattan.<BR><BR>Then there's Long Island's North Shore, or Gold Coast. We've been to Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay. Coe Hall, the mansion, was great, but the gardens are the attraction (516-922-9206, 922-9511 or 922-9210). <BR><BR>Close to Planting Fields in Oyster Bay is Sagamore Hill, the last home of Teddy Roosevelt (516-922-4447).<BR><BR>There are two more places but they may be closed for the winter. Sands Point Preserve has two castles - Hampstead House and Falaise (516-571-7900). And there's Old Westbury Gardens & House (516--333-0048).<BR><BR>Have fun!

Regarding Kykuit, according to the website: http://www.rbf.org/kykuit.html<BR>reservations are necessary. "Open April through October, tours depart from Philipsburg Manor, reservations necessary through Historic Hudson Valley, (914) 631-9491."

Not to be argumentative, Ken, but I know of people who have dropped in on weekdays without reservations and gotten in. Having said that, I would still recommend reservations, however.

Try taking a trip up to Hyde Park, NY. It's a 2 hour drive out of the city. You can see the Vanderbilt Mansion and also, while not a "mansion", the Franklin Roosevelt house.