NYC Arts: The Complete Guide to Art and Culture

The museum was constructed in 1799 as the carriage house for the country estate of Colonel William Stephens Smith and his wife, Abigail Adams Smith, daughter of President John Adams.

After the main house burned in 1826 the carriage house was converted into the Mount Vernon Hotel, a country resort popular with New Yorkers who wished to escape the crowded city which at that time extended only as far north as 14th Street.

In 1833 the building became the home for three generations of a New York City family. In 1905, as the area became more industrialized, the building was purchased by the Standard Gas Light Company (today's Con Edison). The Colonial Dames of America, a woman's patriotic society, purchased the building in 1924 and opened it as a museum in 1939. As one of the few remaining 18th-century buildings in New York City, it is a rare reminder of an important era in the city's history.

• Directions: Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R to 59th Street - Lexington Avenue; F to Lexington Avenue

• Disability Access: Limited accessibility; auditorium is accessible
• Disability Assistance:
  Hearing: Audio tours, closed captioning of the museum's orientation film and American Sign Language tours by appointment.
  Vision: Large-print materials, touch tour for the blind/low-vision visitor (with advance reservation).
• Gift Shops: Books, postcards, historic memorabilia.
• Space Rental: The museum and its 18th-century landscaped gardens are available for rental to groups of up to 65 people for meetings, cocktail receptions, small weddings, parties, commercial filming and more.
• Special Education: The museum has developed programs specifically geared for both the learning and developmentally-disabled, funded in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. Students participate in a multi-session package that combines in-class presentations by museum educators with interactive tours of the museum.
• Tours: The museum offers three special tours by appointment for groups of 15-50. Topics include architecture, decorative arts and social history.

Get involved with Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden

• Donations through NYCharities.org
• Volunteer Opportunities: Opportunities exist to volunteer as a docent, especially on the weekend, or to assist in the office. Please call the museum to inquire about current needs.
• Memberships: Membership benefits include: free regular admission, discounted tickets to museum public programs, free admission to all Garden Gala events, and a 10 percent discount in the gift shop.