Death Education

The Death Cafe is a simple yet powerful idea: bring people together to openly discuss one of life’s greatest truths—death. With thousands of chapters in over 90 countries, Death Cafes are informal gatherings designed to "increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their lives." There’s no set agenda, but conversations might ... Read more

Sunday in the Cemetery is a day-long exploration of mortality at Green-Wood. We invite you to candidly engage with grief and death through a compassionate, supportive lens. This free, open-house style event brings together leading experts for engaging talks, workshops, and guided tours that illuminate end-of-life care, funeral traditions, and memorial arts. Through personal stories ... Read more

Join us for an enchanting evening celebrating the vibrant birdlife of Green-Wood and the symbolic connections between birds and the Cemetery’s historic landscape. The program will begin with a panel discussion with Emily Hayflick, Green-Wood's inaugural History Fellow, and other experts examining the symbolism of birds in mourning practices from the Victorian era to today. ... Read more

This workshop offers a unique approach to capturing meaningful video interviews with families, guided by Zen Buddhist principles and a lens of contemplative care. We’ll explore how memory shapes our understanding of legacy, especially after significant life events like funerals or milestones in grief. In the serene setting of the Cemetery, we'll reflect on how ... Read more

It can be difficult to engage in conversations about grief: Will I say the wrong thing? Am I going to offend someone? Who wants to discuss morbid stuff anyway? Green-Wood’s book club, Mortality & Me, helps make death, dying, and end-of-life matters easier to talk about through compelling books that tackle these topics head on.  ... Read more

The Art of Goodbye explores how artists have depicted loss throughout history. From ancient Greek funerary urns to medieval crucifixion altar pieces and haunting World War I trench scenes, the program delves into how different eras confronted grief. Each session highlights the artists, their works, and the societies that shaped or resisted these expressions of ... Read more