Special Event
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Death Café
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesThe Death Café is inspired by the centuries-old European salon (or café), an informal gathering to discuss philosophical, political or scientific ideas. In 2011, British entrepreneur Jon Underwood brought this concept to discussions of the most universal topic of all: death. Underwood’s intention was to provide an opportunity to “increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their lives.” Today, there are over 4,400 Death Cafes in 26 countries around the world.
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Deep Diving: Green-Wood’s Cultural Landscape Report with Faye Harwell
Faye Harwell, founding partner of Rhodeside and Harwell in Arlington, Va., directed an impressive team of landscape designers, historians, arborists, architectural historians, and hydrologists in retracing the history and unique character of Green-Wood's landscape. By examining thousands of historic records and archival documents and by meticulously studying the landscape itself, Harwell and her team have created an 800-page, two-volume Cultural Landscape Report. The massive tome, which follows the guidelines set forth by the US Department of the Interior, is an invaluable resource for the cemetery. Get the Reader's Digest version in this lively one-hour presentation that will help you become an expert on Green-Wood too. The firm of Rhodeside and Harwell has worked with pre-eminent, historic landscapes around the world, including the Gettysburg Battlefield and the White House.
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Death Café
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesThe Death Café is inspired by the centuries-old European salon (or café), an informal gathering to discuss philosophical, political or scientific ideas. In 2011, British entrepreneur Jon Underwood brought this concept to discussions of the most universal topic of all: death. Underwood’s intention was to provide an opportunity to “increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their lives.” Today, there are over 4,400 Death Cafes in 26 countries around the world.
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Architecture at Green-Wood
Green-Wood is home to a spectacular collection of 19th-century architectural gems by some of the most famed architects in American history. Designing works to immortalize their patrons, many –including James Renwick, Jacob Wrey Mould, and Gamaliel King, among others – have also established their own permanent residences here. This trolley tour explores the critical role architects have played in transforming the landscapes of not only Green-Wood, but New York City.
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Artist Walk: Discovering Trees and Stones
There is no better way to enjoy the impressive array of fall foliage than by exploring New York City’s best kept greenspace. Beginning at the Fort Hamilton Gate House, artist Matthew Jensen will guide visitors on three-hour walks to discover Green-Wood’s rich collection of majestic trees and historic monuments. Jensen will be accompanied on each walk by a member of Green-Wood’s staff who will share their own behind-the-scenes experience and knowledge of the cemetery. No walk will be the same; come once, twice or three times for unexpected encounters!
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Birding in Peace
Just because it's winter, doesn't mean that there aren't interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we'll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.
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Managing the Designed Landscape: Curating Collections in a Time of Environmental Change
How do stewards of botanical gardens and arboreta manage the design projects within their grounds? What happens when landscape design conflicts with and curatorial goals, such as expanding diversity, and increasing specific species or classes of plants? What impact does climate change have on an institution's plant collection and the plants selected for new projects? Join us for a lively discussion of these questions and more with Todd Forrest of New York Botanical Garden, Melanie Sifton of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and Green-Wood's Director of Horticulture, Joseph Charap. Our moderator, Art Presson, is Vice President of Design and Landscape here at Green-Wood.
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Birding in Peace
Just because it's winter, doesn't mean that there aren't interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we'll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.
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Historic Landscapes as Venues for Sustainable Design with Larry Weaner
For just under thirty years, renowned landscape designer Larry Weaner has urged America to rethink its love affair with the manicured lawn. Since establishing his firm in 1982, Weaner has pushed for "planned, natural landscapes" that eliminate the need for frequent mowing and other unsustainable practices, advocating native plants that have an ecological relationship to the indigenous landscape. Weaner is now one of the most sought-after and forward-thinking landscape designers in the world. At Green-Wood, he has just completed the first phase of redesigning the tiered slopes (dotted with nineteenth-century mausoleums) alongside the Historic Chapel. Through his thoughtful plant selection, he has introduced flora that might have grown here in the cemetery's earliest days (1830s), creating a habitat for pollinators and wildlife. In this program, Weaner will discuss how historic landscapes can become pioneers in the field of sustainable design.
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Wreath Making Workshop
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesThere's no time like the holidays to impress your friends and family. A beautiful home-made wreath will win you enough kudos to last you the whole year. Join Brooklyn-based expert florist Mindy Cardozo for an evening workshop to learn how to make your own wreath. Whether you're super crafty or super klutzy, Mindy will guide you through the process using a variety of wintry plants and materials.
Green-Wood’s public programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, as well as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.