2006 Annual Report

Throughout 2006, the Merchant’s House Museum continued to fulfill its mission of offering visitors a unique perspective on domestic life in mid-19th century New York by exhibiting the original home, furnishings, and personal possessions of wealthy merchant Seabury Tredwell and his family, who occupied the Merchant’s House for almost 100 years.

Program Highlights – Building Restoration, Collections Conservation, and Education

To fulfill our mission of educating the public about domestic life in mid-19th century New York City, we operate three main programs to: 1) maintain and restore our 1832 Landmark building; 2) conserve our original collections of furniture, decorative objects, textiles, costumes, and ephemera collected and used by the Tredwells; and 3) educate adults, high school/college/graduate students, and elementary school groups through tours, special exhibitions, and public education programs.

Building Restoration and Collections Conservation Programs

Our ongoing Restoration and Conservation Program projects are grounded in recommendations made in the Museum's Historic Structures Report; the Museum Assessment Program survey conducted by the American Association of Museums; and the Conservation Assessment Program Evaluation prepared by the National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property. Ongoing oversight and evaluations of our projects and goals is provided by the Museum’s Restoration Committee.

-- The Museum launched Phase II of its three-phase Tredwell Costumes Conservation Project through which dozens of handmade costumes documented to have been owned by the women of the Tredwell family are being meticulously repaired and restored over a two-year period to stabilize them for exhibitions and for scholarly study, and preserve them for generations to come.

-- The Museum initiated a major restoration of its two highly important 19th-century gaseliers (gas chandeliers), which are among the finest examples of this style and period of lighting in the United States that are still in their original setting. (The restored gaseliers will be reinstalled in 2007.)

-- The Museum launched a campaign to secure emergency funds to repair and restore its roof, parts of which were discovered to have failed during one of 2006’s violent rainstorms. Leaks resulted that affected components of the upper floor exhibition areas. With most of the needed funds raised by December 2006, repairs were begun by restoration architects to ensure that the repairs would be done in such a way that the original 19th-century slate tiles would be preserved.

-- The Museum secured seed funding to undertake its first-ever Historic Furnishings Plan through which it will conduct research, analyze and document furnishings of and for the Merchant’s House to determine the period of historical and cultural significance best suited to interpreting for visitors the story of the domestic life of a 19th-century New York City merchant family. The development of the plan is expected to take one year to complete.

Education Programs

Tours

During the year, the Merchant’s House continued to offer both docent-led tours and tours using a staff-researched tour booklet, as well as group tours for adults and schoolchildren by appointment.

Special Exhibitions

"Called by the Bell: a Rare Opportunity to View the Servants’ Quarters"

"Conservation and Restoration of the Gas Chandeliers"

"Alone and Together: The Tredwell Family in the Religious Community of 19th-century New York"

"Every Day Knocking at the Gates of the Grave": Illness & Death in a 19th-century Home

"Traditions of Old New York: A Mid-19th Century Holiday"

Public Education Programs

"Salon Music" Bond Street Euterpean Singing Society Concert"

“70th Anniversary Party”

“Mother’s Day Tea in the Garden”

“Where Pinkies Find Their Purpose”

“Simon Loekle Reads Poe and Other Masters of Gothic Horror”

"Grim, Gruesome & Ghostly:
Candlelight Tours of ‘Manhattan’s Most Haunted House’"

”From Parlor to Grave: Recreating a Mid-19th-century Funeral”

“Salon Music: Wayfaring Strangers”
Bond Street Euterpean Singing Society concert

“Paintings and Parlors: Art at Home in 19th-century New York”
presented in association with the National Academy Museum
(held at the Merchant’s House)

“An Evening of Music and Art”
presented in association with the National Academy Museum
(held at the National Academy Museum)

“To All Wassail: A Concert of 19th-century Holiday Songs and Stories”

“Annual 19th-century Holiday Party”

“'Come Calling': Traditional New Year’s Day Open House” 

Financials 

Support for projects within all three of the above key programs came primarily from individual, foundation, and corporate donors.  

Fiscal Year 2006 (January 1, 2006-December 31, 2006)

(Please note: these are unaudited figures; the Museum’s FY06 audit is now in preparation)

Income

Government Grants (3%)     $7,500
Foundation/Corporate Grants (19%) $47,000
Individual Gifts  (27%)   $65,200
Admissions & Education Program Revenue (23%) $55,750
Special Event Revenue (21%)  $52,000
Interest Income  (6%)  $15,000
Total Income   $242,450

Expenses

Program Expenses (66%) Curatorial, Conservation, Restoration, Education $159,641
Administrative expenses  (15%)   $37,150
Fundraising expenses, including events (19%)   $46,000
Total Expenses  $ 242,792
Surplus (Deficit)  ($342)

2005 Annual Report

The Merchant’s House Museum continued throughout 2005 to offer visitors a unique look at life in Old New York by exhibiting the original 1832 Greek revival home, furnishings, and possessions of a wealthy merchant family, the Seabury Tredwells, which owned and occupied the house for almost 100 years.  The Museum provides a unique and intimate glimpse of domestic life during the significant period of the 19th century when New York City transformed from a colonial seaport to become the center of U.S. culture and commerce and a "world city" on a par with London and Paris.

Program Highlights

Restoration and Conservation

Completion of the restoration of the Museum’s two-story rear extension, which includes the “tea room” dating to the original construction of the House in 1832, which is one of the very few extant in the country and of great historic and architectural significance.

Completion of the Phase I conservation examinations of the 42 handmade costumes documented to have been owned by the women of the Tredwell family, and the beginning of Phase II conservation treatments to stabilize the costumes for exhibitions and for scholarly study.

Completion of the first scientific paint and finishes analysis of all the Museum’s period rooms to help advance plans for the development of a comprehensive and even more historically accurate furnishings plan for the Merchant’s House.

Special Exhibitions

“19th-century Valentines”

 “Elegance Restored: Conservation of an 1840s Tredwell Dress”

“We Bear Thee to an Honored Grave: New York Grieves for President Lincoln”

“With This Ring: An 1872 Wedding at Home in New York City”

“Understanding Architectural Moldings”

“Coffins and Crepe: Death in a 19th-century Home”

Public Education Programs

“Come Calling: New Year’s Day Open House”

“Salon Music: Love in the Parlors”

“Salon Music: Farewell Father, Friend & Guardian”

“Great New York Writers in Great New York Places” -- Philip Roth: A Retrospective, co-sponsored by the Merchant’s House and The Library of America.