Rent the House & Garden
The Merchant's House Museum -- New York City's only 19th-century family home preserved intact, inside and out -- offers a unique and elegant setting for private parties, weddings, special events, corporate functions, and film shoots. It's a landmark opportunity.
Scroll down for information on the space, events, capacity, rental fees, Museum guidelines, and how to contact us.
"One simply walks through the beautiful doorway into another time and place in New York." — The New York Times
The Space
The first floor's Greek Revival double parlors
boast 13 1/2-foot ceilings with decorative
plaster moldings, ionic columns, mahogany
pocket doors, matching black-and-gold Italian
marble mantelpieces, and fine New York furniture
of the period.
The ground floor houses a 19th-century kitchen, with cast-iron stove and brick oven, and the family room, used by the museum as an exhibition space. A modern kitchen and two bathrooms are also on the ground floor.
Behind the house lies a 25' x 50' 19th-century garden with granite parterres, cast-iron furniture, and lush plantings. The garden can be tented.
Upstairs, the 19th century bedchambers may be open for viewing during events.
Events
The Merchant's House is available for cocktail receptions, seated dinners, bridal showers,
engagement parties, weddings, birthdays, and afternoon teas. The space is also appropriate
for lectures, corporate gatherings, conferences, or seminars.
For the film and production industry, the Merchant's House is available for still photography, live photography, and cinematic productions.
Capacity
For stand-up receptions
Ground floor (19th-century kitchen and family room): 75
Garden and ground floor: 125
For seated dinners
Ground floor: 19th-century kitchen 20; family room 30
Garden: 50
Double Parlors: 50
Rental Fees
The Merchant's House is a significant historic site, and an operating museum,
so it's all about risk management for us.
Fees are based on the "complexity" of the event, i.e., number of guests, length of the event and set-up/break-down, type of event, catering deliveries, which Museum rooms are used. Hence, the smaller, shorter, and simpler the event, the cheaper.
For example:
- Stand-up cocktail reception in the garden and ground-floor rooms
- 2-hour event plus 2-3 hours for set-up and clean-up
- 75-100 guests
- Fee: $4-5,000.
- Seated dinner for 50 (max)
- in the garden $5-7,000
- in the double parlors $8,000 plus.
The cost of a tent, if needed, is $850-$1,000.
Special rates are given to nonprofit organizations.
Museum Guidelines
The Merchant's House is a significant historic site and an operating museum; certain
restrictions apply to the use of the site. Please read our rental guidelines.
Contact Us
For more information on fees and conditions of rental, or to set up a consultation, please
call the Museum office at 212-777-1089 or email us at nyc1832@merchantshouse.org.
No obligation, of course.
We are also happy to help you in the planning your event. The Museum offers complete afternoon tea programs and group tours. For a list of our favorite caterers and other party resources, click here.