Did you know that Village Preservation members receive advance notice of many of our public programs? Our tours and other programs sometimes offer limited capacity, and often fill up quickly. By becoming a member, you can take advantage of that advanced notice and register before the general public. Find out how to become a member here.

Floating Palaces on the Waterfront

Co-Sponsored by Merchant’s House Museum

Over a hundred years ago, the Hudson River waterfront was the place where New York cemented its place as one of the world’s greatest cities. Cargo, commuters, and international passengers jostled with dock workers, freighters, ferries, railroads, and giant ocean liners. Join us for a walking tour along the waterfront to explore how this dynamic waterfront worked in the age of Titanic, Lusitania, and other floating palaces that once docked there.

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Plaque Unveiling for Isamu Noguchi

Join us for the ceremonial unveiling of a plaque honoring groundbreaking sculptor, designer, and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi at his former studio at 52 West 10th Street. We will hear about his work, collaborations, activism, and life in the Village. Read more about Isamu Noguchi here.

You can learn more about our plaque program and explore our other plaques here.

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Exploring a 19th Century Home: Interior Design at the Merchant’s House

Join expert interior designer and Merchant’s House Museum docent extraordinaire Dennis McAvena for an in-depth and behind-the-scenes exploration of the elegant interiors of Merchant’s House. We’ll step back in time as we discuss the specifics and challenges (lighting!) of 19th-century interior design, as well as how form follows function, exploring how rooms like the grand double parlor played a role in social entertaining.

Discount code available to Village Preservation members upon request.

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The Battle for Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs

Join us for this special book talk with acclaimed urbanist Roberta Brandes Gratz as she speaks about her acclaimed book, The Battle for Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs.

In her provocative book, Gratz challenges the conventional wisdom on how cities authentically regenerate. Battle For Gotham argues that New York City reached its lowest point after decades of destructive Robert Moses projects, and began an organic regeneration with Moses’s demise and the cessation of his sweeping, federally funded projects that wiped out so much of the city. New York’s turnaround, Gratz illustrates, began with the small, local citizen-led efforts reflecting the urban philosophy of Jane Jacobs.

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The Underground Railroad and NYC’s Early Abolition Movement: Merchant’s House Tour

The Merchant’s House Museum is NYC’s only family home preserved intact — inside and out — from the 19th century. Built in 1832 by abolitionist Joseph Brewster, who designed the house to include a hidden passageway, it is Manhattan’s only intact site of the Underground Railroad open to the public. On this 75-minute tour, we’ll discuss the museum’s two years of research; explore the struggle against slavery in a pro-slavery New York; Brewster’s motivations in building the house; and view the intact hidden passageway. 

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Richard Barone’s Village Nights: Eric Andersen

Co-Sponsored by The Bitter End

Village Preservation is pleased to partner with musician and author Richard Barone for his revitalized new series, “Village Nights,” coming to The Bitter End nightclub with four unique events in 2026. Each event will focus on a specific decade of the Village’s musical history, featuring legendary musical guests and panel discussions with noted journalists, authors, and historians.

The second installment of this series features Eric Andersen’s voice, songs, guitar, and piano playing, which have created a career spanning over 45 years. He has recorded 25 albums of original songs and made numerous tours of North America, Europe, and Japan.

Discount code available to Village Preservation members upon request.

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Fabulous Fountains of New York

This new book by Stephanie Azzarone, with photographs by Robert F. Rodriguez, features waterworks both old and new, famous and little-known. It shares the stories of how they came to be, the people behind them, and what makes those fountains special. The presentation will highlight a number of waterworks, including those in Washington Square and Jackson Square parks. 

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New York 1776: The Crucible of Independence

Co-sponsored by the Salmagundi Club

As historian James Nevius reveals in this richly illustrated presentation, New York’s Revolutionary story is more consequential than most of us realize—and it shaped everything that followed. As we approach the nation’s 250th birthday, we’ll put New York back where it belongs: at the center of the fight for American independence.

Use code GREENWICH to register.