Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site
Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site
Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site
4
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The oldest building in Yonkers, Philipse Manor Hall was built in three stages between the 1680s and 1750s by the Dutch Philipse family, who built their enormous wealth in the fur trade with Munsee Lunaape and other Indigenous peoples, a global shipping empire, and the slave trade. Their landholdings in Westchester became Philipse Manor in 1693, and eventually they came to own much of what became Westchester and Putnam counties, populated by their tenant farmers and enslaved Africans. Frederick Philipse III was a Loyalist during the American Revolution and the family fled to England after the war. In the 19th century the manor hall became Yonkers City Hall, and later a historic site. Today, visitors can enjoy two floors of ADA-accessible exhibits chronicling the history of the Munsee Lunaape, the Philipse family, the people they enslaved, and their tenant farmers. Public events and community art gallery also hosted on site.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
25 reviews
Excellent
6
Very good
12
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
1
NYAnatolia
New York, NY73 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
It was an accidental visit (I was on my way to Yonkers train station 5 min away) and I am so glad it happened! This is not a memorial house of Philipse family who lived there, but a museum dedicated to the history of NY state. Brenda was an excellent tour guide, she was generously sharing a wealth of information, and I learned a lot about my state; about indigenous population in the area, first Europeans (including Philipse) and first slaves arriving there, and about connections between these three groups. The museum combines traditional displays with interactive screens that attractively show changes in demographics in what now is New York state. There are "sniffing tablets" that smell like, for example, plants grown by indigenous people. The house itself has beautiful staircases and a WOW ceiling preserved in one room.
This visit was indeed a valuable experience, and I cannot be more grateful to Brenda for making it even more meaningful.
This visit was indeed a valuable experience, and I cannot be more grateful to Brenda for making it even more meaningful.
Written 25 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
seltzering
NY13 contributions
Dec 2011 • Family
I've spent a couple of afternoons visiting the exhibits at the Philipse Manor Hall. It's right in the heart of downtown historic Yonkers. They have exhibits (currently one on slavery) and tours of the house and grounds. It's a living testament to what was, and it's preserved beautifully. They occasionally have performances there too. Right now they are moving the river in Yonkers back to where it used to be, and that will showcase the history of the house (and the area) even more strongly.
Written 5 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth N
Washington DC, DC88 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
I would highly recommend this spot to anyone with children, in particular elementary or middle school aged children. We went in with no expectations and were incredibly surprised and delighted with the exhibit.
The city has converted this old manor hall, originally owned by the Philipse who were local landowners and made most of their riches from the slave-trade, into a wonderful, hands-on exhibit to better help children (and adults!) understand not only local history, but also key themes in slavery -- the dramatic differences between slaves and slave owners, the journey slaves had to go through, as well as the modern impact of slavery. I would make sure to allow a few hours (depending on how carefully and quickly you read) to really go through this museum. The curator should be applauded for how accessible and diplomatically they approached an incredibly tough issue. One of the highlights for me was the hands-on elements, such as being able to see how much space slaves were allotted on a ship with physical boxes on the floor. I also appreciated the way thought-provoking questions were asked throughout the exhibits, and allowed visitors to leave their answers (and view other's answers) to tough questions to really probe at the central themes of each exhibit room.
Also, we went here on an incredibly hot day, and I would like to thank whomever thought to install a modern central AC system into this house. You're our hero.
The city has converted this old manor hall, originally owned by the Philipse who were local landowners and made most of their riches from the slave-trade, into a wonderful, hands-on exhibit to better help children (and adults!) understand not only local history, but also key themes in slavery -- the dramatic differences between slaves and slave owners, the journey slaves had to go through, as well as the modern impact of slavery. I would make sure to allow a few hours (depending on how carefully and quickly you read) to really go through this museum. The curator should be applauded for how accessible and diplomatically they approached an incredibly tough issue. One of the highlights for me was the hands-on elements, such as being able to see how much space slaves were allotted on a ship with physical boxes on the floor. I also appreciated the way thought-provoking questions were asked throughout the exhibits, and allowed visitors to leave their answers (and view other's answers) to tough questions to really probe at the central themes of each exhibit room.
Also, we went here on an incredibly hot day, and I would like to thank whomever thought to install a modern central AC system into this house. You're our hero.
Written 5 August 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DebbieAK
Yonkers, NY18 contributions
Sept 2013 • Couples
Just a short walk from the Yonkers train station, through the newly opened Riverwalk, one finds an authentic 17th-century Dutch farmhouse manor with deep roots to local history. Now a state historical site and a National Historic Landmark, the interior contains period details and numerous portraits by notable American artists.
Written 25 November 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dnvpaul
Kew Gardens, NY250 contributions
Jan 2015 • Friends
The manor has many fine architectural details. The family had such an indelible mark on New York - it is worth seeing this to understand the development of the lower Hudson. There was a fascinating exhibition on the slave trade - it really put some of the extreme hardships of the slaves into perspective. The carvings on the main mantels are reminiscent of Grinling Gibbons. The staff was very courteous, friendly and helpful in answering questions.
Written 31 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
raissaNewYork
DOBBS FERRY15 contributions
Jun 2013 • Family
This is a beautiful house built in the 1600s. It is one of the oldest surviving houses in North America. It is up the street from the historic Yonkers train station and so is easily accessed. The house boasts an original papier-mache Rococo ceiling and original magenta Delft tile. If you are a history lover, it is not to be missed.
Written 29 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bobbestultz
katonah, new york88 contributions
great history, good tour guides, and fascinating to learn about the history of the estate, and the history of the whole Hudson Valley area. great place to spend a half day!
Written 11 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dopeycrazy2
Tuckahoe, NY81 contributions
This is a charming home, and though not the oldest home in Yonkers, it is one of the more impressive. This is the smaller of the two Philipse Manor properties that I know of, the other is further north (I think in Tarrytown). Though the larger of the two has more to see and do, they are both worth a visit. Take public transportation if you can, parking in this area is AWFUL.
Written 23 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zzzzdoc1
Largo, FL716 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
Had a chance to come back here. I've not been here for about 50 years. Nice staff and historian, building is circa 1600s, and has neat architecture and furniture. If you're in this part of the city, worth a visit.
Written 24 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
susan c
Dobbs Ferry, NY10 contributions
Dec 2016 • Solo
This home dates back to the 1600's. Tour guide Robert is excellent. He know so much about the history of the house and people and he makes it very interesting. Easy to see his passion for history. New tour is about how the people celebrated Christmas years ago. Interesting. There is also an evening candlelight tour. There is a collection of presidential portraits ( not fully complete). There are only 5 in the country and a collection is there. Admission $5 for adults. Can't beat that. Only need an hour at the most. Can explore the neighbor which is changing for the better. Definitely Worth a visit.
Written 6 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is this a good place to come when it’s raining, or would you not be able to see much in the rain because it is mostly outside?
Written 12 August 2019
It is very good place to wonder inside of the oldest building in city of Yonkers. And they have a calendar with different types of activities inside the manor.
Written 13 August 2019
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