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Manhattan's Oldest Farmhouse Celebrates 100 Years as a Museum

By Carolina Pichardo | April 29, 2016 11:11am
 The Dyckman Farmouse Museum will host its first official benefit on Saturday, May 14, 2016.
The Dyckman Farmouse Museum will host its first official benefit on Saturday, May 14, 2016.
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DNAinfo/Carolina Pichardo

INWOOD — It might be the oldest home on the block, but that isn't stopping the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum from celebrating 100 years in style. 

Manhattan’s oldest farmhouse, located at 4881 Broadway and 204th St., is celebrating its centennial as a museum by hosting its first official benefit with a contemporary art exhibit, jazz music and food from local businesses, executive director Meredith S. Horsford said.

With half an acre of land — which founders Mary Alice Dyckman Dean and Fannie Fredericka Dyckman Welch purchased and restored in 1916 — organizers said there's plenty of room for guests to check out the food tables stationed in the front of the late-1700s house, take a peek inside at the exhibits, and eventually end up in the back porch and garden.

"It's an exciting and very big deal for us," Horsford said.

Some of the local businesses that signed up for a table so far include Indian Road Cafe, MamaSushi, Piper's Kilt, Tonnie's Minis, chocNYC, Darling Coffee, Dyckman Beer and Benmarl Winery.

The Upper Manhattan Jazz Collective will also be performing for guests.   

Horsford said the museum signed on sponsors like TD Bank, PaleoWest Archaeology, the Estee Lauder Companies and Flower of Life Studio to provide attendees with goodie bags. 

"We’re just tying to be more engaging and dynamic," she said. "Roll with the times."

Horsford said that since 2015, when the museum closed for a few months, it has been focusing on community engagement and free- to low-cost programming as part of its new approach. Last year, the museum removed the room barriers to allow visitors to get up close to the collections, made signage and promotional materials bilingual, and launched several science programs for kids.  

Horsford said these types of programs connect the museum's past to the present. 

"Yes, we’re an old farmhouse," she added, "but we to continue to get ourselves out there in the community and make sure people know what we’re doing."

The benefit will be held on Saturday, May 14, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $60 to $100, and provide participants with everything from a craft beer demonstration to goodie bags and a growler of beer.