Archaeology & History in Action at Van Cortlandt Park

Van Cortlandt Park has a rich Indigenous, colonial, and Revolutionary history. Archaeological excavations near the Van Cortlandt House Museum have turned up thousands of artifacts spanning the centuries. But some discoveries have raised more questions than answers. Come witness archaeology in action on a behind-the-scenes expert guided tour of Van Cortlandt Park’s hidden history–the forgotten ruins, roads, and burial grounds that your average park-goer would never know about. Plus the tour will take you to…

Meet geoarchaeologist, Sheldon Skaggs Ph.D., as his team from Bronx Community College scans the park grounds using ground penetrating radar.

See a collection of recovered artifacts presented by Kelly Britt, Ph.D., R.P.A., who is analyzing a repository of thousands of excavated objects with her Brooklyn College students.

Meet Adriaen van der Donck, the area’s first Dutch colonist presented by historical interpreter Rick Vanden Heuvel.

Two tours will start from the museum’s welcome center at 2:00 and then at 2:30. They will last about 90 minutes. Van Cortlandt House Museum is located at 6036 Broadway, in Van Cortlandt Park. Free parking is available at the Van Cortlandt Park parking lot (near the golf course entrance) and the museum is a few minute walk from the 242nd Street stop on the #1 train.

In the event of inclement weather, please check vchm.org for possible rescheduling or cancellation.