Uptown Treasures

NY, NY, August 17, 2000 - Seven cultural institutions located in Upper Manhattan are pleased to host the ninth annual UPTOWN TREASURES: A DAY OF SPECIAL EVENTS on Sunday, October 1, 2000 from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Since 1993, UPTOWN TRESURES has celebrated the historic importance and diverse cultural treasures of the Washington Heights and Inwood neighborhoods. This year, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, The American Numismatic Society, The Cloisters, Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, The Hispanic Society of America, Morris-Jumel Mansion, and St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine will open their doors, inviting the public to explore these special places. UPTOWN TREASURES will feature exhibitions, gallery talks and tours, musical concerts, craft demonstrations and children's activities. UPTOWN TREASURES is made possible through the generous support of: City of New York Parks and Recreation, A.R.C., New York Presbyterian Hospital, and The Cloisters, a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On the day of the event, free shuttle buses will depart midtown Manhattan from Central Park West and 62nd Street at 11a.m. and will stop first at Audubon Terrace, Broadway and 155th Street. Seating is limited and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Throughout the day from 11:00a.m. to 4:30p.m., shuttle buses will travel a cultural loop, stopping at each of the seven institutions approximately every 20 to 30 minutes, allowing visitors to see several sites. A shuttle bus leaving Audubon Terrace at 4:00p.m. will return visitors to Central Park West and 62nd St.

Following are brief descriptions of the participating institutions and their special events:

American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters was established in 1898 to "foster, assist, and sustain an interest in literature, music and the fine arts." Each year, the Academy presents awards to artists, architects, writers, and composers, totaling over $850,000. Its activities include exhibitions of art and manuscripts, the funding of readings and performances of new musicals, and the purchase of paintings for museums across the country.

Special Events: Hourly tours of the Academy's historic building and its collection of artwork by members.
Location: Audubon Terrace, Broadway at 155th Street
Admission: Free
Public Transportation: Bus: M4, M5 to 155th Street Subway: #1 to 157th Street
Contact: Betsey Feeley, (212) 368-5900

The American Numismatic Society
Founded in 1858, The American Numismatic Society is an international center for the preservation and study of coins, medals, and paper money, representing 2,500 years of material culture. The Society presents exhibits of historical artifacts and miniature artistic masterpieces. Scholars and collectors use the museum's resources, which include nearly one million objects and the world's most comprehensive library of numismatic literature.

Special Events: The World of Coins, an exhibit that surveys the history and evolution of coinage and money, and an exhibit of American Numismatic Design from 1892-1922. Throughout the day visitors will be able to see demonstrations of how coins are minted and will be able to pick up a free educational storage board for the new state quarters.
Location: Audubon Terrace, Broadway at 155th Street
Admission: Free
Public Transportation: Bus: M4, M5 to 155th Street Subway: #1 to 157th Street
Contact: Vanessa Samet (212) 234-3130 ext. 209

The Cloisters
The Cloisters is a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. It is located in Upper Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, overlooking the Hudson River. Opened in 1938, this modern structure in medieval style incorporates chapels, sections of monastic cloisters, a chapter house and other architectural elements. At The Cloisters, one can view a world-renowned collection of sculpture, tapestries, illuminated manuscripts, stained glass, ivories and other artworks, both religious and secular, dating from the 12th through the 15th centuries. Among the highlights are the beautiful flower and herb gardens, with more than 250 specials of plants grown in the Middle Ages.

Special Events: 12p.m: Highlights of the Collection Tour; 1p.m. Medieval Garden Tour; 2p.m. Highlights of the Collection Tour
Location: Fort Tryon Park (Margaret Corbin Drive)
Admission: Suggested donation: $10 Adults, $5 students and seniors, children under 12 are free
Public Transportation: Bus: M4 "Cloisters" to last stop Subway: A to 190th St. exit elevator, walk north into Fort Tryon Park
Contact: Keith Glutting (212) 396-5295

Dyckman Farmhouse Museum
Offering a glimpse of 18th century agricultural New York in a unique historic setting, Dyckman Farmhouse Museum is the only surviving Dutch farmhouse left on Manhattan Island. The house was built in 1784 - with portions dating back some forty years earlier - by William Dyckman, a descendant of Jan Dyckman who turned much of Upper Manhattan into rolling apple orchards, cherry trees, and grazing land for cattle. Donated to the City of New York in 1916, Dyckman Farmhouse Museum exhibits family life as it was in the 18th century through concerts, lectures and tours.
Special Events: Press and drink fresh apple cider, make and taste apple butter, and learn to ferment apple mead. Historical tours of the Dutch Colonial Farmhouse.
Location: 4881 Broadway
Admission: Free
Public Transportation: Bus: Bx7, 12, 20 and M100 to 204th St. Subway: #A to 207th Street
Contact: Allyson Bowen (212) 304-9422

The Hispanic Society of America
Founded in 1904 by Archer Milton Huntington and opened to the public in 1908, The Hispanic Society of America is a museum and library dedicated to the art and culture of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America from prehistory to the present. In addition to the permanent collection, The Society offers temporary exhibitions and occasional lectures, often in collaboration with other educational institutions.

Special Events: 12p.m. Concert of traditional Spanish Music, tours of the collection.
Location: Audubon Terrace, Broadway at 155th Street
Admission: Free
Public Transportation: Bus: M4, M5 to 155th Street Subway: #1 to 157th Street
Contact: Bill Ambler (212) 926-2234 ext. 250

Morris-Jumel Mansion
Built in 1765, Morris-Jumel Mansion is the oldest remaining Colonial residence in Manhattan. This Georgian mansion, built by Roger Morris in 1765 as a rural retreat, was George Washington's headquarters in the autumn of 1776. In 1832, Aaron Burr married Eliza Jumel, then the richest woman in America, in the parlor. Each room of the house, restored to periods dating between 1765 and 1835, reveals a specific aspect of its history. A wide variety of programs address the history of the house and its surrounding neighborhood from its construction to the present.

Special Events: Throughout the day - screening of Washington in New York, a video that explores the trials and triumphs of George Washington in New York.
Location: 65 Jumel Terrace
Admission: Free
Public Transportation: Bus: M2 to 160th Street Subway: C to 163rd Street
Contact: Ken Moss (212) 923-8008

St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine
St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine houses the remains of America's first citizen saint. The Shrine also exhibits the personal belongings of St. Frances X. Cabrini, and is located on the property purchased by her in 1899.

Special Events: 1p.m. and 3p.m. Tours of the Shrine, throughout the day refreshments will be served.
Location: 701 Fort Washington Avenue
Admisson: Free
Public Transportation: Bus: M4, to 190th Street Subway: A to 190th Street, exit elevator
Contact: Debra Stumpf (212) 923-3536