{"id":213664,"date":"2025-09-09T20:04:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T20:04:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/213664\/"},"modified":"2025-09-09T20:04:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T20:04:12","slug":"why-this-time-out-editor-says-cemeteries-are-the-most-underrated-cultural-gem-in-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/213664\/","title":{"rendered":"Why this Time Out editor says cemeteries are the most underrated cultural gem in NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cLet Me Tell You\u201d<\/a>\u00a0is a series of columns from our expert editors about NYC living, including the best things to do, where to eat and drink, and what to see at the theater. Last time, Things to Do Editor Rossilynne Skena Culgan explored why NYC is still the city that never sleeps<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As New Yorkers, we\u2019re spoiled with cultural attractions, from art\u00a0shows<\/a> to live music<\/a> and theatrical performances<\/a> to historical exhibits<\/a>\u2014and you probably know all the big-name spots to go. But there\u2019s one surprising cultural amenity I bet you\u2019re leaving untapped: cemeteries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

RECOMMENDED: 5 surprising secrets inside NYC’s Woodlawn Cemetery<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, cemeteries. Places for burying the dead may not seem like cool spots to hang out, but our city\u2019s cemeteries actually offer some of the most interesting programming around town. Of course, these events are respectful to the, shall we say, permanent residents who stay there\u2014and you must be, too.<\/p>\n

These events aren\u2019t just your standard mass or remembrance ceremonies. Instead they\u2019re hosting circus performances, catacombs concerts, after-dark tours, stargazing and more. Our cemeteries are worth a visit year-round, but Halloween<\/a> feels like a particularly apt time to make a visit.<\/p>\n

Rather than being creepy, our city\u2019s cemeteries are beautiful, art-packed, lushly landscaped places where we can go to simultaneously remember New Yorkers who have gone before us while also experiencing something new. (I like to think that when I end up in a cemetery someday, perhaps my spirit will enjoy the live music echoing through the tombstones.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"cemetery\"
\nPhotograph: Courtesy Maike Schulz <\/p>\n

Though the city is home to dozens of cemeteries, two are taking the lead as cultural attractions: Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn and Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. Both of these date back to the 1860s and have the ornate architecture to prove it.<\/p>\n

Green-Wood even has a long history as a cultural attraction. By the early 1860s, it had earned an international reputation for its\u00a0staggering beauty and prestigious \u201cresidents.\u201d It was so revered that it attracted 500,000 visitors a year, second only to Niagara Falls as the nation\u2019s greatest tourist attraction at the time. Though the days of driving your carriage through the cemetery are gone, Green-Wood has found new ways to welcome visitors though its Gothic arch. Though Green-Wood hosts events all year long, fall is a particularly special time to visit as the leaves start to turn crisp\u2014and the programming turns a little spooky.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A
\nPhotograph: By Edith Ann Claudio \/ Courtesy of Green-Wood Cemetery <\/p>\n

This first series of events actually takes places in the catacombs where you\u2019ll be treated to a live musical performance while the living are seated among the dead. Cellist Jeffery Zeigler, along with dancers\u00a0Georgina Pazcoguin and Dai Matsuoka, will present Paola Prestini\u2019s Houses of Zodiac<\/a>\u00a0from October 1 to 3. It\u2019s presented in partnership with the renowned Death of Classical,\u00a0so you can be assured of an incredible show. Tickets cost $80.<\/p>\n

Later in October is Green-Wood\u2019s headlining after-dark event called Nightfall<\/a>, which brings musicians, performance artists, circus artists and storytellers together on October 16 and 17 for an illuminated nighttime experience. Tickets for Nightfall cost $85 and tend to go quick.<\/p>\n

A D\u00eda de Muertos Ofrenda will be on view for all to see from October 11 through November 16, as well as a free Day of the Dead Family Celebration of November 1. Green-Wood also hosts a variety of trolley and walking tours,\u00a0with topics including baseball greats, gay gothic, revolutionary spirits, secrets in stone, and\u00a0feminism and fortune-telling.<\/p>\n

\"Woodlawn
\nPhotograph: Courtesy of Woodlawn CemeteryWoodlawn Cemetery <\/p>\n

As for Woodlawn in the Bronx, it dates back to 1863,\u00a0a time when burials were outlawed in overcrowded Manhattan, pushing cemeteries to spring up in the outer boroughs. Given Woodlawn\u2019s location along train lines, it became a popular cemetery where Manhattanites could easily go to visit their lost loved ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These days,\u00a0Woodlawn hosts walking tours and trolley tours, often related to themes like landscape design, architecture, stained glass and natural beauty. Plus, there are a few unique\u00a0events<\/a>\u00a0worth bookmarking this fall.<\/p>\n

It can be tough to see the stars amid the light pollution around New York, but Woodlawn\u2019s\u00a0slightly more far-flung\u00a0location offers darker skies, so you\u2019ve got a chance to catch the moon, stars and planets at this\u00a0free\u00a0stargazing event<\/a> with the\u00a0Amateur Astronomer\u2019s Association on Friday, September 12.\u00a0Local astronomers will bring their telescopes to help you get a closer view, and they\u2019ll lend their expertise so you actually know what you\u2019re seeing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"woodlawn
\nPhotorgaph: Courtesy Woodlawn Cemetery\/Gavin Ashworth <\/p>\n

If live music is more your speed, bookmark Sunday, September 28 for an afternoon concert with\u00a0the Bardekova Ensemble, a\u00a0classical woodwind quintet music. It\u2019s free to attend with advance registration<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally, don\u2019t miss Woodlawn\u2019s annual walking tour of mausoleums and sculptures hosted after sunset by flashlight. These guided tours on October 17 and 19 dig into the history and beauty of funerary art. Tours cost $25 per person; register here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All that is to say, while\u00a0you may not think of cemeteries among the\u00a0best NYC attractions<\/a>, they\u2019re absolutely worth adding to the list. After all, we might as well visit these places while we\u2019re still walking on two feet, right? I\u2019ll see you out there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cLet Me Tell You\u201d\u00a0is a series of columns from our expert editors about NYC living, including the best…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":213665,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5122],"tags":[5229,10336,15291,18634,18633,15290,10784,10782,18625,10785,18626,10783,18627,18629,18628,37720,68303,116903,405,403,18632,5226,5225,5228,5227,1072,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":["post-213664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-america","tag-categories-things-to-do","tag-dating-good-for-date-night","tag-family-kids-good-for-kids","tag-gay-lesbian-good-for-lgbtq","tag-good-for-good-for-couples","tag-good-for-good-for-going-in-a-group","tag-good-for-good-for-going-solo","tag-good-for-good-for-going-with-friends","tag-good-for-good-for-locals","tag-good-for-good-for-taking-parents","tag-good-for-good-for-tourists","tag-good-for-vibe-beautiful","tag-good-for-vibe-ethical","tag-good-for-vibe-outdoors","tag-good-for-vibe-quirky","tag-holidays-fall","tag-holidays-halloween","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-news-events-festivals","tag-newyork","tag-newyorkcity","tag-ny","tag-nyc","tag-things-to-do","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=213664"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213664\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/213665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=213664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=213664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}