New York's Oldest Building: The Wyckoff House

The Wyckoff House Museum preserves and operates what it calls New York's oldest building, a Dutch colonial farmhouse that still stands in an acre and a half of parkland in East Flatbush, surrounded today by a very different Brooklyn. Free guided tours lead through three furnished rooms of the house, reflecting periods from the 17th-century Dutch colonial era to the early 19th century, and the garden, covered patio and seasonal farmstand turn a short history lesson into a pleasant hour outdoors.

Drop-in house tours are free, with donations welcome, on Saturdays and select Sundays from mid-February to mid-December, starting on the half hour; groups of eight or more must reserve. The park and grounds are open most Tuesdays through Saturdays from April through November, a Saturday farmstand runs from July through October, and free seasonal events include a fall Spooktacular and St. Nicholas Day in December. Check the events calendar for cancellations before you go, since public tours occasionally change.