Historic Richmond Town is a real village of relocated and original buildings, and Old Home Day is the day its workshops actually run, with smiths and joiners working inside the structures rather than roped off from them. What lifts it above costume drama is the rest of the billing: contemporary Staten Island makers and cultural groups set up beside the historians. If you have never made the trip past the ferry, this is the Saturday that justifies it.
What to expect
You move house to house across a 35-acre campus, dropping in on whichever trade is being demonstrated when you arrive rather than following a fixed schedule. Interpreters in period dress explain what they are doing and generally welcome questions. Tables from modern makers and local cultural groups fill the spaces between the historic buildings.
Good to know
- Take the Staten Island Ferry then the S74 bus toward Richmond Town; allow a good hour from Manhattan
- The village is spread over 35 acres, so wear shoes you can walk grass and gravel in
- Paths between historic houses are uneven, which matters for wheels and strollers
- Interpreters are there to be asked questions; the demonstrations are hands-on to watch
- Good for older children who can handle a lot of walking between buildings
- Check the museum's admission page before you go, since special event days can change the rate
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Common questions
What actually happens on the day?
Historic trades are demonstrated in the village's historic houses and shops by costumed living historians, with displays from modern makers and Staten Island cultural organizations alongside them.
Is it worth the trip from Manhattan?
It is a genuine half-day out rather than a quick stop. Between ferry, bus and a 35-acre site, budget most of a day, and pair it with the pumpkin picking that runs at the museum's Decker Farm the same month.
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