Adult Programs

Add living history to your visit.  Step back to the 1800s and interact with “Walt Whitman” brought to life by the appearance of personator Darrel Ford.  “Walt” will be reminiscing and storytelling as he engages participants in the Interpretive Center and, with a knowledgeable guide, you will visit the 19^th century farmhouse in which Walt was born.

$15.00/person  (minimum fee $160) 
Estimated time: 1 ½ – 2 hours

Meet a published poet!  Discuss how a poet finds inspiration to write a poem.  Using their imagination and creativity, participants are encouraged to write poetry and share it with the group. A guided tour of the historic Whitman Birthplace follows this program.             

$10.00/person  (minimum fee $160)
Estimated time: 1 ½ – 2 hours

Learn to paint with watercolors.  Capture the beauty of natural light and experience painting and drawing at your easel on the historic Walt Whitman Birthplace Grand Lawn.  Learn about the art of the Hudson River School and the Impressionism Movement of the 19^th century as you paint in a beautiful outdoor setting.

$20/person (minimum group fee $150)
Estimated time:  1 ½- 2 hours

Create your own floral lilac painting with acrylic paints after discussing Walt Whitman’s popular poem, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d.”  Come in May to witness the lilacs in bloom at the Birthplace front door.

$20.00/person (minimum group  fee $150)
Estimated time 1 ½ – 2 hours

With a knowledgeable interpreter, tour the authentically furnished family farmhouse, including the room in which Whitman was born.  In the modern Interpretive Center, delve into Whitman’s life from his boyhood and teaching years on Long Island to his international prominence as a poet.  Enjoy a self-guided tour as you read the updated exhibition panels, watch a video that features the U. S. Poet Laureate speaking about Whitman, and hear Walt’s voice reading his poem, America.

$10/person
Estimated time: 1 – 1 ½ hours

Afternoon tea was created in Great Britain c. 1840 as a means to stave off hunger until supper  was served around 8 p.m.  The classic Afternoon Tea is a “tasting” comprised of mini sandwiches, sweet pastries, miniature cakes, and a wide selection of fine teas.

Enjoy the elegance of a bygone era and transport yourself back in time as you learn about the history of tea and tea etiquette at our historic site.  A guided tour of the Walt Whitman Birthplace follows the program.  *A nonrefundable deposit of $40 is required to reserve your date.

$40/person (minimum of 12 people, maximum of 15 people).

Estimated time: 2 hours

You must book as a GROUP.

Offered:  Typically held on Thursdays every month EXCEPT January, February and March

Time: The event begins at 1:00PM and ends about 3:00PM.

Price: $40 per person, includes everything – the Afternoon Tea, talk, and the guided tour.

Minimum: 12 people

Maximum: 15 people

Accessibility:  The Birthplace is comprised of two floors.  The first floor has wheel chair accessibility.  We offer a second floor viewing opportunity via a video slide presentation for those who cannot access the second floor.