State Funding Brings Green-Wood Cemetery Closer to Funding Goals for New Visitor Center
A group of local elected officials has joined the effort made by Brooklyn’s historic Green-Wood Cemetery to raise $34 million for the construction of its new Education and Welcome Center.
Green-Wood has raised $18 million to fund the construction of the $34 million center. Photo by Maike Schulz/Green-Wood Cemetery
By Melissa Fishman, Brooklyn Paper
A group of local elected officials has joined the effort made by Brooklyn’s historic Green-Wood Cemetery to raise $34 million for the construction of its new Education and Welcome Center.
In a joint push made by four members from the New York State Assembly and Senate, $500,000 in state funds was allocated to Green-Wood Cemetery to be used to make their dream a reality.
Assembly members Robert Carroll and Marcela Mitaynes and state senators Andrew Gounardes and Iwen Chu, each of whom represent the cemetery and its surrounding neighborhoods, presented the gift on November 1.
“Today I am proud to stand with the New York State Legislature to support Green-Wood’s new Education and Welcome Center,” Mitaynes said in a statement. “The Green-Wood Cemetery is a historic fixture of our community where we should come together to expand education and culture. I want to congratulate all those involved in the tireless effort to bring this project to fruition.”
The 20,400-square-foot education center will sit at the cemetery’s main entrance at 25th Street and 5th Avenue, welcoming visitors and allowing the organization to continue its educational programming all year long.
Green-Wood has already successfully raised $18 million from federal, state, and local entities including $4.5 million from the New York City Council and the five borough presidents as part of their plan to fund more than 1,000 cultural organizations.
“Green-Wood’s historical, environmental, and artistic treasures are more engaging and accessible than ever and we need to continue to build on this success,” said New York State Assembly Member Robert Carroll. “I encourage everyone in Brooklyn and beyond to discover this incredible urban jewel that’s equal parts art museum, arboretum, historic landmark, and final resting place.”
When the center is finished in spring 2025, it will have several new amenities for its 450,000 annual visitors to enjoy — including two exhibition galleries, a new center for scholarly research, meeting and event space for local nonprofits and community organizations, and a classroom. The new center will wrap around the restored Weir Greenhouse.
Green-Wood is the permanent home of the more than 570,000 people buried there — among them Leonard Bernstein, Jean-Michele Basquiat, and Boss Tweed. The cemetery regularly hosts artistic and educational programs from birdwatching and nature excursions to Día de los Muertos exhibitions and even concerts.
“We are deeply grateful to New York State Assembly members Robert Carroll and Marcela Mitaynes and senators Andrew Gounardes and Iwen Chu for their generous support,” said Richard Moylan, president of the Green-Wood Cemetery. “Their commitment to Green-Wood’s capital campaign for the Education and Welcome Center is a testament to their dedication to preserve the history and culture of our community and educate future generations. We thank them for their unwavering support.”
Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.
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