Crane House & Historic YWCA

A unique museum with a rich history. The Crane House & Historic YWCA has lived three lives: as the Crane family home, as a YWCA for African American women and girls, and as a historic house museum. See the rooms where the prominent Crane family of Montclair entertained guests and served extravagant meals from 1796-1900. See the fire ablaze in the hearth and taste some dishes made from historic recipes. Then travel to the early 20th century when the women of the Montclair-North Essex branch of the YWCA took charge of the house and made it their headquarters. At a time of segregation, the house became a safe haven for these African American women and girls and a place where they could learn and form friendships. The house again changed hands in 1965 when the YWCA made the difficult decision to raze the home to build a more modern facility. Thanks to a group of concerned citizens, the house was saved, moved to a new location in town (by picking it up in one piece, no less!), and beginning life anew as a historic house museum. The house today tells the story of the people who represent the different periods of the house. When you're done visiting the house, check out the herb garden, microfarm, and chickens!

Exhibits

Special Tour: Women of the House! On this special tour, hear the stories of the women who lived, worked, and played in the house. From the Crane wives, to the enslaved and paid workers of the house, to the women and girls of the African American YWCA, the Crane House & Historic YWCA has seen how a woman's role in the house and in society has changed over 200 years.

The Crane House & Historic YWCA will be closed on Saturday, September 17th, but will be open for tours on Sunday, September 18th. Tours of the house are approximately one hour long and will begin at 12pm, 1pm, and 2pm.

Participation in Museum Day is open to any tax-exempt or governmental museum or cultural venue on a voluntary basis. Smithsonian magazine encourages museum visitation, but is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of the participating museums and cultural venues, and does not subsidize museums that participate.