Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn is a free, 478-acre National Historic Landmark where you can walk past Victorian mausoleums, glacial ponds and 19th-century monuments. Take the R train to 25th Street, walk one block uphill and enter at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street. Green-Wood says it is open 365 days a year at no charge (Green-Wood hours, checked October 2026).
This guide explains how to reach the cemetery, which entrance to use, what to see and which rules to follow. It also shows how to pair a visit with nearby Brooklyn neighborhoods. Every fact below comes from the cemetery’s own pages, which we link in each section.
Why Green-Wood Cemetery Is Worth Your Time
Green-Wood opened in 1838. It was one of the first rural cemeteries in America, and the cemetery’s history page calls it a National Historic Landmark. The U.S. Department of the Interior gave it that designation on September 27, 2006, for its importance in art, architecture, landscaping and history.
The cemetery was a major attraction in the 19th century. By the early 1860s, Green-Wood drew 500,000 visitors a year, which made it second only to Niagara Falls as the nation’s greatest tourist attraction. Families came for outings, carriage rides and sculpture viewing. Its popularity also helped inspire public parks, including Central Park and Prospect Park.
History runs deeper here than the 1830s. Green-Wood is a Revolutionary War site, because the Battle of Long Island took place in 1776 across what is now its grounds. Today it works as both an active cemetery and a public landscape of hills, valleys and ponds. If you like Prospect Park, read our Prospect Park visitor guide next, because the two parks share a story.
Plan Your Visit to Green-Wood Cemetery
Getting There by Subway
The easiest route is the R train. Get off at the 25th Street station in Brooklyn, then walk east and uphill for one block to the Main Entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street. The official visit page gives the same directions. For help with other lines, transfers and the ferry, see our guide to getting around New York City.
Drivers can park inside the cemetery for free. Park on the right-hand side of the road, and never on the grass. Green-Wood asks every driver to follow those two rules.
Hours and Entrances
Hours change by season and by entrance, so check the official hours page on the day you go. The cemetery has four entrances: the Main Entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street, the Sunset Park Entrance at Fourth Avenue and 35th Street, the Fort Hamilton Parkway Entrance at Micieli Place, and the Prospect Park West Entrance at 20th Street. Pedestrian and vehicle hours differ at some gates.
The Green-House at Green-Wood sits at the 25th Street entrance. It is open Thursday to Monday, according to the visit page. The cemetery also posts closure notices on its homepage, for example after snow, so look before you travel.
Rules to Know Before You Go
Green-Wood is an active cemetery, so burial services take place on the grounds. Keep your voice low and give mourners space. Pets are not permitted, although service animals are welcome (Green-Wood FAQ). Read the full rules and regulations if you plan to bring a group.
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What to See at Green-Wood Cemetery
Famous Residents
Green-Wood lists more than 570,000 permanent residents. Its notable residents page names Leonard Bernstein, Boss Tweed, Charles Ebbets, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louis Comfort Tiffany and Horace Greeley, along with baseball figures, artists, inventors and Civil War generals. Basquiat was a Brooklyn native, and Bernstein was born in Massachusetts to Jewish immigrants from Russia.
Read a few profiles before you arrive. Then use the cemetery map to find one or two names, and let the rest of the walk be a wander. The hills make the route more interesting than a flat park path, so wear comfortable shoes.
Trees, Ponds and Birds
Green-Wood is also an arboretum. Its nature page says the living collection includes specimens older than the cemetery itself, and that new plantings are chosen for climate resilience and wildlife value. The landscape includes glacial ponds, and the cemetery belongs to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System.
Bird watchers can join a Birding in Peace walking tour. Green-Wood describes four seasons of beauty among its century-and-a-half-old trees, so any month can work.
Public Art and Special Programs
The visit page highlights a 25-year public artwork by Sophie Calle. It also lists exhibitions, installations and public programs in art, history and nature. Check the events calendar before your trip, because programs and exhibitions change.
How to Explore the Grounds
You have three simple options. First, grab a map at an entrance and walk on your own. Second, use the free mobile guide on Bloomberg Connects, which the cemetery recommends for navigating its 478 acres. Third, book a walking tour. Green-Wood’s guides lead group walking tours of notable sites.
A cemetery this size rewards a slow pace. Pick one section, such as the area around a pond or a hillside of monuments, and explore it well rather than trying to cover everything in one trip.
First-Visit Tips for Green-Wood Cemetery
Start at the Main Entrance if this is your first trip, because the subway walk is short and the Green-House is right there. Pick up a map, then decide how much ground you want to cover. The grounds include hills, so build in time to rest and look around.
Dress for the weather, because most of your visit happens outdoors. Bring water, charge your phone for the mobile guide, and check the homepage for closure notices on stormy days. Treat the visit like a quiet park walk, and remember that families visit graves here every day.
Pair Green-Wood With Nearby Brooklyn
The Sunset Park Entrance makes it easy to combine Green-Wood with one of Brooklyn’s great immigrant neighborhoods. Read our Sunset Park immigrant heritage guide for the story of the Finnish, Norwegian and Chinese families who shaped it. The Prospect Park West Entrance links the cemetery with Brooklyn’s best-known park.
Want a bigger Brooklyn plan? Compare the borough with Manhattan in our Brooklyn vs Manhattan guide, stroll the Brooklyn Heights waterfront, or head to the beach with our Coney Island guide. Our list of New York City hidden gems has more quiet places like this one.
We checked every fact above against the Green-Wood Cemetery pages in October 2026. Hours, events and rules change, so confirm details on green-wood.com before you go.
Green-Wood Cemetery FAQ
Is Green-Wood Cemetery free to visit?
Yes. Green-Wood says admission to the cemetery and the Green-House is free, and that the cemetery is open 365 days a year at no charge. Check the hours page for gate times before you go.
How do I get to Green-Wood Cemetery by subway?
Take the R train to the 25th Street station in Brooklyn. Walk one block east and uphill to the Main Entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street.
Can I bring my dog to Green-Wood Cemetery?
No. Green-Wood does not permit pets, although it does allow service animals. Plan a different outing if you want to walk with a dog.
Who is buried at Green-Wood Cemetery?
More than 570,000 people, including Leonard Bernstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louis Comfort Tiffany and Horace Greeley. See the official list of notable residents for profiles.
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