Step back in time and experience what Christmas and other Yuletide celebrations would have been like in the Dunham home in the 1840s. The Museum will host an open house with tours, live music, and refreshments!

FREE and open to the public.

Experience a magical time when the Museum is decked out in seasonal splendor. This special tradition returns this December--featuring an open bar, heavy hors d'oeurves, and festive Irish music. Valet parking provided.

Get your tickets HERE!

Dunham Tavern Museum & Gardens presents a new series of entertainment …

Music in the Barn: Mike, Jim & Bill Do The White Album

After a long hiatus, Mike, Jim and Bill will Do The White Album in the barn at Dunham Tavern Museum & Gardens. 3 guitars, 3 voices.

Get your tickets HERE!

Empire Builders: An Illustrated History of the Rise and Fall of Cleveland’s Van Sweringen Brothers

Empire Builders tells the story of Cleveland’s Oris P. and Mantis J. Van Sweringen, two brothers born near Wooster, Ohio, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Although they were born into abject poverty, O. P. was an extraordinary visionary who, with the help of M. J., his devoted younger brother, amassed a vast fortune in real estate and railroad developments. Their breakthrough came with establishing Shaker Heights, an affluent garden suburb, soon to be connected by a brand-new interurban railroad to the booming midwestern metropolis of Cleveland.

Lauren Pacini will talk in depth about his research and resulting book, the first new biography of the Van Sweringen brothers in more than twenty years.

Free and open to the public.
Registration encouraged, not required.

18th Century Fashion: Block Printing with Audrey Newbacher, Fashion & Textile Designer

An alumnus of The Fashion School at Kent State, Audrey Newbacher's love of researching and creating historical clothing has led her to creating her own fabrics inspired by the past.

In this program, she will give a brief history of 18th century block printing techniques and their influence on fashion at the time. Materials, process, and tools of the trade will be on display as well as a sample demonstration of how the prints are created.

FREE and open to the public

REGISTRATION REQUIRED - Space is limited!

The 2024 Summer Soiree is a….

BICENTENNIAL BASH!

Est. 1824 ~ Join Dunham Tavern Museum & Gardens in celebrating 200 years!

As the oldest building in the city of Cleveland still standing on its original site, Dunham Tavern has amazingly persisted as a witness to 200 years of history and change in MidTown. From stagecoach stops to car dealerships, Millionaire’s Row to urban renewal . . . Dunham has remained.

This milestone moment is cause for celebration! Businesses, organizations, partners, and friends throughout Cleveland – we need your support this year.  There has never been a more important time to support the preservation of Dunham as a historic landmark and our transformation into a vibrant greenspace and neighborhood park. Please gather with us to commemorate the past 200 years and help light a spark to our vision into the future!

Find out more, sponsor this event, and purchase tickets HERE!

Dunham Tavern Museum & Gardens presents its first ever Dunham Day, Saturday, June 22. Like the County Fair organized by the Museum’s founding members in 1938, this FREE & FUN community celebration invites visitors of all ages to take a step back in time and enjoy musical performances, historic demonstrations and actors, vendors, crafts, games, refreshments & more!

REGISTRATION encouraged, but not required.

This event is also presented as part of Cleveland History Days, a week-long celebration of our city's rich legacy presented by Canalway Partners. Learn more and see the full schedule of events and participating organizations at http://clevelandhistorydays.com.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

In this, Dunham Tavern Museum and Gardens bicentennial year, in lieu of the customary Annual Meeting, we invite you to join us for Dunham Day on June 22, as part of the city-wide celebration of Cleveland History Days. Read on for more information about Dunham Day and other upcoming events!

Gather at Dunham for a FREE eclipse watch event presented in partnership with Great Lakes Science Center. The eclipse will begin at 1:59 p.m. on Monday, April 8, with the max eclipse occuring at 3:15 p.m. Cleveland’s last total solar eclipse was in 1806 and the next will not occur until 2444—so 2024 is your moment to experience this historic moment at historic Dunham Tavern Museum & Gardens!

We will have plenty of eclipse-watching supplies to distribute as well as fun activities for kids, and snacks, fun, and entertainment for everyone to enjoy.

This event is free but REGISTRATION is encouraged. 

Stay tuned for more details!

Monuments Man, the Mission to Save Vermeers, Rembrandts,

DaVincis and More from the Nazis’ Grasp

An Afternoon with Co-Author, Louis Rorimer

Louis Rorimer practiced corporate law at Jones Day in Cleveland for 35 years.
Since retirement in 2011, he has returned to his family’s roots by embarking on
the study of art history. His particular interests are Greek and Roman antiquities and the role of provenance.

Louis’s principal project for several years was the re-issuance of the
memoir written by his father, James J. Rorimer, which was originally published in
1950, about service in the U.S. Army’s Monuments, Fine Arts & Archives group in Word War II. Louis and his sister, Anne Rorimer, co-authored an enhanced edition of their father’s memoir, published by Rizzoli/Electa under the new title, Monuments Man, the Mission to Save Vermeers, Rembrandts, Da Vincis and More from the Nazis’ Grasp in 2022.

Louis Rorimer will be joining us in the Dunham Barn to reflect and share about his father’s life and work.

Please register HERE for this free event.

Bring a dish to share to this potluck-style gathering featuring the perfect cold weather dish, SOUP! There will be ham, salads, bread, dessert, and beverages too. Our evening also includes live musical entertaiment!

This event is now free of charge, but registration and a potluck contribution are required. Register by completing this FORM, or by calling the Museum at 216-431-1060.

This event is FREE and open to the public.

Mary Fields lived by her wits and her strength. She traveled north to Ohio, settled in Toledo and worked for the Catholic convent. Mary was a pistol-packing, hard-drinking woman, who needed nobody to fight her battles for her. When turned away from the mission because of her behavior, the nuns financed her in her own business. She opened a cafe. Mary's big heart drove her business into the ground several times because she would feed the hungry. In 1895 she found a job that suited her, as a U.S. mail coach driver for the Cascade County region of central Montana. She and her mule Moses, never missed a day, and it was in this capacity that she earned her nickname of "Stagecoach", for her unfailing reliability.

Robin Echols Cooper is a storyteller, performing and visual artist. Robin grew up on a small farm in Chardon, Ohio where she enjoyed listening to songs and wonderful stories. She has been writing and sharing stories all of her life. Robin received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with minors in art and theater from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She has been telling stories professionally since 1992. Ms. Echols Cooper’s unique style takes you on an animated journey as she weaves tales from around the world.

The Museum will be decked out for the festive season and open for tours all afternoon.

At 2:00 pm, join us in the Barn for a holiday musical performance by students from Campus International School. Come see the show and enjoy refreshments—fun for the whole family!

FREE and open to the public.

Our favorite tradition... gather with friends in a cozy historic tavern, one cold winter's night...

Experience a magical time when the Museum is decked out in seasonal splendor. This special tradition returns this December--featuring an open bar, heavy hors d'oeurves, and festive Irish music from “Francis Quinn & Friends.”

Get your tickets HERE!

Hiding in obscure corners and in plain sight, chilling tales from Cleveland's paranormal past await reawakening. A tale from 1840 places the city's first haunted house on the windswept commons south of town. Hanged murderers were said to roam the corridors of the Old County Jail, and the 1885 disinterment of the old Cleveland Medical College graveyard led to reports of nocturnal phantoms throughout the excavation. With the construction of Bulkley Boulevard in 1912, many West Side homes were demolished. Also destroyed was the entrance to what neighbors menacingly called The Cave of Apparitions.

Take a step back in time with author and investigative historian William G. Krejci on this journey through Cleveland's long lost ghostly past.

FREE and open to the public.

Learn more about the life and achievements of naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry, during the month that marks 210 years since the Battle of Lake Erie.

Free and open to the public.

Dunham Tavern Museum Summer Soiree

Saturday, August 26, 6:00 pm

Honoring Lillian Kuri of The Cleveland Foundation

*Live musical entertainment!

*Open bar and buffet-style dinner!

*Silent Auction!

*More fun and surprises in store!

Complimentary valet parking provided. Sponsorship opportunities available. Tickets HERE!

MidTown Opening Day will be an all-day event highlighting the vibrant and growing MidTown community.

This provides an opportunity for businesses, organizations, residents, and groups to open their doors to the greater community, increasing connectivity. This event will be working in tandem with the Cleveland Foundation’s public opening for their headquarters.

Performances, vendors, food, and drink will be along E. 66th St. between Euclid and Chester Ave.

Programming will be held at different hubs of the neighborhood such as MAGNET, Cleveland Public Library Hough Branch, Children's Museum of Cleveland, TechHive, Dunham Tavern and more.

Learn more and register HERE. Sign up HERE to volunteer!

Join us for an Open House!

Free museum tours; no advance registration required. This event is part of Cleveland History Days, a week-long celebration of our city’s rich legacy presented by Canalway Partners. Learn more and see the full schedule of events and participating organizations at https://clevelandhistorydays.com .

Join us for this year’s Annual Meeting as we look back on the last year’s activities, accomplishments, and share plans for the coming year. The Executive Director, President, and Committee Chairs will present and we will enjoy light refreshments. All are welcome!

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and the Cleveland Foundation for their generous support and funding, which have made our Juneteenth celebration possible.

This event is FREE but registration is encouraged: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteenth-tickets-615202325717

Join us for an unforgettable celebration of Juneteenth on June 10th from 12 PM to 3 PM at Dunham Tavern! This special event will honor the significance of Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.

Immerse yourself in a vibrant atmosphere filled with live performances, engaging activities, and the rich history of Juneteenth. Our talented storyteller will captivate your imagination as they share stories that highlight the importance of this momentous day.

Bring your family and friends to enjoy an afternoon of fun and education. From music and dance performances to arts and crafts, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Let's come together to celebrate freedom, unity, and resilience.

Don't miss out on this meaningful community event. Mark your calendars and join us for MidTown's Juneteenth celebration at Dunham Tavern. Together, let's embrace our shared history and create a brighter future. See you there!

Presented by James M. Edmonson

Free and open to the public.

Dunham’s book club, the “Tavern Readers” meet again in April to discuss Showplace of America: Cleveland’s Euclid Avenue, 1850-1910 by Jan Cigliano.

Free and open the public.

Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens: A Landscape of Diversity, published by Kent State University Press tells the story in the context of local, national, and international events through the narrative of Cleveland historian John J. Grabowski and the images of architectural photographer and local history author Lauren R. Pacini.

Free and open to the public.