History Detective Briefcases
Families are on the case discovering the past with our History Detective Briefcases, available for free at admissions. Recommended ages 4 and up.
Will your family discover where George Washington slept? Or find the clues etched onto Harriet Tubman’s skirt? Will they experiment with color and light at a Tiffany Lamp?
Pick up a History Detective briefcase at admissions! These free cases have art supplies and special activities for the Museum galleries.
- Each briefcase contains activities and prompts for Beatrice Glow: When Our Rivers Meet (2nd Floor), Objects Tell Stories (4th Floor), and the Gallery of Tiffany Lamps (4th Floor).
- Activity cards contain hunt prompts and historical information that reference specific works, people, and events.
- Each case contains a mix of activity cards, hands-on materials, multisensory interactives, and sketching/note taking activities.
- The activities and text are tailored to a variety of ages and interests.
- Some interactives and prompts can be completed by individuals; some require two to three people to complete. Families can choose how much they want to interact with each other as they complete the tasks.
When Our Rivers Meet briefcase activities designed by the 2024 Family Programs High School Interns
Beatrice Glow: When Our Rivers Meet is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. This project is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York.
Philanthropic support for New Amsterdam 400 is provided by New York Life. Lead support is also provided by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Major support is provided by Jeffrey Bewkes, Citco, and the Henry Luce Foundation. Additional support is provided by Alex Roepers and Nina and Tim Zagat.
Major support for Family Programs is provided by the DiMenna Foundation. Additional generous support is from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.



