Exhibits & Events

For full details and to register for any of the Suffolk County Historical Society's upcoming events, please call: (631) 727-2881.

UPCOMING EXHIBIT
Visions of Freedom: America 250 Exhibit
A Multimedia Exhibition by Women Sharing Art, Inc.
In Our Gish Gallery, March 1 – August 22, 2026

OPENING RECEPTION:
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
SPECIAL EVENING RECEPTION:
Thursday, June 25, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

$5 admission, members free. Light refreshments will be served.

Women Sharing Art, Inc. presents Visions of Freedom in honor of America 250, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. WSA is a vibrant collective of women artists working across ceramics, painting, art glass, fiber art, jewelry, mixed media, mosaics, oils, & acrylics, photography, pottery, sculpture, watercolor, and videography.

In Visions of Freedom, over 30 talented artists bring together diverse perspectives to explore what freedom means in the American experience. Through deeply personal expressions and varied artistic languages, from richly textured mosaics and luminous glass pieces to evocative photographs and expressive paintings, the exhibit celebrates both historical ideals and contemporary interpretations of liberty, identity, and possibility. Drawing on each artist’s unique background and created voice, the works invite viewers to reflect on the many dimensions of freedom in a nation shaped by diverse cultures, struggles, and stories. Visions of Freedom is not only a visual display of craftsmanship across media but also a thoughtful dialogue about the ideals at the core of America’s ongoing journey.

AMERICA 250 CONCERT:
Transitions Saxophone Quartet performs
"The Evolution and the Revolution of American Music"
April 18, 2026 – 2:00 pm

This performance is free with museum admission, but registration IS required! (631) 727-2881 X100. Museum admission: $5 adults, $3 senior, $1 children, members free.

Transitions will explore artists in early American culture who imitated traditional European Classical music and then revolutionized the style, creating unique American sounds that evolved into many of the musical genres enjoyed by the world today. American music is the "melting Pot" of many cultures, and Transitions will explore these musical mixtures and how they are directly responsible for the emergence of the beloved genres that we enjoy today including jazz, ragtime, swing, bebop, hip hop, rock & roll, R & B, and funk. The presentation will guide the listener throughout the musical journey and help develoр а deeper appreciation and understanding of the linear evolution of American music. Listeners will enjoy some of America's most cherished melodies from composers Billings, Gilmore, Joplin, and Beach to the sounds of contemporary artists Gershwin, Berlin, Copland, Bernstein, Charlie Parker, Neil Diamond, Glenn Miller, Elvis Presley, Taylor Swift, and Stevie Wonder.

About TRANSITIONS SAXOPHONE QUARTET: Founded in 1987 by members of the Smithtown Community Band, Transitions Saxophone Quartet has continued to play for a wide range of audiences throughout Long Island over the last 39 years. Venues have included wineries, art galleries, libraries, weddings and private parties. Transitions is dedicated to bringing the unique sound of music written for the saxophone to the general public. Our repertoire spans the classic works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy and Gershwin, and the renowned jazz artistry of Ellington, Parker, Joplin, Woods and Gillespie.

AMERICA 250 LECTURE:
Long Island and the American Revolution presented by Noel Gish
Saturday, May 30, 2026 – 1:00 pm

Members Free, Non-Members $8.
Includes light refreshments.
Registration and nonrefundable prepayment required:
631-727-2991 x100.

BOOK & BOTTLE:
My Grandfather and Albert Einstein
with author Ron Rothman
Saturday, May 2, 2026 – 1:00 pm

Members Free, Non-Members $8.
Includes light refreshments.
Registration and nonrefundable prepayment required:
631-727-2991 x100.

Rothman will retell the fascinating stories about the unique relationship between Albert Einstein and his grandfather, David Rothman, including the real story about Einstein's sandals, as well as other anecdotes, diary entries, and footnotes that provide insight into the summer of 1939 when Albert Einstein spent the summer in Southold Town. Includes Book Sale & Signing by the author.

UPCOMING EXHIBIT
Sparkling Through Adversity: Depression Glass of the 1930s
A Spotlight Series Exhibit
In our Weathervane Gallery, January 31 – April 11, 2026

Gallery Hours: Wednesday– Sataturday, 10am – 4:30pm. Regular admission fee applies.

At the onset of the Great Depression, the elegant crystal and glassware of the Roaring Twenties became financially unattainable for many families. Mass-produced, colorful, glistening pressed glassware quickly gained popularity, as homemakers delighted in setting their tables with these affordable jewel-like dish sets and accessories, with many items selling for just pennies. Known today as Depression Glass, these inexpensive yet colorful wares were produced in dozens of sparkling patterns and hues, bringing small luxuries of beauty and optimism to the dark years of the 1930s. Through a rainbow array of pastels and jewel tones, iridescent opalescent “carnival” finishes, and even a glowing uranium variety, this Spotlight Series exhibit showcases some of the finest pieces from the Suffolk County Historical Society’s own collection—and serves as a colorful reflection of beauty and hope through adversity.

LAST CALL: A SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE
Man and Nature in Suffolk County's Past
Exhibit Closing on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

From New York City's wealthy elite to the resident locals making a living here, Long Island has been recognized as a mecca for sportsmen (and sportswomen) for over 150 years, earning its own exhibition at the National Sportsman's Show from 1895 to the 1940s. Illustrating how hunting evolved from necessity to popular sport, eventually leading to the introduction of protective conservation laws, this exhibition will explore how the "sporting life" – through job opportunities, increased rail traffic, hotel and resort development, and eventual wildlife conservation – influenced our way of life on Long Island. Through an amazing assortment of hunting equipment, hand-carved decoys, duck boats, fishing gear, themed toys, clothing, magazines, and more, A Sportsman's Paradise explores all that Suffolk County offered to those who were seeking its natural rewards. Exhibit curated by Jamie Reason. Exhibit design by Joshua Cortez. In our Grand Staas Gallery January – October 2024.

SUFFOLK COUNTY: A TIMELINE EXPERIENCE!
New Permanent Exhibit Opens to the Public
June 3, 2023
Gallery hours: 10:00am to 4:30pm
(excluding holiday weekends)
Designed as the new core of the Suffolk County Historical Society Museum, this new interactive permanent exhibit, “a museum within a museum,” provides a comprehensive timeline of over 200 historically significant moments that shaped Suffolk County into the vibrant community it is today. From the geological formation of Long Island, to the arrival of its indigenous people, moving forward through history to modern times, our greatest residents and achievements figure prominently in this exhibition celebrating our history, our heritage, and our people. Our story is told through over 200 artifacts and documents, photos, digital screens, and interactive digital experiences that will delight every visitor, while walking guests through our history, century by century.

This exhibit is funded in part by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, with additional support from Roberta Cooper in memory of James B. Cooper III and the Cooper Family.

MASTERS OF METAL:
Suffolk County's Early Silversmiths
In our History in the Hall Display Cases
In March 2020, the Suffolk County Historical Society secured a significant acquisition of over 100 pieces of silver crafted by Suffolk County's earliest known silversmiths. With works by Joel, John, and Paul Sayre, Elias Pelletreau, B. Coleman, and Col. David Hedges, this display case exhibit glistens with the handcrafted work of these fine eighteenth-century artisans. The SCHS Board of Trustees is proud to present this notable collection, exhibited for the first time.

Silversmithing was one of the earliest arts practiced in the American colonies. As early as 1638, just eight years after Boston had been settled, fourteen-year-old from Boston named John Hull is documented to have been apprenticed to his half-brother Richard Storer to learn the art of crafting in silver. The increase of silver coins available in the colonies added to the growing importance of silversmiths. Early American silversmiths were influenced by both Dutch and English designs, but eventually there evolved an “American” style – simple and sturdy in design, substantial in weight, and well crafted.

BE A WITNESS TO HISTORY!
The Suffolk County Historical Society invites you to be a witness to our living history. Please consider sharing your COVID-19 experiences for our historic archives. Email your stories to: librarian@schs-museum.org. Be sure to put "COVID-19" in your subject line and to include your location and contact information.

ONGOING

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE!
Please join the Suffolk County Historical Society and support local history preservation. Founded in 1886, SCHS is a non-profit organization that collects and preserves the rich history of Suffolk County. We operate a history museum, an expansive library and archives, and a multitude of events, programs, and educational lectures and workshops. Our unique and ever-growing collection of artifacts reflects more than three centuries of local history. Visit our website or call 631-727-2881 for more information.

SCHS PHOTO OF THE WEEK SERIES!
To subscribe to our popular Photo of the Week Series, send an email to librarian Wendy Polhemus-Annibell: wannibell@schs-museum.org.

OFF-SITE EXHIBITIONS

SUFFOLK COUNTY PINE BARRENS PICTORIAL EXHIBIT
On display at the Suffolk County Water Authority Education Center in Hauppauge. A standing display on loan from the Suffolk County Historical Society provides an overview of the history of the Pine Barrens and the critical role this region plays in the protection of Suffolk County's precious groundwater. The SCWA Education Center is located at 260 Motor Pkwy, Hauppauge, NY.