Exhibitions & Activities

The Society produces rotating exhibits focusing on topics of local interest and utilizing items from our collection reflecting our maritime, agricultural, architectural and cultural heritage.

We offer school and community groups the opportunity to visit the museum by appointment. Several educational programs help young people develop awareness of historical roots and values. Items from the permanent collection that depict everyday 19th century life, such as a diorama of Northport's Main Street, a fully furnished scale replica of a seafarer's home and a model of the 1905 Northport Fire House, are engaging and stimulate questions.

A video presentation available in the gallery traces the development of Main Street and Bayview Avenue from the earliest days.  The DVDs can be purchased in the Museum Shop.

The Society conducts many lively social events throughout the year, such as exhibit openings, guided walking tours, lectures, an antiques show, and house and garden tours.

A description of the current exhibit and the Society calendar can viewed here.

Walking Tours

The Society offers two walking tours of Main Street.  A guided walking tour occurs on Sunday afternoons once a month as noted in the calendar.  A self-guided tour with a map and audio recording is available for rent at the Museum Shop.

Education Programs

"Discovering History"

Our Museum Educator provides historically-based programs utilizing the Museum collections to enhance learning while keeping the current state standards in mind.  The main portion of the program traces the development of the Northport area from pre-1656 to the present.  Integrated lessons on family life, communities, the effect of natural resources on local economy, or general history have been created to fit the Social Studies curriculum for Kindergarten through Fifth grade.  Or, if you prefer, our Educator will work with you to customize the program to best augment your current studies.  The Museum gallery is also open for students to enjoy after the presentation, which lasts about an hour.
 
We also encourage you to add a self-guided walking tour of Main Street, Northport, to your visit.  We will provide you with the information you need for this tour.  If you would like two classes to come on the same day, we suggest one class tour Main Street while the other visits the Museum.
 
Please contact the Museum at 631-757-9859 to check for available dates.
 
Class visits are scheduled September through November and January through May. A donation of $3 per student is requested.  We request you have two or more adults per class.

"History Takes a Vacation"

This history-based program for school-age students is scheduled over vacation breaks and lasts from 3-5 days during morning hours. Each day focuses on a specific aspect of Northport's history, from old-time crafts to iconic buildings and the shipbuilding era, and even a look at the ever-popular sagas of Revolutionary War era spies.  The students respond well to history presented with fun activities such as writing in invisible ink, rolling hoops on the lawn, making things the way the Mattinecocks did long before the European settlers arrived.

The program is designed for students in the third through the sixth grades and runs from 9:30 am to 12:00 noon each day.  The cost is $20 per day for members and $25 for non-members. Space is limited so pre-registration is required. For information call 631-757-9859.

Newsletter

Our periodic newsletter features revealing articles and details of upcoming programs and activities. You can read the latest newsletter by clicking here.