Long Island museums range from art collections to family-friendly and cover topics from the history of aviation to the whaling industry of the past. Here's a sampling of some of Long Island's great museums.
The American Guitar Museum
Photo © The American Guitar Museum
One of Long Island's hidden gems, this unique museum in New Hyde Park houses one of Les Paul's original Gibson guitars, the John D'Angelico guitar played in the wedding scene of the The Godfather and much more. Best of all, it's free. Read more about the American Guitar Museum....
Atlantis Marine World
Photo © Linda Tagliaferro
Long Island's aquarium, Atlantis Marine world in Riverhead is open year-round and features over 80 exhibits, including Touch Tanks where visitors get up close and personal with living sea creatures. They also offer scheduled museum sleepovers and kids' birthday parties. Read more about Atlantis Marine World...
Atlantis also offers Discovery Tour Boat Cruises in season and the onsite Riverhead Foundation offers Seal Cruises in winter.
Cradle of Aviation
Photo © Linda Tagliaferro
This imposing museum chronicles the story of Long Island's important role in the history of aviation and even space travel. Read more about the Cradle of Aviation Museum...
The Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum
Photo © Linda Tagliaferro
This family-friendly, interactive museum tells the fascinating story of Cold Spring Harbor's former whaling trade. The museum can also host birthday parties and features scheduled museum sleepovers. Read more about the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum...
Garvies Point Museum and Preserve
Photo © Linda Tagliaferro
With interactive exhibits and dioramas of the daily life of the Native Americans who once lived in this area, Garvies Point Museum and Preserve shows visitors the cultural, archaeological and natural history of this area. You can also walk down to the beach through nature trails. The museum can also set up children's birthday parties for a fee
Grumman Memorial Park
Photo © Linda Tagliaferro
This outdoor museum and park in Calverton is free to enter and explore. You'll see actual aircraft built by Grumman on Long Island, including the F14 Tomcat and other historic planes.
Long Island Children's Museum
Photo © Linda Tagliaferro
This sprawling, hands-on children's museum features 14 interactives galleries with a wide range of themes, as well as a 145-seat theater that features regularly scheduled family-friendly entertainment. This award-winning museum will provide hours of fun for your children, and you can even hold your children's birthday parties here. There are regularly scheduled museum sleepovers as well
African American Museum of Nassau County
Photo © Linda Tagliaferro
With 6000 square feet of exhibit space, an auditorium and a cozy tea house, and even Eubie Blake's piano, the African American Museum of Nassau County highlights African American art and culture in a sunny, contemporary space in Hempstead, NY. Best of all, this excellent museum is FREE.
