Come inside from the cold this winter and step back in time to an era of transportation that predates traveling in planes, trains and automobiles. The Long Island Museum offers the opportunity to glimpse into the past.
The carriage exhibit in Stony Brook opened on July 6, 1951, showcasing 80 carriages and the accessories that were necessary to operate them back in the day. The collection was started by Ward Melville during the 1940s. As the collection grew, Melville strove to exhibit a diverse collection of different carriages, from those that were utilized for service and commerce to those that served to transport those of elevated socioeconomic status in fine style. Today, the museum displays an impressive collection that exceeds 200 carriages.
Horse-drawn carriages were the mode of transportation before the advent of the automobile. Ten gallery sections within the museum depict the different roles that carriages played in society. The origins of the carriages range from Long Island and Manhattan to France and England. Discover life on the streets of New York during the 1800s, when carriages were used to deliver goods, peddle wares and put out fires. Marvel at the crude but effective hose carts and steam pumps that were dispatched by fire stations, the oil delivery carriage, gypsy wagons and wagons from which popcorn and teas were sold. View the somber funerary carriage, accessorized in mourning trimmings. Another exhibit recreates a working carriage production shop, displaying the tools and machinery that were used in manufacturing the carriages. A children's section exhibits downsized carriages and sleighs that children of the period could operate with the help of hitched dogs, goats or indulgent grownups. Another exhibit allows visitors to browse the leisure carriages that were used for recreational driving, from a Tally Ho to a Trap to romantic sleighs for cruising through a winter wonderland. One exhibit is a replication of Stony Brook circa 1900, revealing the role that the horse drawn vehicles played in transporting travelers to and from the village. A carriage house exhibit depicts how every opulent Gold Coast mansion included a carriage house. Many of the carriages on display throughout the museum were manufactured within the city boroughs. Brooklyn and Manhattan boasted 249 carriage manufacturers by the late 1800s.
The museum's vast collection was accumulated as carriages, stagecoaches and wagons were donated as gifts to the museum and when the long-forgotten relics were extracted from estate homes. No longer relegated to storage in dilapidated sheds and carriage houses, they now adorn the spotlight in all of their former lavish and ornate glory. The comprehensive collection of rare and elegant carriages, combined with an array of period artifacts, maps, videos, photographs and timelines, provide visitors with an informative and engaging insight into an early chapter of America's history of transportation.
The carriage museum is part of the Long Island Museum, located in Stony Brook. The Long Island Museum is a Smithsonian affiliate and includes the carriage museum and a museum of art and history. Tickets may be purchased at 1200 Route 25A in Stony Brook. Visit www.longislandmuseum.org for directions and hours of operation.
As the winter temperatures dip, spend a few weekends taking in some of Long Island's numerous museums in the warmth of indoor comfort. Some other notable museums to check out include the Cradle of Aviation Museum and the Long Island Children's Museum, both located in Farmingdale, the Vanderbilt Mansion, Museum and Planetarium in Centerport, the Suffolk County Historical Society in Riverhead and the Whaling and Historical Museum in Sag Harbor.
The carriage exhibit in Stony Brook opened on July 6, 1951, showcasing 80 carriages and the accessories that were necessary to operate them back in the day. The collection was started by Ward Melville during the 1940s. As the collection grew, Melville strove to exhibit a diverse collection of different carriages, from those that were utilized for service and commerce to those that served to transport those of elevated socioeconomic status in fine style. Today, the museum displays an impressive collection that exceeds 200 carriages.
Horse-drawn carriages were the mode of transportation before the advent of the automobile. Ten gallery sections within the museum depict the different roles that carriages played in society. The origins of the carriages range from Long Island and Manhattan to France and England. Discover life on the streets of New York during the 1800s, when carriages were used to deliver goods, peddle wares and put out fires. Marvel at the crude but effective hose carts and steam pumps that were dispatched by fire stations, the oil delivery carriage, gypsy wagons and wagons from which popcorn and teas were sold. View the somber funerary carriage, accessorized in mourning trimmings. Another exhibit recreates a working carriage production shop, displaying the tools and machinery that were used in manufacturing the carriages. A children's section exhibits downsized carriages and sleighs that children of the period could operate with the help of hitched dogs, goats or indulgent grownups. Another exhibit allows visitors to browse the leisure carriages that were used for recreational driving, from a Tally Ho to a Trap to romantic sleighs for cruising through a winter wonderland. One exhibit is a replication of Stony Brook circa 1900, revealing the role that the horse drawn vehicles played in transporting travelers to and from the village. A carriage house exhibit depicts how every opulent Gold Coast mansion included a carriage house. Many of the carriages on display throughout the museum were manufactured within the city boroughs. Brooklyn and Manhattan boasted 249 carriage manufacturers by the late 1800s.
The museum's vast collection was accumulated as carriages, stagecoaches and wagons were donated as gifts to the museum and when the long-forgotten relics were extracted from estate homes. No longer relegated to storage in dilapidated sheds and carriage houses, they now adorn the spotlight in all of their former lavish and ornate glory. The comprehensive collection of rare and elegant carriages, combined with an array of period artifacts, maps, videos, photographs and timelines, provide visitors with an informative and engaging insight into an early chapter of America's history of transportation.
The carriage museum is part of the Long Island Museum, located in Stony Brook. The Long Island Museum is a Smithsonian affiliate and includes the carriage museum and a museum of art and history. Tickets may be purchased at 1200 Route 25A in Stony Brook. Visit www.longislandmuseum.org for directions and hours of operation.
As the winter temperatures dip, spend a few weekends taking in some of Long Island's numerous museums in the warmth of indoor comfort. Some other notable museums to check out include the Cradle of Aviation Museum and the Long Island Children's Museum, both located in Farmingdale, the Vanderbilt Mansion, Museum and Planetarium in Centerport, the Suffolk County Historical Society in Riverhead and the Whaling and Historical Museum in Sag Harbor.