PAST EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM

The Baymen of Peconic Bay

This exhibit pays homage to those hard working bay men and features the equipment they use.  Included in the display are images of the animals and creatures of the sea hauled up in their nets, on fishing line, in traps and by rakes and draggers. The commercial fishing fleet of Greenport Harbor may have diminished in recent years, but the call of the sea resounds in the Bay Men's souls.  

Oysters

Once a lucrative, staple industry and a core economic feature of Greenport's success, with many processing plants dotting the east end, Oystering faded due to natural disturbances, human intervention, pollution and fluctuation of the saline constitution of the waters. But in recent years, many new oyster farms have been successfully introduced and the industry is thriving once again.  Our exhibit pays homage to the years when oyster was king and Long Island supplied most of the country's demand for that briny bivalve.

Where in the Bays Were You?

A Tale of Two Storms

The Hurricane of 1938 and Tropical Storm Sandy, devastated Long Island.  Photos, charts, and newspaper headlines fill one complete wall on the second floor of the Museum.  A map of Long Island, originally used in the LIRR pavilion of the 1964 World's Fair, is the core of this display.  Surrounding the map are photos showing the destruction caused by the those two catastrophic and horrific storms. 

A Photographic Day in the Life of a Fisherman

While working on his commercial fishing vessel, F/V Jeremy H, Chris Hamilton reaches into his foul weather gear and pulls out his iPhone to capture a moment in time.  HIs dramatic photographs give us a view rarely seen by anyone other than those who spend their life at sea.  As we view his stunning photos, we can feel the wind, smell the salt air, hear the gulls and enjoy the solitude of a commercial fisherman.  And we don't even have to get up at 4:30 in the morning!

Salvaged Artifacts

This exhibit was curated by Brett Curlew and displayed throughout the 2016 season.

On September 28th, 1918, the car ferry, Rye Cliff, burned and sank into Hempstead Harbor while docked at the pier in Sea Cliff.  Originally named the General Knox, the RyeCliff carried tourists from New York City, Katonah and Brooklyn to summer in Sea Cliff, Long Island.  As it was being prepared for the end of its seasonal service, the 137 foot long steam driven ferry caught fire, burned to the waterline and sank.  The conflagration resulted in the complete devastation of the pier and boat.  Years later its remains are a favorite dive site for both amateur and professional divers.

The East End Seaport Museum is pleased to display items salvaged and raised from this area of underwater ruins by Brett Curlew and his crew.

Small Ships at the Museum

Small ship building has been a maritime tradition for thousands of years, with model ship building finding its roots in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.  Ship models have been used as burial offerings, household articles, artistic works and toys.  We invite you to explore this ancient tradition at the Seaport Museum.