The Long Island Museum Kicks Off America250 Celebration

with a New Exhibition Exploring Long Island’s

Role in the American Revolution

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The Seat of Action: Long Island in the American Revolution and Beyond

Spotlights the Long Island Region During the Revolutionary War and Post-Revolutionary War Era  

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The Long Island Museum is kicking off this year’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with an exhibition exploring the rich and complex history of the Long Island region during the American Revolution. The exhibition, which includes nearly 100 rare artifacts and images collected from 16 institutional and private collections, spotlights Long Island’s experiences 250 years ago, when Long Island was an area under martial law and British control longer than any other part of the American colonies during the Revolutionary War.

The exhibition, The Seat of Action: Long Island in the American Revolution and Beyond, will be on view at The Long Island Museum’s History Museum, located at 1200 Route 25A in Stony Brook. The Seat of Action – which is named after a British battle map that will be on view within the exhibition – will open on February 19th, and will run through September 13th. The Long Island Museum is part of the Suffolk250 Passport Initiative, with all visitors to LIM and its exhibitions/programs in conjunction with the semiquincentennial receiving a “passport stamp” as they visit historic sites throughout Long Island in conjunction with this year’s milestone 250th anniversary.  

“Long Island, and Suffolk County in particular, played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, and we’re looking forward to sharing the important history of our region both through this exhibition as well as our programs that we’ve developed in conjunction with this year’s semiquincentennial,” said Joshua Ruff, Co-Executive Director, Collections and Programming at The Long Island Museum. “This exhibition will showcase the many different aspects of the Revolutionary War here on Long Island. These were incredibly challenging times for Long Island residents of all backgrounds. Through The Seat of Action, we will document and explore this critical period of time, while continuing the conversations sparked by the American Revolution.”

Between the Battle of Long Island, in August 1776, and the liberation of New York in November of 1783, military occupation led to the loss and destruction of property, the separation of families, and unprecedented levels of suffering across Long Island. The exhibition will also showcase the post-Revolutionary War era throughout the region – which was one of profound reconstruction across Long Island.  By bringing the stories of the Revolutionary War here on Long Island to life, The Seat of Action exhibition showcases how the tragic impact of war shaped the region, and how its aftermath brought about powerful and transformative legacies- leading to more democratic politics across this region and to the eventual end of slavery, both on Long Island and in New York State. 

BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND 

Alonzo Chappel (1828–1887), Battle of Long Island, 1858. Center for Brooklyn History.

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The Seat of Action exhibition includes unique artifacts surrounding Long Island and the American Revolution – including a 1779 letter owned by LIM, between Major Benjamin Tallmadge and Robert Townsend, key figures in the Culper Spy Ring – a military intelligence-gathering group originated by Tallmadge (1754–1835) of Setauket. The exhibition also features a painting of Benjamin Tallmadge not previously displayed on Long Island, on loan from the Litchfield Historical Society in Connecticut.  Other loans include military memorabilia such as a sword owned by Long Island Loyalist Richard Hewlett (1729-1789); muskets; a British Army/Navy powder keg; a framed New-York Gazette newspaper (August 22nd, 1757), and paintings and prints of The Battle of Bunker Hill and The Battle of Long Island.  A section exploring the post-Revolutionary War period features a stunning embroidered silk 1785 wedding dress from the marriage of Sarah Onderdonk (1758-1844) and David Richard Floyd (1764-1826). 

Portrait Miniature of Col. Benjamin Tallmadge, 1783. Watercolor on Ivory. John Ramage (1748-1802).  Courtesy of the Litchfield Historical Society, Litchfield, Connecticut.

Sword, 1767, owned by Richard Hewlett (1729-1789), a Loyalist who lived in New Rockaway and fled to Nova Scotia, 1783.
Loaned by John Hewlett.

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The Long Island Museum has also developed special semiquincentennial programming that will take place throughout 2026. On March 19th, the Museum will present a free Zoom lecture, “Washington Crossing the Delaware: the Story Behind the Painting” with Elizabeth Kahn Kaplan, and on March 22nd will present “While Dire Oppression Reigns: Women’s Experience of Occupied Long Island,” with Dr. Susan Hinely. In addition, on Saturday, May 16th, historian Richard Bell, author of The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, will lead a special program at the Museum inviting attendees to rediscover the Revolution.

Beginning in July, The Long Island Museum will also be opening its second exhibition in conjunction with the semiquincentennial, when the LIM presents Enduring Heart: Native American Long Island, a celebration of the First Peoples of Long Island. Enduring Heart will be on view at the Museum’s Art Museum from July 16th through December 20th, 2026.

For more information about The Long Island Museum’s semiquincentennial exhibitions and programming, and details about upcoming events at the Museum celebrating and commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, visit www.longislandmuseum.org.

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The Long Island Museum

 

Founded in 1939 and accredited by AAM since 1973, The Long Island Museum is home to more than 60,000 artifacts and is the only Smithsonian Affiliate in the region. The Long Island Museum inspires and engages visitors of diverse ages, backgrounds, and abilities by connecting them with the region’s art and history, a world-class carriage collection, and energizing programs that foster a creative and inclusive community.

For more about LIM’s exhibitions and programming, visit longislandmuseum.org. 

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Visit AAQ Portfolio:

Long Island Museum / Stony Brook: Dorothy and Ward Melville Carriage Collection….link

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AAQ / Resource: Ben Krupinski Builder

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AAQ / Resource

1708 House, Southampton | Bed & Breakfast

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AAQ / Resource: Townsend Manor Inn

Old Fashioned Hospitality

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