“Once Upon A Runway,”
The 2025 SIHM Annual Summer Show,
Debuts July 18!
At the Shelter Island History Museum, our mission is to preserve the artifacts, records, and stories that define the rich and unique history of our island. Through engaging exhibits, research, educational programs, and live performances, we strive to foster a sense of welcome and connection across our community—honoring the past while inspiring future generations.
Since 2021, our annual summer performance has become a beloved tradition and a powerful storytelling opportunity. These original productions breathe life into captivating storylines, evoking cherished moments from various periods in our Island's past. Performed entirely by a dedicated team of local volunteers that return every year to showcase their talents, each show offers both an introduction to newcomers and a nostalgic reflection for longtime residents.
This summer, we’re thrilled to collaborate with acclaimed local artist Roz Dimon to bring her digital artwork, Havens House DIMONscape, to the stage. This innovative piece—on permanent display at the Havens House Museum—explores the 280-year history of the Havens family and homestead through a layered, immersive visual experience. Our performers will animate these layers, transforming visual storytelling into a live, multidimensional journey through time. Guests will be welcomed with refreshments before the show—and may even encounter historical characters mingling among them!
Show dates/times are July 18 and 19 at 6pm and performances take place at 16 S Ferry Road in Shelter Island.
Click here to purchase your tickets!
https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/87769-once-upon-a-runway-the-2025-sihm-annual-summer-show-debuts-july-18
Since 2021, our annual summer performance has become a beloved tradition and a powerful storytelling opportunity. These original productions breathe life into captivating storylines, evoking cherished moments from various periods in our Island's past. Performed entirely by a dedicated team of local volunteers that return every year to showcase their talents, each show offers both an introduction to newcomers and a nostalgic reflection for longtime residents.
This summer, we’re thrilled to collaborate with acclaimed local artist Roz Dimon to bring her digital artwork, Havens House DIMONscape, to the stage. This innovative piece—on permanent display at the Havens House Museum—explores the 280-year history of the Havens family and homestead through a layered, immersive visual experience. Our performers will animate these layers, transforming visual storytelling into a live, multidimensional journey through time. Guests will be welcomed with refreshments before the show—and may even encounter historical characters mingling among them!
Show dates/times are July 18 and 19 at 6pm and performances take place at 16 S Ferry Road in Shelter Island.
Click here to purchase your tickets!
https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/87769-once-upon-a-runway-the-2025-sihm-annual-summer-show-debuts-july-18
HAVENS FARMERS' MARKET
saturday, juLY 12
Special activities for this weekend at the Havens Farmers’ Market include live music by Lisa & Tom & Guests.
The Shelter Island Library tent will feature Storytime and youth crafts. Tickets for the SI History Museum's annual play, "Once Upon a Runway," will be on sale at our tent. You might even see one or two of our featured players strolling through the Market! Please also make sure to stop by the Senior Citizens Foundation, Shelter Island Town Green Committee and DAR tables for information on these organizations.
Join us this Saturday, July 12, from 9am-12:30pm to shop from our amazing local businesses, farm, food and craft vendors. See you there!
The Shelter Island Library tent will feature Storytime and youth crafts. Tickets for the SI History Museum's annual play, "Once Upon a Runway," will be on sale at our tent. You might even see one or two of our featured players strolling through the Market! Please also make sure to stop by the Senior Citizens Foundation, Shelter Island Town Green Committee and DAR tables for information on these organizations.
Join us this Saturday, July 12, from 9am-12:30pm to shop from our amazing local businesses, farm, food and craft vendors. See you there!
SUMMER CHILDREN’S THEATER PROGRAM
The Shelter Island History Museum’s Summer Children’s Theater Program, directed and facilitated by the Brooklyn Acting Lab and made possible by the Elizabeth Pedersen Fund, is back! This year, the program has expanded from two to three weeks, and will take place July 28 to August 15 from 9am to Noon.
Children ages 6 to 12 are invited to explore the rich and vibrant history of Shelter Island through a playful and immersive theater workshop. Guided by the Brooklyn Acting Lab's professional theater artists, participants will bring stories to life using text, music, dance, and visual art.
The program culminates in a celebratory performance on August 15 at 2pm for family, friends, and the community to celebrate and share what the children have created.
This marks the fourth year for the workshop.
Past themes for the shows have been:
2022: The Water Protectors
2023: Children's Stories of Shelter Island
2024: The Magic of Neverland on Shelter Island
The 2025 theme is a Land of Oz-inspired tale. Beginning with the massive hurricane of 1938 that battered Shelter Island, children will journey to a magical world where they meet zany and fantastical characters linked to the stories of our beloved “rock”.
The program is limited to 25 participants only. The cost is $1300 per child. A 10 percent discount is available for a second child in the same household. Please contact SIHM directly about information on discounts for additional children in the same household.
HERE'S THE LINK TO REGISTER:
https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/81763-2025-summer-children-s-theater-program
Children ages 6 to 12 are invited to explore the rich and vibrant history of Shelter Island through a playful and immersive theater workshop. Guided by the Brooklyn Acting Lab's professional theater artists, participants will bring stories to life using text, music, dance, and visual art.
The program culminates in a celebratory performance on August 15 at 2pm for family, friends, and the community to celebrate and share what the children have created.
This marks the fourth year for the workshop.
Past themes for the shows have been:
2022: The Water Protectors
2023: Children's Stories of Shelter Island
2024: The Magic of Neverland on Shelter Island
The 2025 theme is a Land of Oz-inspired tale. Beginning with the massive hurricane of 1938 that battered Shelter Island, children will journey to a magical world where they meet zany and fantastical characters linked to the stories of our beloved “rock”.
The program is limited to 25 participants only. The cost is $1300 per child. A 10 percent discount is available for a second child in the same household. Please contact SIHM directly about information on discounts for additional children in the same household.
HERE'S THE LINK TO REGISTER:
https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/81763-2025-summer-children-s-theater-program
Please Join Us At The Artemas Ward Garden Party!
In 1883, Ward, the great-grandson and namesake of Revolutionary War General Artemas Ward, took Sapolio, “a cake of greasy, gritty soap and put it in almost every grocery store in the U.S.,” according to Time magazine. He went on to manage commercial investments, including the establishment of groundbreaking transit advertising, vending machines and a car company.
Shorewood Farm was Ward’s stately 200-acre summer home, where he added buildings for pigs, chickens and horses; a dairy barn, creamery, and a pheasant-breeding center. In 1910, this avid yachtsman, built a huge Gothic Revival boathouse of poured concrete and later, a large Italian-style garden. He died a multimillionaire at the age of 76 in 1925.
(For more information on Artemas Ward, please see the SIHM website article by Mary Fran Gleason at https://www.shelterislandhistorical.org/the-soap-the-salesman-and-the-sailor.html).
Shorewood Farm was Ward’s stately 200-acre summer home, where he added buildings for pigs, chickens and horses; a dairy barn, creamery, and a pheasant-breeding center. In 1910, this avid yachtsman, built a huge Gothic Revival boathouse of poured concrete and later, a large Italian-style garden. He died a multimillionaire at the age of 76 in 1925.
(For more information on Artemas Ward, please see the SIHM website article by Mary Fran Gleason at https://www.shelterislandhistorical.org/the-soap-the-salesman-and-the-sailor.html).
You can purchase tickets to the Artemas Ward Garden Party in person at the museum, during the Havens Farmer's Market on Saturdays, 9am to 12:30pm, or online at https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/89022-artemas-ward-garden-party-benefit-for-the-shelter-island-history-museum
Individual tickets are $275.
We also offer two sponsorship levels:
"History Major" — $1,000. This includes 1 event ticket plus recognition on the SIHM website and event materials.
"Honorary Archivist" — $5,000. This includes 2 event tickets, recognition on the SIHM website and event materials, and a brass name plate installed at Havens House.
We look forward to seeing you on August 2 at Shorewood!
Individual tickets are $275.
We also offer two sponsorship levels:
"History Major" — $1,000. This includes 1 event ticket plus recognition on the SIHM website and event materials.
"Honorary Archivist" — $5,000. This includes 2 event tickets, recognition on the SIHM website and event materials, and a brass name plate installed at Havens House.
We look forward to seeing you on August 2 at Shorewood!
“Generations of Shelter Island Impressionists” Exhibit NOW OPEN!
N. H., White, West Neck Creek, Shelter Island, 18 x 32 in., oil, 2015.
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N. C. White, The Basin, Sterling Creek Long, Island, watercolor, 10 x14 in., 1927.
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H. C. White, Sweet's Yard, Greenport, 8 x10 in., lithograph, 1924.
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The Shelter Island History Museum is proud to announce the public opening of our “Generations of Shelter Island Impressionists” exhibit on Saturday, June 28. The exhibit, which showcases the paintings of celebrated artists Henry Cooke White, Nelson Cooke White and Nelson H. White, runs through October 11.
For over a century, the White family has found respite and inspiration along the shores of West Neck Creek. In 2022, the family sold 20 acres of this undeveloped land to the island's Community Preservation Fund—a testament to their passion for historic and natural preservation.
Sponsored by the Menantic Peninsula Association, Nelson H. White and James Murphy, this exhibit celebrates the family's remarkable journey to Shelter Island and their dedication to the preservation of its natural beauty, as well as their immeasurable contributions to the art world.
View the exhibit—and pick up a copy of the exhibit catalog—during our open hours, Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 2pm and Saturday, 9am to 12:30pm. While there is no charge for admission, donations are welcome.
For more information on Nelson H. White and "Generations of Shelter Island Impressionists," please see this 27east article:
https://www.27east.com/arts/in-the-family-three-generations-of-impressionists-on-display-at-shelter-island-history-museum-2372285/
For over a century, the White family has found respite and inspiration along the shores of West Neck Creek. In 2022, the family sold 20 acres of this undeveloped land to the island's Community Preservation Fund—a testament to their passion for historic and natural preservation.
Sponsored by the Menantic Peninsula Association, Nelson H. White and James Murphy, this exhibit celebrates the family's remarkable journey to Shelter Island and their dedication to the preservation of its natural beauty, as well as their immeasurable contributions to the art world.
View the exhibit—and pick up a copy of the exhibit catalog—during our open hours, Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 2pm and Saturday, 9am to 12:30pm. While there is no charge for admission, donations are welcome.
For more information on Nelson H. White and "Generations of Shelter Island Impressionists," please see this 27east article:
https://www.27east.com/arts/in-the-family-three-generations-of-impressionists-on-display-at-shelter-island-history-museum-2372285/
SUMMER WORKSHOPS FOR ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS OF ALL AGES!
The Shelter Island History Museum has put together a slate of workshops that will keep craft lovers busy throughout the summer! Each class has a limited enrollment, so be sure to click the listed link and register early, as our recent classes have all sold out quickly. All take place at the SIHM, 16 South Ferry Road in Shelter Island.
We've also collaborated with the SIAC (Shelter Island Arts Center) to create arts programs for Shelter Island adults, ages 18 and up, to express and/or expand their artistic talents this summer.
The JumpstART for Beginners in Art program is designed for newcomers. Under the guidance of artist/teacher and SIAC founder June Shatken, you will have the opportunity to play with watercolors, pastels, collage and/or drawing. Consisting of two sessions, conducted on consecutive Thursday mornings, the workshops will demonstrate the basics of each medium, then allow for time for experimentation. Each class includes all supplies and is limited to a total of 8 students.
Classes run from 10am to Noon on the following dates:
Pastel: July 17 and July 24. Fee: $95.
Sign up by clicking this link: https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/87528-jumpstart-for-beginners-in-art
Classes run from 10am to Noon on the following dates:
Pastel: July 17 and July 24. Fee: $95.
Sign up by clicking this link: https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/87528-jumpstart-for-beginners-in-art
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A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES OF OUR NEW EXHIBITS!
Our newest exhibit, "Generations of Shelter Island Impressionists," is now open!
Please also enjoy our additional exhibits, including the Bicentennial Quilt; “Baby on Board,” a look at prams from the Victorian Era through the 20th Century; and a look at our first Island Inhabitants. |
OUR MISSION:
The Shelter Island History Museum collects and preserves the artifacts, records and stories that define the island's unique history. We welcome and connect our community by exploring our shared history through exhibits, research, educational programs and performances. Hours of Operation
The Shelter Island History Museum: Open Tuesday through Friday, 10am-2pm. Saturday 9am-12:30pm. The Havens Store: Open Tuesday through Friday, 10am-2pm. Saturday 9am-12:30pm. |
A big THANK YOU to the the New York State Council on the Arts for awarding us one of their 2025 Professional Development Grants for Museums!
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And THANK YOU to the North Forker readers for voting us the Best History Center!
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Physical Address: 16 South Ferry Road, Shelter Island, NY 11964
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 847, Shelter Island, NY 11964
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 631-749-0025
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The Shelter Island History Museum's main floor and lower level are ADA accessible.
Service Animals are welcome .
Personal photography, without flash, is allowed in the galleries. No photographic equipment (tripods, selfie sticks) is permitted.
When sharing your photos on social media, please tag the Museum! #shelterislandhistorymuseum
Outside food and drink are not permitted inside.
This is a completely smoke-free location. Smoking and Vaping are not permitted anywhere on the grounds.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 847, Shelter Island, NY 11964
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 631-749-0025
--------
The Shelter Island History Museum's main floor and lower level are ADA accessible.
Service Animals are welcome .
Personal photography, without flash, is allowed in the galleries. No photographic equipment (tripods, selfie sticks) is permitted.
When sharing your photos on social media, please tag the Museum! #shelterislandhistorymuseum
Outside food and drink are not permitted inside.
This is a completely smoke-free location. Smoking and Vaping are not permitted anywhere on the grounds.