Southold Historical Museum

Come explore the grounds of Southold Historical Museum where you’ll find an entire complex of buildings filled with artifacts that will take you back in time to experience what life was like in Southold, NY before modern conveniences. While here, you can also visit the nearby Museum Gift Shop and then climb to the top of the Horton Point Lighthouse, where you’ll experience unparalleled views of the sparkling waters of the Long Island Sound.

The Maple Lane Museum Complex on the Main Road in Southold, NY includes fifteen buildings, most of which are open to the public, including the beautiful late Victorian Ann Hallock Currie-Bell house, fully furnished and featuring paintings by artist Thomas Currie-Bell (1873-1946), the husband of the Museum’s founder. The house is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places.

Other buildings include the c. 1750 Thomas Moore/Samuel Landon House, containing displays of pre-Industrial Age artifacts (listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places); the c. 1840 Long Print Shop & Downs Carriage Shop with working printing equipment; the c. 1842 Gagen Blacksmith Shop, which regularly hosts blacksmith demonstrations; the Farm Equipment Shed; the c. 1822 Bay View School, set up like an authentic school building to host school groups;  the c. 1700s Reichert Family Barn, containing a collection of sleighs, carriages, and other transportation-related items; the uniquely circular c. 1875 Bay View Icehouse; and the c. 1875 Overton Corncrib.

The Maple Lane Museum Complex is located at 55200 Main Road, Southold, NY and is open 1:00-4:00, Sat. and Sun., July through mid-Sept. Tours on Wednesdays by appointment.

Nearby and just across the Main Rd. you’ll find the c. 1874 Henry W. Prince Dry Goods Store (listed on the State & National Registers of Historic Places), which houses the Southold Historical Museum’s Maureen Ostermann Administrative Center, Archives, Treasure Exchange and Museum Gift Shop.

The Henry W. Prince Dry Goods Store is located at 54325 Main Road.

Southold Historical Museum also operates a nautical museum at the c. 1857 Horton Point Lighthouse. The tower is 58 feet tall and the lower level of the Keeper's House contains maritime exhibits. The Lighthouse is listed on both the State & National Registers of Historic Places.

The Nautical Museum at Horton Point Lighthouse is located at 3575 Lighthouse Road, Southold, NY and is open 11:30-4:00, Sat.and Sun. Memorial Day weekend to mid-Sept.