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

On view in the LIM History Museum from February 19 through October 18, 2026

In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, The Seat of Action spotlights the experiences of the Long Island region during the Revolutionary War, an area that was under martial law and British control longer than any other part of the American colonies. In the years between the Battle of Long Island (August 1776) and the liberation of New York (November 1783), military occupation led to the loss and destruction of property, the separation of families, and atrocious levels of suffering across this area. This exhibition features a rich array of artifacts and paintings, including a rare portrait of General George Washington’s spymaster, Benjamin Tallmadge (1754–1835) (member of the famous Culper Spy Ring), on loan from the Litchfield Historical Society. The general experience for Long Islanders over those seven years was one that witnessed large-scale population evacuation and the destruction of churches, woodlands, agriculture, and livestock as British forces used the area as a source of sustenance for their larger war effort. The post-Revolutionary War era was one of profound reconstruction across Long Island. At the same time, the tragic impacts of the war also 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.

This exhibition is part of LIM’s America250 celebration, featuring special exhibitions and related programming. Learn more at longislandmuseum.org/longisland250.

Co-Executive Director and exhibition curator Joshua Ruff on The Long Island History Project

Take an audio tour of The Long Island Museum’s “The Seat of Action” exhibition with LIM Co-Executive Director and exhibition curator Joshua Ruff and The Long Island History Project host Chris Kretz. Together, they take a closer look at the remarkable objects on view and explore Long Island’s pivotal role in the American Revolution—and the lasting impact of those events.

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