Visitor Guide/ Museum Map

VISIT STONY BROOK VILLAGE 

BEGIN YOUR MUSEUM VISIT HERE

1.  Visitors Center/History Museum 

Ticket sales, Museum Gift Corner, Bayman’s Art decoy gallery, changing exhibitions on American history and art

2.  Mrs. Frank Melville Gardens

3.  Gift Shop

The Gift Shop is currently closed.  Plans are underway to renovate with a goal of reopening in the future.

4. Traffic Light and Crosswalk

Visitors must cross Route 25A at the traffic light to tour the Carriage Museum, Art Museum and historic structures.  Follow the sidewalk in front of the Gift Shop to the traffic light, push the button and cross when the WALK signal appears.

5.  Walkway to Carriage Museum

6.  Dorothy and Ward Melville Carriage House (Carriage Museum)

Ten galleries display more than 100 horse-drawn carriages.  Going Places features typical carriages used in everyday life on 19th century Long Island, as well as a fiber optic map illustrating the evolution of travel routes from the carriage era to the present day. A Carriage Exposition is modeled after the transportation exhibition at 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.  Making Carriages features vehicles made by the Studebaker Brothers, along with an original carriage make shop relocated to the museum from Williamsburg, Massachusetts.  The lower level galleries include A Gentleman’s Coach House, European Vehicles Gallery, Carriages for Sport & Pleasure, and Streets of New York, featuring carriages seen on a typical 19th century New York City street.

7.  Emma Lee Blackford Rockwell Herb Garden and Pamela Friebely Garden

Created and maintained by the North Suffolk Garden Club

8.  Beaux-Arts Fountain, 1880

This 20-ton beaux arts fountain once stood at the corner of Madison Avenue and 23rd St. in New York City, a gift to the city from Olivia Phelps Stokes, a charter member of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  She commissioned the fountain so that horses traveling Madison Ave. would have a source of water.

9.  Nassakeag One-Room Schoolhouse, 1877

Serving the children of South Setauket from 1877 until 1919, the school accommodated up to 30 students ranging from 5 to 15 years of age.  Today is serves as the venue for our School Days program, teaching Long Island students about school and farm life in 1850.

10.  Outdoor Privy, c. 1935

The privy was originally located on the Edward Guzda farm in Miller Place.  It is no longer a functioning privy.  (We have indoor plumbing now!)

11.  Samuel H. West Blacksmith Shop, c. 1875

Originally located off Main Street in nearby Setauket, the shop includes West’s forges and tools.  The shop was in use from 1875 until West’s retirement in 1930.  Today it’s an integral part of our Wagons West program designed for school groups.

12.  Williamson Barn, 1794

The barn was originally located on the Stony Brook farm of Jedediah Williamson, a Revolutionary War hero who made his living as a farmer, millwright and carpenter.  The barn is currently closed for renovation.

13.  Smith Carriage Shed, 1867

Originally located on the Timothy Smith farm in nearby St. James, the shed was used by parishioners to protect their carriages from the weather while attending services at the St. James Episcopal Church.  The wrought iron rings at the back of the shed were used for tying up the horses.

14.  Smith-Rudyard Burial Ground, 1796

The burial ground was established by the Smith and Rudyard families, early settlers on what is now museum grounds.  The headstones date from 1796 to 1865.  Please don’t climb the fence.

15.  Art Museum

Two galleries feature changing exhibitions on American art and history.

MEETING FACILITIES & OFFICES

A.  Studio

B.  The Gillespie Meeting Room

Located in the Carriage Museum

C.  Administration Offices

Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

D.  Curatorial and Education Department Offices

P. Parking

The Administration parking lot (behind building C) is closed Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to accommodate school buses.

Accessibility

All exhibition buildings are wheelchair accessible and handicapped parking is provided where indicated.  Wheelchairs may be available on a first-come, first-served basis.