Home of Famous Expressionists

This small Long Island house once belonged to famous artist and leader of the abstract expressionist movement Jackson Pollock and his wife, artist Lee Krasner. This house and barn was used by both artists as a living space and studio, remnants of their work are still evident on walls and floor of the nearby barn. Now a National Historic Landmark, this is one of the most artistically significant historical sites in Long Island.

Now a museum memorializing the artists and their work, the house's rooms are furnished with items that belonged to Pollock and Krasner including their personal library and Pollock's Jazz record collection. Visitors to the museum can see the barn studio in which Pollock painted many of his most famous paintings and where drips of paint still remain on the floor and ceiling from his work. The house and museum are open for general admission June through August on Thursdays Fridays and Saturdays, and in September, October and May by appointment.

Revolutionary War Era Home

If you are searching for some of the most interesting historical sites Long Island has to offer, then be sure to visit Raynham Hall. Home to merchant Samuel Townsend and his family in the late 1700s and early 1800s, this house was directly involved in events during the Revolutionary War. During 1778 and 1779 Raynham Hall was used as headquarters for British general John Simcoe; Townsend secretly formed a spy ring and reported news of the enemy movements to American patriots.

Now a museum, this old house is decorated and furnished with over 5000 authentic artifacts - clothing, art, decorations, games, cookware and more - from the late 17 to early 1800s. Visitors can learn about life during the times of Samuel Townsend and the Revolutionary War, see how his home would have been decorated and learn about the type of clothes the Townsend family would have worn. Other short-term exhibitions change regularly and highlight specific aspects of colonial life or individuals. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 to 5pm. Admission is $5 per adult.