Facing the Facts: Tall Tales from Historic Houses
Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery
June 13, 2019–December 7, 2019
The last time you visited a historic house museum, was the absence of closets attributed to a colonial tax avoidance maneuver? Or did your tour guide connect the origin of the saying “sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite” to rope beds? Although fun and memorable ways to explain life long ago, many of these stories are based on little evidence. In a contemporary world where the accuracy of our news is constantly under question, recent studies reveal that museums are among the most trusted sources for information. Yet, these misconceptions about early American life persist.
Featuring highlights from Preservation Long Island’s collections, the exhibition dives into the facts (or lack thereof) behind popular myths encountered at historic house museums and critically explores why many refuse to disappear from our collective understanding of the past.
Watch our Face the Facts Video Series
