Preservation Long Island’s Exhibition Gallery
161 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
FACING THE FACTS: Tall Tales from Historic Houses
We are pleased to announce three additional gallery opening days in December to coincide with special holiday events on Main Street in Cold Spring Harbor!
The exhibit will open from 12pm–4pm on the following days in December:
Thursday, December 5th
Friday, December 6th
Saturday, December 7th
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, our latest 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.
Image Caption: Thomas Dering (1720–1785), ca. 1810. Oil on canvas. Preservation Long Island, gift of Marion Dering and Helen Garwood, 966.135.