Plan a Visit to Westchester’s Must-Visit Art and History Museums

These museums, which cover everything from arts to the circus, are the best places to take in Westchester's rich history and culture.

Westchester County is rich in history — it’s not a secret. Luckily for us, the county is also rich in high-quality museums that preserve that history. With a world-class collection of African art in Purchase to a three-acre Japanese stroll garden in North Salem, the area proves that you don’t have to extend your journey to the city for your culture fix.

Hudson River Museum

511 Warburton Ave, Yonkers
914.963.4550

The Hudson River Museum has a lot to offer. With more than 100 years of history, the museum continues to expand its available attractions and programs. Known for more than just art, the museum also focuses on history and science by utilizing Glenview, a 19th-century Hudson River home, the Planetarium, and, yes, art galleries. There is always something going on for attendees of all ages, most frequently on the weekends.

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Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 12-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Planetarium Hours: Enjoy ticketed shows at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays 
Admission: $13 for adults; $9 for seniors, students, and veterans; $8 for youths 3-18, and free for members and children under 3. (Planetarium tickets not included.)

Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden

28 Deveau Rd, North Salem
914.669.5033

When we think of museums, the feeling of stuffiness and snobbery can sometimes come to mind. However, that feeling is nowhere to be found at the oasis that is the Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden. Founded in 1957 by Natalie Hays Hammond, the offbeat treasure was created to promote understanding of Eastern and Western culture through both art and nature. The museum offers frequent programs for children and adults alike on designated Saturdays. The Guild Hall is the museum’s main exhibit space, complimented by two galleries that feature a variety of Asian and contemporary art. Of course, the garden is the main attraction and features a bamboo grove, waterfall, blossoming trees, and two ponds filled with frogs and fish. Each plant in the garden is specifically chosen for an aesthetic purpose, either to hide something or serve as a backdrop for garden features.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., April through November
Admission: $12 for adults; $8 for seniors, students, and veterans; free for members and children under 5.

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Katonah Museum of Art

134 Jay St, Katonah
914.232.9555

The Katonah Museum of Art (KMA) is among the most celebrated small museums in the country. It showcases art from all different cultures and time periods, appealing to both museum regulars and newcomers. The KMA organizes three to four major exhibitions each year, promising unique offerings at each one. The museum holds outdoor concerts, cocktail parties, and even international travels. Don’t forget to bring the kids to The Pollack Family Learning Center, a space that encourages kids to participate in hands-on projects in a visual and interactive environment.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 12-5 p.m.
Admission: $15 for adults; $9 for seniors and individuals with disabilities; $6 for children; free for members, veterans, and children 2 and under.
Note: KMA recommends that visitors reserve advanced time tickets.

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Neuberger Museum of Art

735 Anderson Hill Rd, Purchase
914.251.6100

The Neuberger is more than just a part of Purchase College — it’s a high-quality museum that deserves its own recognition. Since its founding, the Neuberger has championed the art of our age and is known for its collections of modern, contemporary, and African art. The permanent collection at the Neuberger has over 6,000 pieces and, if that isn’t enough, there are rotating exhibitions throughout the year as well. As a teaching museum, the Neuberger also offers an array of programs (that are often free), including artist talks, open classrooms, and family programs. The museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 12-5 p.m.; closed major holidays
Admission: Free. Donations are accepted.

Hudson Valley MOCA

1701 Main St, Peekskill
914.788.0100

If you’re tired of looking at the same old stuff you studied every year in school, visit the Hudson Valley MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) for some of the most current works being created by artists around the world. Boasting both a permanent collection and works on loan in a 12,000-sq-ft exhibition space, the HVMOCA champions Peekskill as a major arts destination. The museum offers an artist-in-residence program that gives artists the opportunity to create long-term installations as well as many educational programs, like lectures and varying special events.

Hours: Thursday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission: $30 for non-members; $20 for members & students; $25 for Peekskill residents, veterans and active duty military, and seniors; free for children under eight.

Westchester Children’s Museum

100 Playland Pkwy, Rye
914.421.5050

Go ahead, touch the exhibits. While children are generally discouraged from playing with most museum collections, the Westchester Children’s Museum is specifically designed with interactive displays that will introduce your child to concepts from physics, nature, art, and more. It’s also available for field trips, groups, and even birthday parties. Throughout the year, it holds an array of events, like a weekend story time.

Hours: Open daily from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; Group rates available by appointment
Admission: $14 per person; $12 for seniors; $3 for those using an EBT card; free for members, children under 1, and active-duty military and their families. The museum has gone cashless, so it advises you to purchase your tickets in advance. 

Museum of the Early American Circus

335 Route 202, Somers
914.277.4977

Unless you grew up in northern Westchester, you might not know that we’re considered the birthplace of the modern circus. (We did, and we’ll never let anyone forget it.) Somers’ Elephant Hotel commemorates Old Bet, the first (er, second, really) elephant brought to America, and the legacy of the Bailey Circus (as in “Barnum &” later). Now a national historic place and the Somers town hall, the third floor of the Elephant Hotel actually includes the Somers Historical Society and the Museum of the Early American Circus, displaying small exhibits chronicling the history of America’s first traveling menageries and circus.

Hours: Thursdays and select holidays, 2-4 p.m., and by appointment
Admission: Free

The Lincoln Depot Museum

10 S. Water St, Peekskill
914.402.4318

In February 1861, Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural train tour stopped in Peekskill to make a brief speech. Nearly half the town came out to attend the event (a whopping 1,500 or so people at the time), and, sadly, the event was recreated with Lincoln’s funeral train just a few short years later. To commemorate the president and his time in Westchester, the museum was established inside the Peekskill Freight Depot, carefully restoring the town’s original rail stop. A statue of Lincoln and commemorative plaque mark the spot, while the museum’s collections of historic memorabilia and antique pieces serve as an educational look back into one of the most strife-ridden periods in our nation’s history.

Hours: Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m., April 27 through November 25
Admission: $8; members and children under 12 $5; Peekskill residents free; families $20.

Westchester County Veterans Museum

Lasdon Park, 2610 Amawalk Rd, Route 35, Katonah
914.864.7269

Lasdon Park and Arboretum is also the site of a museum dedicated to Westchester’s service members over the decades, including the Merchant Marine Memorial, the Trail of Honor Memorial for soldiers from every major conflict from the American Revolution through Operation Desert Storm, the Korean War Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The museum itself hosts a rotating series of exhibits of photos, artifacts, historical documents, and more detailing Westchester’s residents and their service to our country over the centuries.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Admission: Free, donations are accepted.

Lyndhurst

635 South Broadway, Tarrytown
914.631.4481

Home to three major families in Westchester’s history, including the prolific Jay Gould, Lyndhurst Mansion and its sprawling grounds are now a collection of art, artifacts, and furnishings acquired by its various owners. Owing to personal tastes and fashions of the day, the house has become a functional museum to the individual design themes of the 19th and 20th centuries, from original architect Alexander Jackson Davis to its time as a convalescence home for soldiers during World War II under the ownership of Gould’s sister-in-law, the Duchess of Talleyrand-Perigord.

Hours: Daily, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (last entry at 3:30 p.m.), April through December; Guided tours are offered seasonally from Friday through Sunday
Admission: Classic Mansion Tours $15-$25 per person; Inside/Outside Tour $40-$42 per person; Upstairs/Downstairs Tour $40-$42 per person. For those not taking a tour, Daily Grounds Passes ($10 per person; free for members) are available seven days per week and must be purchased online in advance to access the property by car.

Westchester’s Other Historic Houses

As a county that’s more than 300 years old, Westchester is home to quite a few historic sites that serve as museums and exhibitions of our rich history. Locations like Philipse Manor Hall, the Horace Greeley House, and John Jay Homestead offer glimpses into how former residents lived in their respective eras, often with fun and family-friendly exhibits, activities, and local community events and workshops.

Our Women in Business Awards event is November 21!

Our Best of Business event is October 30!

Our CEOs & Business Leaders Golf Outing is August 5!

Our Best of Westchester Party is July 24!

Our Westchester Home Design Awards event is June 26!

Our Wine & Food Festival returns June 4-9!

Our Wunderkinds event takes place on May 23!

Our Best of Business Ballot is open through May 15!

Our Healthcare Heroes Awards event takes place on May 9!

Our Westchester Home Builders Awards take place on April 4!

Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Forum is March 14!

Unveiled: A Boutique Bridal Brunch is February 25!

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