Adobe Stock/ kirkikis
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.
Hudson River Museum
The Hudson River Museum has a lot to offer. After 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.
511 Warburton Ave, Yonkers
914.963.4550
Hours: Thursday & 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: $10 for adults; $7 for seniors, students, and veterans; $6 youths 3-18, and free for members and children under 3. (Planetarium tickets not included.)
View this post on Instagram
Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden
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 many 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, a 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.
28 Deveau Rd, North Salem
914.669.5033
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., April through November
Admission: $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, free for members and children under 5.
View this post on Instagram
Katonah Museum of Art
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 originates about three to four major exhibitions each year, promising unique offerings at each one. The museum holds outdoor concerts, cocktail parties, and even international travels. Also, 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.
134 Jay St, Katonah
914.232.9555
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Admission: $12 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, free for members and children 12 and under.
Note: KMA recommends that visitors reserve advanced time tickets.
View this post on Instagram
Neuberger Museum of Art
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 Classroom, and family programs.
735 Anderson Hill Rd, Purchase
914.251.6100
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; closed major holidays.
Admission: Normally $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, free for members, Purchase students, faculty, & staff, and children under 12; Currently FREE for all visitors.
View this post on Instagram
Hudson Valley MOCA
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.
1701 Main St, Peekskill
914.788.0100
Hours: Thursday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; proof of vaccination is required.
Admission: $30 for non-members; $20 for members & students; $25 for Peekskill residents, veterans & active duty military, and seniors; free for children under 8.
View this post on Instagram
Westchester Children’s Museum
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. They also hold an array of events, like a weekend story time.
100 Playland Parkway, Rye
914.421.5050
Hours: Open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Group rates available by appointment
Admission: $10 per person; $9 for seniors; $3 for those using an EBT card; free for members, children under 1, and active-duty military and their families. They have gone cashless, so they advice you purchase your tickets in advance.
View this post on Instagram
Museum of the Early American Circus
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.
335 Route 202, Somers
914.277.4977
Hours: Thursdays and select holidays 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment
Admission: Free
The Lincoln Depot Museum
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.
10 S. Water St, Peekskill
914.402.4318
Hours: Saturday & Sunday 1 p.m. to 4p.m., May 6 through November 19
Admission: $10; members and children under 12 free
View this post on Instagram
Westchester County Veterans Museum
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.
Lasdon Park, 2610 Amawalk Rd., Route 35, Katonah
914.864.7269
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; weekends and holidays after Labor Day.
Admission: Free
Lyndhurst
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.
635 South Broadway, Tarrytown
914.631.4481
Hours: 7 days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 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 7 days per week and must be purchased, online in advance, to access the property by car.
View this post on Instagram
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.
