Collections
Raynham Hall Museum’s collection is comprised of approximately 6,000 objects and archival materials from around the world that document the Townsend family, Oyster Bay, and the greater Long Island area. Spanning over 300 years, the collection gives us a deeper understanding of the Townsend family and their impact on the world in which they lived. The collection contains objects such as furniture, works of art, household accessories, textiles, toys, and games, and the archive includes objects such as personal correspondence, account books, ledgers, and photographs.
Online Access to Collections
Raynham Hall Museum is regularly digitizing its collections and making them accessible online. Many of our 18th century account books, digitized through the “Digitizing Local History Sources” project at The Palmer School of Library and Information Science of Long Island University, are available through Preservica Universal Access. Researchers may also be interested in East Hampton Library’s Robert Townsend Account Books Transcription Project, where they have digitized and transcribed the business records of Robert Townsend,“Culper, Jr.” of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring. Raynham Hall worked with the East Hampton Library to digitize and make accessible ledgers that are related to this project.
Research Access to Collections
Raynham Hall Museum welcomes and encourages researchers to make use of its collections. On-site access to the collection is available to scholars, students, collections, and other researchers by appointment only. Please fill out our Research Request Form and submit it by email to our Collections Manager at least two weeks in advance of the proposed visit. We make every effort to accommodate research requests, however, extenuating circumstances may restrict access to some materials.
Research may be performed by Museum staff, or by the researcher under the supervision of Museum staff. Typical services include individualized assistance with projects, photocopying assistance, and fact-checking. Fees for off-site and onsite research are as follows:
Offsite Research: $25 per hour, free for students and members
Onsite Research: $50 for the first day, $10 per day thereafter, free for students and members
Research fees help us sustain our ability to care for the materials in our collection. You are playing a vital role in helping us care for our collections!
Guidelines for Access to Collections
Requests for access must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the proposed visit. Access is by appointment only and can be made through the Collections Manager, once approved. Research will be conducted on-site at the museum on weekdays between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Times may be restricted by the availability of staff and the limitations of our facilities. Persons who plan to use the collections must read, complete, and sign (when necessary) the following forms: Research Request Form and Researcher Access Procedures. These procedures and forms are necessary to protect and conserve the materials in the collections. Access may be revoked if the procedures are not followed. High-resolution images for use and distribution require a separate application. Fees are assessed with each application.