Long Island 250

Join us in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with special events, programs, and exhibitions at Raynham Hall Museum in Oyster Bay, NY. Our collections, historic home, and programs tell the story of how Long Islanders played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. This page will be continually updated as we add events and announcements regarding the 250th.

The Suffolk County 250th “Passport Book” is now available online through Barnes and Noble Online (not the retail locations), Amazon, Lulu.com, and as a free download. This book was published through the collective efforts of the Suffolk County 250th Commemorative Planning Committee.

Visit www.suffolk250.org for more information.

Exhibitions

Road to Revolution
October 22, 2025 – March 1, 2026

Businessman, father, public servant, revolutionary, and enslaver, Samuel Townsend was a complex individual whose life experiences made him adaptable to the tumultuous time in which he lived. From his beginnings as a successful entrepreneur and merchant to having his home occupied by the enemy during the American Revolution, this is the story of Samuel Townsend’s Road to Revolution.

American Revolution Experience 
March 27 – April 4, 2026

The Oyster Bay Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Battlefield Trust are excited to feature the American Revolution Experience at Raynham. The innovative pop-up exhibition includes display panels and interactive digital kiosks that use storytelling, illustration, technology and unique artifacts and primary accounts to connect modern audiences with the people and places that shaped the birth of our nation.

We the People  April 23 – August 30, 2026 Join us for the opening party of our second call for artists exhibition on Thursday, April 23, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. The exhibition features artists from local communities who submitted artwork on their interpretation of the theme, We the People. The three opening words of the Constitution place the power of the United States not in a monarch, nor even in individual states, but in its citizens. The original promise of those words was eloquent and evocative — yet from the start, that promise was only partly true. Women and people of color would have been disenfranchised from the political process, and those included among “the people” has expanded only through struggle and hard-won legal change. The story of the United States is one of continual redefinition, as people of many backgrounds have claimed their place and pushed the nation toward its ideals of a more just and equitable society. Shifts in our population continue to fuel ongoing debate over who may be recognized as a citizen. Participating artists: Dave Alexander, Dasha Bazanova, Dan Christoffel, Lauren Cohen, Joan Digby, Faith Evans, Meryl Dee Feuer, Fred Fleisher, Wendy Foster, Michael Goudket, Patricia Hambrook, Mandy Henson, Joan Harrison, Stephen Hoffman, James Hogarty, Lori Horowitz, Mikey Ilkiw, Warren Jacobson, Betsy Lawrence, Rebecca Lawton Flatters, Bing Lu, Lilly Lucas, Tom Mason, Magali Modoux, Joshua Olsen, Jasmine Parrish-M, Susie Gách Peelle, Barbara Prey, Meenal Raghava, Michael Ripa, Alice Riordan, Michael Rubinowitz, Hiroko Saigusa, Ryan Schroeder, Kiichi Takeuchi, Allen Underwood III, Doron Wolf This exhibition serves as a fundraiser with artwork available for purchase through the museum. A portion of the proceeds will be generously donated to support the museum’s initiatives.

Events & Programs

America at 250: Rebellion to Republic: The People and Ideas That Shaped America
May 16 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Free event

Jim Rasenberger and Thomas Richards explore the Revolutionary War and its lasting legacy, from the leadership and friendship of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to the ideas and struggles that shaped the birth of the nation and kept the Revolution alive for the next century and beyond.

Panelists:
Jim Rasenberger
Thomas Richards Jr.

Moderator:
Justinne Lake-Jedzinak