On a visit to the City Island Nautical Museum,
explore the rooms that form our permanent collection.
The Main Hall and Gallery
Step into the Main Hall, where history comes alive through captivating photographic essays and fascinating exhibits. Adorned with maps, the America’s Cup memorabilia, the Hart Island exhibit, and photographs of City Island’s most beautiful boats, the Main Hall provides a visual journey through our maritime heritage. Explore a timeline of City Island's history, marvel at models of minesweepers and rumrunners from the Prohibition era, and admire a charming wooden kayak dating back to the 1930s.
In the foyer, you 'will find our museum's gift shop, which offers an appealing array of items for purchase, including books, t-shirts, photographs, postcards, and nautical gifts. Our friendly docents await at the desk to greet visitors and assist with any inquiries.
Adjacent to the Main Hall is the Gallery, which showcases the history of sail making on City Island. The walls are adorned with photographs of sail makers and actual sails, and the room is filled with sail-making benches, a sewing machine, and many different tools used in this fascinating trade.
The Walsh Library
The museum’s library houses an extensive collection of books dedicated to maritime history. Explore, as well as binders and scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings, postcards, and articles about City Island, Pelham Bay Park, and the boat-building business. The library also displays impressive groups of ship models and features special exhibitions highlighting local artists and aspects of City Island history.
The Nautical Room
Honoring the legacy of shipyards, sail lofts, yachts, and the individuals behind them, the Nautical Room is a treasure trove of historical photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts. Discover tools used by shipbuilders, along with ship models and vintage outboard motors. Notable exhibits include several skiffs, a Buchman sailing canoe from the early 1930s, and a partially completed boat, all crafted on City Island.
The Community Room
Journey back in time in the Community Room, where City Island's earliest days are celebrated through photographs, maps, and memorabilia. Admire images of street scenes, stores, restaurants, private houses, and the waterfront, then and now. Highlights include a relief map of City Island circa 1873, a diorama depicting the Battle of Pell’s Point, and displays dedicated to religious institutions and antique home furnishings.
The School Room
Experience the evolution of education on City Island in the School Room, where artifacts, student registers, graduation pictures, and report cards tell the story of local schools from 1838 to the present day. As you marvel at a unique map of the 1917 naval training station in Pelham Bay Park, learn about the.fine art of navigation with instruments that were once essential in the maritime industry and a special exhibit devoted to Hell Gate Pilots, who escorted ships down the East River to New York Harbor and back.
