This is a small museum, but I give it 5 stars because the exhibits have been interesting and well…read morecurated.

Typically open Sunday's only. I so happened to stumble on the Offbeat Artifacts sale out front on a…read moreSaturday while looking for postcards and got lucky as Al and Sarah were there to let me in for a peek. A wonderful place showcasing the wonderful place that is Sea Cliff.

Lovely way to step back in time on a Sunday afternoon! Well trained docents lead approx. one hour…read moretours through historically registered Sand-Willets House (c. 1735 and 1845) at 336 Port Wash Blvd and Thomas Dodge Homestead (c. 1721) on Mill Pond Road, both in the scenic, waterfront town of Port Washington, NY. Tour is inexpensive; period furnishings; thousands of artifacts including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln related items. "Boardwalk Empire" filmed in the Sands-Willets House! Annual events including family-friendly Fall Fair at the S-W House (small admission fee, music, face painting, petting zoo; crafts and antiques for sale; food concessions.). Also, special exhibits at S-W House are incorporated in tours. Check website for dates of tours at specific homes. Join email list - especially for great "Then and Now" pictorial features! Go to www.cowneck.org

Such a fun place!! Went on geology day where there were tons of knowledgeable staff to give…read moreinformation and answer questions. Thanks Dimitria! Great gift shop. Thanks Adam! The grounds are incredible with sweet trails.

We're going to come back here to really explore but we had fun at the dinosaur daze they had. Again…read moreI cannot believe this place existed and I never knew to come here. Supposedly field trips come here so maybe I did as a kid but at almost 40 I do not remember lol. I really can't wait to come back and explore the trails.

We got a Groupon for this place, which makes the price a lot more reasonable. They don't open until…read more1 pm on the weekends, and on Saturdays they don't even give guided tours. Instead, they give an "augmented reality" audio tour which is kind of hit or miss. The house was preserved for the historical significance of the Townsend family, one of which was a spy for George Washington. I didn't feel there was a ton of information on the family though. Pointing their phone at the different objects in a room turned on audio about them, but only a couple of rooms in the actual house were interactive. The rest didn't have signs, and one loan employee was around to answer questions at the end. The exhibit in the visitor center was nice though. I just don't think the AR experience was really up to replacing a person, both in amount of information and the uncanny valley, unnerving portraits. There is street parking and a nearby lot that are free on weekends. The gift shop is minimal. It was an okay spot to visit, but I would recommend coming on Sunday or whenever they offer actual tours to get a more thorough understanding of the house and the history of the people who lived here.

We went here on a winter weekend, and were fortunate to have the builsings to ourselves. The…read morehelpful staff took out modest admission fee and explained that they don't do tours on Saturdays but they do have tour devices using augmented reality. That means that when you walk through the buildings, you scan the cell phone device on important paintings and artifacts and they talk to you with further information about who or what they are. The small building that contains the entrance is packed with paintings, dioramas, documents and artifacts. Next you walk to the main house, built in the 1730's, and housing the Townsend family. At the time of the Revolutionary War, Samuel had to make room for a British colonel. In spite of the fact that he sympathised with the patriots, he maintained good relations with his "Guest." At the time of the war, the house had eight rooms. One of his sons was one of the leaders of the Culpepper Spy Ring, Placing the home on the National Registry of Historic Places. Each room was elegantly decorated, with the exception of the space for the enslaved housekeeper. In spite of the fact that we didn't get a formal tour, the staff member tagged along with us and kept up a spirited conversation - even giving us a bonus look at the Victorian wing which doubled the size of the structure. The house is said to be haunted, of course. Very highly recommended. The full set of photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/terryballard/albums/72177720323110655