Current Exhibits
Changing exhibits and long-term installations cultivate interest in the history and culture of northeast Queens. Many materials used are culled from the archival collection, and encourage conversation and inquiry.
Ladies in Lines
First floor hallway exhibit
Group portraiture denotes a collective identity wherein the ensemble takes precedence over the individual. Candid or informal photographs enable those individuals that comprise the group to sustain the moment — to look back, and recall the time, place, and reason that particular occasion warranted documentation. BHS has a trove of unidentified group photographs in its collections with a selection featured in this exhibit.
Image: Members of the Bayside Woman's Club, June 1932
Viewing by appointment only
Men in Rows
First floor hallway exhibit
Formal group portraiture is a centuries-old tradition where people come together to memorialize an occasion and record it for posterity. Yet, in many cases, the subjects are identified by their group affiliation only. So, aside from their collective identity, just who are the men in these photos?
Image: Beefsteak Dinner in honor of Bayside's veterans, December 1919
Viewing by appointment only
Native Bayside
Second floor exhibit room
Native Bayside chronicles the prehistory of Bayside and the Northeast through artifacts recovered from an archaeological site in Queens and a model of the site excavation. The culmination of 35 years of work by archaeologist Edward J. Platt and the New York Institute of Anthropology, the Bayside site is the oldest carbon-14 dated continually inhabited site in coastal New York State.
Viewing by appointment only
Bayside Maps Collection
Online Exhibit
Our collection includes newly digitized versions of two fascinating resources: the Van Riper "Celebrity Map," released by Thomas Van Riper Realtors in 1985, which outlines the residences of celebrities and politicians in the Bayside/Flushing area, and a pictorial map by Ranlee Publishing, Inc., which showcases various local shop names and landmarks in Bayside during 1984-85.
From the Archives: Bayside American Legion Collection
Online Exhibit
This online exhibit is a collection of historical memorabilia from the American Legion Post 510 of Bayside, including rare scrapbooks, photographs, periodicals and more. Special thanks to Joan and Robert Firmery, whose father was past commander Arthur Firmery, for their contributions to this exhibit.
From the Archives: Bell Family Correspondences
Online Exhibit
This online exhibit provides a snippet of the letter collection at Bayside Historical Society. These letter correspondences from the Bell Family Collection offer glimpses into the lives and times of the past century.
From the Archives: Holiday Greeting Cards of the Bell Family
Online Exhibit
Like any American family, the Bells collect and send holiday greeting cards to friends and loved ones. This online exhibit showcases some of the pretty designs of the holiday cards kept by members of the Bell Family and ultimately preserved by our Archives.
From the Archives: Poems of the Bell Family
Online Exhibit
This online exhibit presents poems written by the Bells of Bayside and collected by Bayside Historical Society. These handwritten pieces showcase the artistic merit of the many members of the family during their time living in Bayside, NY. Taken from the archives of Bayside Historical Society's Bell Family Collection, these written works offer insights into the events that they have experienced during their time.
Bayside Day 1914 on Historypin
Online Exhibit
View Bayside Historical Society's Historypin collection of historical documents and pictures to depict life during the celebration in 1914.
One Man's Bayside
Short Film
Bayside Historical Society presents "One Man's Bayside," a short film from the 1960s about Bayside's history featuring narration from a member of the Bell Family, Mr. Brinton Bell. Enjoy shots of historical records and photographs from our Archives in this amazing video and learn about the local history of various locations dotting the Bayside neighborhood in this fascinating production. We thank Susan Leroux for providing Bayside Historical Society with a digitized copy of this film.
