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.
Exhibits are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, by Council Members Vickie Paladino, Linda Lee, and the NYC Council Queens Delegation.
From Backyard to Boulevard: The Bell Family Legacy
First floor exhibit room
Bayside Historical Society invites you to explore our newest exhibit, which showcases the significance of Bayside's evolution alongside the enduring legacy of the Bell family. This exhibit explores the neighborhood's intriguing development from its origins as "Bay Side," situated east of Flushing, through maps, family trees, and artifacts. Visit The Castle to view the exhibit from September 2nd to October 3rd, and again on October 19th. Find detailed viewing hours here.
Image: The home of Abraham Bell II
One Man's Bayside
Short film — now showing at The Castle
In conjunction with the "The Bell Family Legacy" exhibition, the Bayside Historical Society presents "One Man's Bayside," a short film from the 1960s that explores Bayside's history, narrated by Mr. Brinton Bell of the Bell Family. This captivating video includes footage of historical documents and photographs from our Archives, offering insights into the local history of various sites throughout the Bayside neighborhood.
We thank Susan Leroux for providing the Bayside Historical Society with a digitized copy of this film.
Ladies in Lines
First floor hallway exhibit
Group portraiture reflects a shared identity, emphasizing the collective over the individual. Candid or informal photographs allow the members of the group to preserve the moment — providing a way to remember the time place, and significance of the event captured. BHS boasts a wealth 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, Dec. 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
Vintage Postcards of Bayside, NY
Virtual Exhibition
Bayside Historical Society's exclusive online collection features early 20th Century postcards of Bayside, Queens, from our archival collection. Explore Bayside, Queens, through these postcards and discover the many remarkable places that existed, and in some cases, still exist today!