But wait. School¹s not open yet. There¹s still time to have a little family fun before the hustle and bustle of hectic mornings, after-school activities and homework becomes routine for the next 10 months. And for those who don¹t have school-aged children, there¹s no time like the present for a little exploration. Residents need not look any further than their own neighborhoods to find things to do. Who needs Manhattan when the Town of Hempstead has so much to offer?
For history buffs, there¹s the town museum, Rock Hall, a pre-Revolutionary War house built in 1767 in Lawrence. Constructed in the Georgian style, this Colonial wood-frame house was home to only two families, the Martins and Hewletts, before being deeded to the Town of Hempstead in 1948. After a restoration, Rock Hall opened its doors as a museum in 1953. It¹s chock full of period pieces and furnishings.
The East Rockaway Grist Mill Museum, built for grinding corn, is more than 300 years old. For 200 years it served as the milling and shipping center of the Rockaway peninsula. It hasn¹t been a working mill since the 1920s, but it has been open to the public as a museum since 1965.
The Nassau County Police and Historical Museum in Mineola features displays of old weapons, uniforms, vehicles and more.
Almost every community has a museum of its own, usually a restored house, such as the Pagan-Fletcher Restoration in Valley Stream. Run by the Valley Stream Historical Society, this refurbished Victorian farmhouse features three floors of furnished rooms. Onsite is the oldest gas station in the county.
For those who appreciate art, Hofstra, Adelphi University and Nassau Community College are home to galleries showcasing the works of students, faculty, classical and contemporary artists. And some 60 pieces of sculpture decorate Hofstra¹s 240-acre campus.
The African American Museum in Hempstead tells the story of the heritage and contributions of African Americans. It features permanent and rotating exhibits of the works of local and nationally known black artists.
Anyone who appreciates nature will surely enjoy a visit to Hofstra¹s campus, where the National Arboretum is home to more than 200 varieties of trees and a bird sanctuary. There¹s also the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside, an outdoor museum that features 10 trails.
Sports enthusiasts should check out the Women¹s Sports Foundation in East Meadow. It¹s the largest library dedicated to women¹s sports history, and is also the site of the proposed International Women¹s Sports Hall of Fame.
Let your imagination take flight at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City. Its permanent exhibits tell the story of Long Island¹s place in aerospace history, from kites to commercial airliners. And the Long Island Children¹s Museum is sure to engage children and adults alike. This hands-on museum excites the senses with exhibits such as ³Bubbles,² which lets you step inside a giant bubble, blow bubbles within bubbles, and make a giant bubble honeycomb, or ³Changes and Challenges,² which helps you experience the challenges faced by those with disabilities.
So before you are asked to dedicate your time to chaperoning school trips, why not take a little trip or your own to one of the fascinating, inspiring museums in your neighborhood? For more information about the town¹s museums, visit www.townofhempstead.org.
