Family Outing: Hallockville Museum Farm

The Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead is a great place to visit with kids. Learn about Long Island's agricultural history at this historic site, where you can visit farm animals, try your hand at old-fashioned crafts, and attend annual events like the Fleece and Fiber Fair in spring and Craft Show in fall.

The mission of the Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead is to help preserve and interpret 200 years of the region’s history and agricultural traditions through educational programs, museum tours, workshops, special events, fairs, and festivals held throughout the year. Head to Hallockville—which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year—to immerse yourself in the folk arts native to the land or enjoy a picnic on the spacious grounds, surrounded by 500 acres of contiguous farmland and nearby Hallock Pond and Preserve. The Hallockville Museum Farm is a nonprofit organization listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Riverhead Town Landmark. 

Year-Round Fun

Kick off a visit to the Hallockville Museum Farm with a guided tour of the property’s crown jewel, the Hallock Homestead, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2015. Built in 1765, the Homestead encompasses the original Hallock family home and accompanying buildings—such as the smokehouse, a magnificent barn featuring hundreds of agricultural artifacts, a hog pen, and the outhouse—where the original landlords lived and farmed in the 18th century. Open from May through December, a tour of the homestead is perfect for children of all ages to marvel at the relics left behind by families from the farm’s storied past. 

The 250-year-old Hallock Homestead is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo by Steve Berger

Stop by the farmhouse for a meet-and-greet with some of Hallockville’s friendly farm animals or venture to the museum’s popular transportation exhibit, which catalogues various methods of transport used by North Fork’s citizenry centuries ago, including carriages, sleighs, and surreys.  

During the off-season, visitors can take in the sights and sounds of the farm on a walk around the property or a picnic in the apple orchard. Sign up for a workshop or class to learn about quilt making, woodworking, or many other skills and folk crafts, or visit the museum’s community garden.

Annual Events

The Museum Farm hosts a number of festivals and special events every year.

Long’s Island’s one-of-a-kind Fleece and Fiber Fair in mid-May provides two exciting days of demonstrations and hands-on learning for the whole family. Visitors learn about everything from sheep-shearing to weaving, dying wool, and spinning yarn. Kids can enjoy craft demonstrations, interact with animals—including sheep, llamas, and angora rabbits—and enjoy a special llama obstacle course show. Check out the Fiber Market to see local artisans selling their handmade products or grab lunch from a variety of local food vendors. The fiber fair is a great way to introduce children to folk arts native to the community. If you live in the city, the farm offers round-trip transportation to the fair from Midtown Manhattan (check the website for details).