Summers are long, and hot. There’s going to come a point where you can’t head to the beach again, and the kids are bored with everything. When it’s a hot day, and you want to experience some fun without a huge cost, think about going to some museums for free. Long Island has some wickedly awesome museums for free in Nassau, as well as Suffolk! How can a kid say no to heading to the Autoseum to see cars like Vin Diesel’s GTO from the movie XXX? Okay, I can’t say no to that kind of thing, but the kids enjoy cool cars, too!

Free on Long Island free outdoor music #summer #freeonlongisland

Museums for free in Nassau County ***ALWAYS CALL BEFORE YOU GO***

American Guitar Museum

  • Contact: 516.488.5000, americanguitarmuseum.com
  • Location: 1810 New Hyde Park Road, New Hyde Park
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. on Thursdays; 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Saturdays.

American Merchant Marine Museum

  • Contact: 516.726.6047, usmma.edu/museum
  • Location: Steamboat Road on grounds of U.S.Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. Tuesday through Friday. Closed for Federal Holidays.

Autoseum

  • Contact: 516.571.1894, autoseum.org
  • Location: 100 County Seat Drive, Mineola
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Saturdays and Sundays from May to September.

Cedarmere

  • Contact: 516.572.8400, friendsofcedarmere.org
  • Location: Bryant Avenue, north of Northern Boulevard, Rosyln Harbor
  • Hours: Grounds open daily. The house is closed for restoration.

East Rockaway Grist Mill Museum

  • Contact: 516.887.6320
  • Location: Woods and Atlantic avenues, East Rockaway
  • Hours: 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. on weekends from June to Labor Day

Garden City Historical Society Museum

  • Contact: 516.746.8900, gardencityhistoricalsociety.org
  • Location: 109 11th Street, Garden City
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Tuesdays through Fridays; 12 P.M. to 4 P.M. Saturdays.

Historical Society of the Massapequas

  • Contact: 516.799.2023, massapequahistoricalsociety.org
  • Location: 4755 Merrick Road, Massapequa
  • Hours: 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. third Saturday of each month from April to October.

Historical Society of the Westburys

  • Contact: 516.333.0176
  • Location: 445 Jefferson Street (on Westbury Library grounds)
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. Wednesdays; 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. Thursdays; 12 P.M. to 4 P.M. first Saturday of month September through June.

Hofstra University Museum: David Filderman Gallery and Emily Lowe Gallery

  • Contact: 516.463.5672, hofstra.edu/museum
  • Location: Hempstead Turnpike, Hempstead
  • Hours: Click on the above link to view the hours. They change frequently depending on installations, and holidays, as well as University recesses.

Nassau County Police Museum

Phillips House Museum

  • Contact: 516.764.7459, rvcny.us/PhillipsHouse.html
  • Location: 28 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre
  • Hours: 1 P.M. to 4 P.M Saturdays and Sundays from September to June, open Sunday only in August. Group tours by appointment.

Rock Hall Museum

  • Contact: 516.239.1157, toh.li
  • Location: 199 Broadway, Lawrence
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Wednesdays through Saturdays; 12 P.M. to 4 P.M. on Sundays.

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

  • Contact: 516.922.4788, nps.gov/sahi
  • Location: Sagamore Hill Road, Cove Neck
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Wednesdays through Sundays. Grounds & museum are free during rehabilitation.

Seaford Historical Society and Museum

  • Contact: seafordhistoricalsociety.org
  • Location: 3890 Waverly Avenue, Seaford
  • Hours: 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. Sundays from June to August. Other times by appointment.

Museums for Free in Suffolk County ***ALWAYS CALL BEFORE YOU GO***

1901 Restored Railroad Depot and Freight House

  • Contact: 631.957.7500, villageoflindenhurst.com
  • Location: Irmisch Park, South Broadway and South Third Street, Lindenhurst
  • Hours: 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays during June through August.

Bayport Aerodrome Society’s Living Aviation Museum

  • Contact: 631.472.2393, bayportaerodrome.org
  • Location: Bayport Aerodrome Vitamin Drive off Church Street, Bayport
  • Hours: 12 P.M. to 4 P.M. Saturday and Sunday from March to October.

Big Duck

  • Contact: 631.852.3377, suffolkcountyny.gov/parks
  • Location: 1012 Flanders Road, Route 24, Flanders
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Mondays through Saturday; 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. on Sundays. ALL YEAR LONG. Call ahead, hours could change on any given day!

DNA Learning Center

  • Contact: 516.367.5170, dnalc.org
  • Location: 334 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Mondays through Fridays.

Ketcham Inn

  • Contact: 631.878.1855, ketchaminn.org
  • Location: 81 Main Street, Center Moriches
  • Hours: By appointment only for professionals and students interested in Colonial architecture restoration.

Kings Park Heritage Museum

  • Contact: 631.269.3305, kpheritagemuseum.net
  • Location: 99 Old Dock Road, in the RJO Building, Kings Park
  • Hours: 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Mondays through Fridays ALL YEAR. Appointments are suggested.

Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society Museum

  • Contact: 631.467.3152, lakerhs.org
  • Location: 328 Hawkins Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Saturday, and by appointment for a FEE.

Lauder Museum

  • Contact: 631.598.1486, amityvillehistoricalsociety.net
  • Location: 170 Broadway, Amityville
  • Hours: 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays all year.

Leiber Museum

  • Contact: 631.329.3288, leibermuseum.org
  • Location: 446 Old Stone Highway, East Hampton
  • Hours: 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays.

Longwood Estate

  • Contact: 631.924.1820
  • Location: Longwood and Smith Roads, Ridge
  • Hours: 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. Mondays through Fridays, ALL YEAR.

Manorville Historical Society

  • Contact: 631.878.1579
  • Location: 50 North Street, Manorville
  • Hours: Thrift store & schoolhouse is open on the first Saturday of every month.

National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

  • Contact: 631.462.9800, jewishsports.org
  • Location: 74 Hauppauge Road, Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center, Commack
  • Hours: CALL.

Old Schoolhouse Museum

  • Contact: 631.653.4224, quoguelibrary.org
  • Location: 90 Quogue Street, Quogue
  • Hours: 3 P.M. to 5 P.M. Wednesday and Friday; 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. Saturdays from July to August.

Oysterponds Historical Society, The Museum of Orient and East Marion History

  • Contact: 631.323.2480, oysterpondshistoricalsociety.org
  • Location: Village Lane, Orient
  • Hours: 2 P.M. to 5 P.M. Thursdays, Saturdays & Sundays July through September.

Stirling Historical Society, Margaret E. Ireland House Museum

  • Contact: 631.965.3598
  • Location: 319 Main Street, Greenport
  • Hours: 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. weekends from July to September.

Suffolk County Police Museum

  • Contact: 631.852.6174
  • Location: 30 Yaphank Avenue, Yaphank
  • Hours: 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Mondays through Fridays. Self-guided tours.

Swan River Schoolhouse Museum

Tuthill House Museum

  • Contact: 631.288.1139, whbhistorical.org
  • Location: 101 Mill Road, Westhampton Beach
  • Hours: 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Saturdays, June 14th through September 28th.

Verizon Telecom Pioneer Museum

  • Contact: 631.543.1371
  • Location: 445 Commack Road, Commack
  • Hours: 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. the first Sunday of each month (except for holidays.) Other times by appointment.

William Floyd Estate

  • Contact: 631.399.2030, nps.gov/fiis
  • Location: 245 Park Drive off Neighborhood Road, Mastic Beach
  • Hours: 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Friday through Sunday.