Starting in 2024, after an assessment of our properties by our new Executive Director Connor Flanagan, it was determined that the Strong Wheelwright Shop needed, immediate attention. Thankfully Ray Harden of BK Builder was able to come by and repair parts of the building including a new window, a full exterior paint job and fixes to the façade of the building in weak areas. This was not a full restoration, but what could be done quickly to stabilize the structure. Part of the project also included rebuilding the chimney to bring it up to code and to improve the function of the forge.

The Strong Wheelwright Shop damages in 2024

Throughout 2025 museum staff cleaned the interior of the Wheelwright Shop so it could be featured during our Blacksmithing classes, exhibit openings and other events at the Corwith House. Our new Museum Educator Stacy Myers has also been able to bring different groups of children into the space to explore its contents.

In the end of 2025, Executive Director Connor Flanagan, Board Member Steve Clarke and facilities manager Doug Bryant along with the help of volunteers began clearing out the basement of the Wheelwright Shop which had become over stuffed with clutter. Once cleared, the space was then cleaned and painted. Today the space sits waiting for the next phases of restoration which will include the creation of a new educational display.

A special thank you to Mr. Lucio Noto, Steve Clarke, Doug Bryant, John Battle, James Froelich, Chris Husband, Andrea and Doug Madaio, Darius Yektai, and Nico Yektai.

The Strong Wheelwright Shop, ca. 1870’s, is located on the William Corwith House site and was used until 1927 by George W. Strong in his wheelwright business while at its original location on the Strong Farm on the corner of Town Line Road and Parsonage Lane in Wainscott. It was donated to the Museum in 1962 by Stanley T. Strong. On exhibit are tools and materials typical of a 19th century wheelwright shop, as well as a blacksmith’s forge used in blacksmithing demonstrations several times a year.

To learn more about the Wheelwright Shop, click here.

Thanks to the generosity of many community members and namely Mr. Lucio Noto, our Tractor Barn has been turned into Bridgehampton's newest gallery space for the arts! Starting in the Summer of 2024 Collections Manager Tim Malyk began combing through and organizing the decades old piles of things that were scattered about the barn. By the early Summer of 2025, board member Steve Clarke set his sights on pushing this project along. Through the help of many volunteers and local companies helping out where they could, we were able to build out an amazing new gallery just in time to host local artist Jonathan Nash Glynn's new exhibition, New Space in October 2025. We have A LOT of plans for the future of this old barn and are excited for you to watch it all happen!

Click here for more information about Jonathan Nash Glynn's exhibition.

A special thank you to Lucio Noto, Steve Clarke, Doug Bryant, John Battle, James Froelich, Chris Husband, Andrea and Doug Madaio, Darius Yektai, and Nico Yektai.

And lastly, a big thank you to some of the local businesses who helped out with this project. Marders for digging out the dirt floor, Sperry Tents for donating the flooring and Water Mill Building Supply for donating some of the lumber and building materials.

Tractor Barn before the gallery

Tractor Barn framed out

Tractor Barn drywall

Tractor Barn Gallery completed

Our Beer & Blacksmithing program is a fun and exciting way to give our community a hands on chance to experience the historic craft of blacksmithing. Guests are invited in small groups to be led by our blacksmith Ricky Bottenus in creating their very own bottle openers which gives everyone a chance to see just how difficult this craft can be.

To learn more about the program and when our next classes are click here!

Thank you to our 2025 program sponsor, Springs Brewery for providing drinks for all the classes! Click their logo below to visit their website and learn more about them.

The museum had the great fortune to meet Lana Jokel this past year, a Bridgehampton resident for many years, who possesses an amazing collection of artwork. Collected through her years as a documentry filmmaker, her collection is comprised of not just local artists, but her friends. These include John Chamberlain, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, among many others.

Thank you to Lana Jokel for her generous support of the Bridgehampton Museum and thank you to SRI Fine Art Services for their assistance in transporting these amazing pieces.

Click here for more about the exhibition

This summer we were able to highlight the work of Pingree W. Louchheim and featured over 100 of her photographs taken over the course of her career working for The Southampton Press. The images she captured showcased every aspect of community life from mundane and ordinary to pivotal events in Southampton's history. Pingree's daughter-in-law Summer Louchheim first came to the museum with the idea for this show in the Fall of 2023 as she was digitizing and organizing Pingree's archive.

Thank you to the Louchheim family for generously funding this exhibition!

Click here for more about the exhibition.