Historic Richmond Town's 'Made on Staten Island' exhibit closes at the end of November after 42 years

One of Staten Island's longest-running museum exhibits is about to come down. Historic Richmond Town says "Made on Staten Island: Agriculture, Industry, and Suburban Living in the City 1800-1984" will close at the end of November, after 42 years in its Historical Museum, SILive.com reported.

In its Village Gazette newsletter, the museum, led by CEO Jessica Phillips, said the gallery space will go to a new exhibit on the 200th anniversary of New York's abolition of slavery. The newsletter thanked everyone who created and cared for the show, and the visitors who learned about the island's industrial past there, according to SILive.

What's in the exhibit

The show traces the island's path from farms and the waterfront to factories and, finally, the suburbs, Historic Richmond Town says. Between 1819, when the first major industrial plant opened in what became known as Factoryville, and the 1929 crash, Staten Island turned out linoleum, soap, bricks, paper, lager beer and printed cloth that sold nationally and abroad, along with carriages, baked goods, furniture and baskets for local use.

• A "Staten Island skiff," a shellfishing boat from about 1890, recalls the oyster trade that once mattered to the whole city's economy.
• A Weissglass milk delivery wagon from about 1910 stands in for the dairy farms and processing plants of the early 20th century.

When it opened in 1984, the exhibit filled the entire museum, and Mayor Ed Koch attended as Richmond Town and the Staten Island Historical Society celebrated the completion of a major renovation of the historic village, SILive reported. It has since shrunk to make room for newer shows, including "Shoes: Two Centuries of Style and Functions" and "Greetings from Staten Island: A Postcard Tour." A companion book by Charles L. Sachs, published with the exhibit, remains the long-form version of the story.

How to see it before it closes

Historic Richmond Town has not published an exact final day beyond "the end of the month," so call ahead at (718) 351-1611 if you are planning a last visit late in November.

• Where: Tickets are sold at the Village Store in the Third County Courthouse, 441 Clarke Ave. Parking is free.
• Hours: September through December, Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The site is closed Thanksgiving Day and the day after, according to its visitor page.
• Free times: Admission is free Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m. through December; tickets are still required and can be reserved online or at the door.
• Veterans Day (Wed., Nov. 11): Active-duty military and veterans, plus up to six family members, get free admission with military and photo ID; others in the party get 25% off.

Still on view

The Historical Museum's other current shows stay up well beyond November, per the exhibits page: "Founding Principles: The Declaration of Independence, Civics, and Staten Island" through June 24, 2029; the shoe exhibit through Sept. 16, 2027; and the postcard tour through April 4, 2027. A start date for the abolition exhibit had not been announced.