For the next six months, children visiting the Queens Historical Society’s (QHS) headquarters in the Kingsland Homestead will be treated to a brand new exhibit about colonial New Amsterdam and the colonists’ quest for religious tolerance.
The exhibit, “A Visual History of Freedom: An Exhibit for Young Learners & Families,” geared mainly toward students in third through fifth grades, is open now and will be on display in QHS’s lobby for about six months.
Featuring information about the colonial history of New Amsterdam (New York’s former name), the exhibit contains details about the colonists’ struggle for religious freedom, highlighting the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.
“It’s really . . . something compelling for children when they visit,” said Marisa Berman, executive director of the Queens Historical Society.
Katrina A. Raben, the former head of education of the Queens Historical Society, designed and curated the exhibit as her last project for the organization. The exhibit is based on her book, A Light in the Window. One of the most prominent features of the exhibit is a colorful photographic collage, which is aimed toward student-visitors.
“Everyone really likes the collage art,” Berman said. “It’s kind of an interesting twist on history.”
The Queens Historical Society’s headquarters are located at Historic Kingsland Homestead at 143-35 37th Avenue in Flushing. Founded in 1968, they have many document archives that people can access and they hold lecture events frequently. They’re open on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
They have other exhibits on display, including one about the history of sports in Queens called “The Love of the Game.” Their lobby exhibit rotates about two times per year. All of the exhibits, including the new one, can be accessed during the normal hours or by appointment on any weekday between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
For more information, visit www.queenshistoricalsociety.org or call 718-939-0647.
