Everyone loves a good spin, and at Nunley's Carousel in Garden City, that joy comes with a sense of history.
GARDEN CITY, Nassau County -- Everyone loves a good spin, and at Nunley's Carousel in Garden City, that joy comes with a sense of history.
Originally built in 1912 in Brooklyn, the carousel later spent decades in Baldwin before being fully restored and relocated in 2009 to Museum Row, right next to the Long Island Children's Museum. Today, it continues to delight a new generation. Inside the Children's Museum, there's even more excitement this summer, highlighted by a brand-new permanent exhibit, Saltwater Stories, the first of its kind here in more than a decade.
Designed to celebrate life along Long Island's shores, the exhibit invites kids to explore hands-on experiences rooted in local culture and maritime history.
"Kids get to play in a fish market, they get to go in a bay house, they get to go in a fishing boat-or a mishoon," explains museum president Erika Floreska. "That's a dugout canoe made by the Shinnecock Nation just for this exhibit. " The space encourages kids to climb, explore geography, and learn through play, while also offering a welcome escape from the summer heat, especially for families with younger children.
"This is a little safe haven on Long Island," says Levittown parent Sabrina Christiansen. "We're so lucky to live only 10 to 15 minutes away. ""He's a little pale, so we try to keep him out of the sun sometimes. It's nice to have educational places where we can spend time indoors," Starner said.
The museum is also preparing for a major milestone: America's 250th birthday. Plans include a Times Square-style ball drop and a full day of family-friendly celebrations. Admission is $20 per ticket this summer, though frequent visitors may benefit from a membership or even free passes available through local libraries. Just steps away, the Cradle of Aviation Museum offers another kind of exploration, one that looks to the skies.
Visitors can dive into Long Island's deep connection to space travel, with more than a dozen astronauts represented throughout the exhibits.
"We have a whole legacy of astronauts and Long Islanders who helped get us into space," says Executive Director Jennifer Baxmeyer. The museum also looks to the future, with interactive exhibits on drones, artificial intelligence, and robotics, giving kids a glimpse of what's next.
"Every time we moved, it kept following us," one young visitor said of a robot demonstration, capturing the excitement of hands-on learning. "I actually learned what makes a planet a planet," said one visitor, while another added, "My favorite part is going to the moon! ""It's such a long history," one visitor shared. "I feel like I have to come more often.
" From watching water evaporate to learning about flight or grabbing for the golden ring on a carousel ride, Nassau County's Museum Row offers something for everyone. It's a destination where education meets adventure and where kids of all ages can discover something new. ----------
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