June 7 – November 2, 2025
Ulster in Maps: 1752–1951
Tracing the Shifting Lines of Land and Life
Before satellites circled the Earth and smartphones fit in our pockets, maps were something we held in our hands — and in our imaginations. This exhibit invites you on a journey through time, space, and story, as told through more than two centuries of cartographic beauty.
From the hand-drawn elegance of 18th-century land surveys to the bold colors of mid-20th-century road maps, these documents do more than chart territory. They reveal what we valued, what we claimed, and how we understood the land — and ourselves.
The earliest maps in this collection reflect a time when Ulster County was not yet fully defined, and when the rich and complex history of the Esopus and Munsee Lenape peoples — the original stewards of this region — was already being obscured by colonial boundaries. As lines were drawn and redrawn, communities grew, railroads expanded, and towns emerged. The story of Ulster County unfolded — one inked line at a time.
In our digital age, maps may seem invisible — hidden behind GPS apps that tell us where to go but not what it means to be somewhere. Here, we slow down. We look closer. We marvel at maps not just as tools, but as artworks, filled with texture, color, and intent. Each map is a portrait — of power, of place, of memory.
Explore the transformation of Ulster County as it was imagined, measured, and made visible over 200 years. These maps do more than locate us — they connect us to the past.
Curiosities from our Collection
Curiosities from our Collection is our rotating monthly mini-exhibit. Each installation offers new insights into the occupations, consumer goods, social movements, education, and entertainment that shaped the lives of Ulster County residents.
Gifts to the Society
From delicately carved scrimshaw to Dr. Marriot’s mysterious sea medicine chest to intricately decorated magic lantern slides, Gifts to the Society brings new attention and interpretation to a fascinating assortment of unique, curious, and puzzling objects and stories collected over the last 166 years.
As a visitor, you’re invited to participate in solving some of the questions that still surround our treasures.
New donations and discoveries are regularly added to this evolving exhibition.
Museum hours: Sat & Sun 11am – 5pm
Suggested Donation: $10 Adults, $20 Families
Free to UCHS Members