Walt Whitman birthplace museum displays artifacts

Remnants of the 19th century life and times of poet Walt Whitman, some of them stored away for decades, are now on display at the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association Museum.

The museum recently unveiled its new exhibit, "I Contain Multitudes," named for a line in Whitman’s poem "Song of Myself."

The exhibit includes various artifacts from the association's archives: There are 13 items, ranging from wood salt cellars and a sewing basket to a large King James Bible donated from a descendant of Whitman’s sister.

It also includes a board of written descriptions and historical information about the items, researched and written by the museum’s team of seven interns.

"Getting to work with these historic objects has been the highlight of my summer, if not the past few years of my life," said Bella Tiripicchio, an intern who spoke alongside her colleagues during the event.

A new glass display case holds the century-old items. It was paid for through a 2025 grant of $6,554 in Suffolk County historic preservation funding. 

The museum had been was unable to showcase many of the artifacts because there wasn't a large enough display case for them, said Caitlyn Shea, executive director of the association.

“[This] has made a huge difference here at the birthplace," Shea said. "We could never have shown these items previously, they have been in our collection, some of them since the 1950s, and it’s just exciting for us to make sure everyone can look at these items and connect with them, connect with Walt."

In tandem with the display, the museum now has a hands-on table with historical objects like an authentic water yoke and children’s toys. Shea says the additions are to help drive up visitor engagement.

Shea credited Suffolk Legis. Rebecca Sanin (D-Huntington Station) with helping to secure the 2025 funds. She said the museum received an identical grant this year and will use the proceeds to purchase more items for display.

The exhibit’s curator, Margaret Guardi, said the museum intends to rotate other historic items into the display case over time.

Sanin’s legislative aide, Jennifer Duclay, said the grant was generated from sales tax on motels and hotels.

"This is a place where people can slow down and reflect ... where our young people and families can feel connected again with the written word and the preservation of our democracy," Sanin said during the event. 

A few feet from the museum stands the home where, in 1819, Whitman was born.

In 1949, the WWBA was established to preserve the property, and in 1957, the association successfully petitioned the birthplace as a New York State historic site.

Shea, who started in 2019 as a gift shop attendant, says it's been frustrating trying to get more people in the door. She says the lack of direct entrance from Route 110 has left the property as more of a "hidden gem."

The director plans to expand community outreach through more events and additional fundraising.

Of Whitman, Shea said, "The way he describes sitting in a field of grass and being inspired by the insects he encounters, or thinking about the stars, those kinds of things for me are very inspiring."

She added, "And I know they're inspiring for other people once they take the time to get to know who he was as a person; so I really want more and more people to know we're here."