Southampton Arts Center’s Museum of Democracy Exhibition Receives Grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation

Southampton Arts Center (SAC) is pleased to announce that The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation recently awarded a $50,000 grant to SAC to support the upcoming Museum of Democracy Exhibition, THE STORY OF AMERICA: 1776-2026, A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE.

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation aims to educate and inform the public in New York State, particularly in the Town of Islip and Suffolk County, about the culture, art, and traditions of the locality. It seeks to cultivate, foster, and promote interest in and appreciation of the area’s societal heritage, especially during the nineteenth century.

The foundation also encourages and supports the creation and maintenance of collections and repositories by historical societies for the preservation and study of relevant documents and artifacts, while sponsoring efforts to preserve, restore, and exhibit at least one suitable facility dedicated to these purposes.

“The Museum of Democracy’s collection of American campaign artifacts is unapparelled. This exhibition is not only a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, but also a lesson in the power of the individual’s vote, beginning with our very first Presidential election. This collaboration with the Southampton Arts Center offers a window into the historic telling of each individual’s stake in governance.” said Kathryn M. Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

The funds will directly support the mounting of the MOD exhibition, helping to ensure its successful presentation and overall impact.

“We are thrilled to receive a donation for this important historical show,” said Christina Mossaides Strassfield, Executive Director of the Southampton Arts Center. “The generous support of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation allows us to bring meaningful stories to the community and engage them in a deeper appreciation of history.”

The Museum of Democracy (MOD) exhibition will bring to life more than two hundred and fifty years of American presidential campaign history from our nation’s founding to the present day through unique objects from the Museum of Democracy’s Wright Family Collection, including the original flag flown at George Washington’s inauguration at Federal Hall in New York, torches used during political torchlight parades in the 1850s and paper dresses worn during campaign rallies in the 1960s, among others. The Story of America: 1776-2026 will be on view from May 23, through July 18, 2026.

Established in 1987, the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation primarily supports the study of New York State history. Robert David Lion Gardiner was, until his death in August 2004, the 16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner’s Island, NY. The Gardiner family and their descendants have owned Gardiner’s Island since 1639, obtained as part of a royal grant from King Charles I of England. The Foundation is inspired by Robert David Lion Gardiner’s personal passion for New York history.

Southampton Art Center’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor of the New York State Legislature.