Water Mill offers different ways to explore art and local history: the Parrish Art Museum displays artworks and presents a theater program, while the Water Mill Museum focuses on local history. The Watermill Center adds an outdoor area to these cultural destinations, with special visiting conditions. You can start by deciding which topics you want to focus on during your trip.

Art and Events at the Parrish Art Museum

The Parrish Art Museum displays artworks in ten skylit galleries. The use of light is a distinctive feature of the museum’s architecture and gives the gallery spaces their own character. The museum is set on a 14-acre property in the hamlet of Water Mill. The 200-seat Lichtenstein Theater presents live music, dance, films, lectures, and special events. When choosing what to see based on your interests, it is helpful to distinguish between the artworks in the galleries and the theater program: both are part of the Parrish, but appeal to different cultural interests.

Grain Mill and Local History

The Water Mill Museum has a restored, still-operational water-powered grain mill. Local historical artifacts include exhibits on ice harvesting, whaling, the Civil War, the post office, and agriculture. Timelines complement the exhibition on Water Mill’s history. You can focus on a particular topic or use the timelines as a chronological guide to local history. The mill brings a specific technical aspect of grain processing into the museum’s historical offerings. Unlike the artworks and events at the Parrish, the focus here is on local exhibits and an overview of the area’s history.

The Watermill Center Grounds

The Watermill Center’s grounds, which cover more than 10 acres, can be explored daily from morning until evening. The buildings, including the restrooms, are not accessible. Unlike the galleries and theater at the Parrish, the focus here is on exploring the outdoor grounds. Keep this limitation in mind when planning a visit to the Watermill Center.

Parking and Boat Rack Spaces

Flying Point Beach in Water Mill is one of the Town of Southampton locations where the Passport Mobile Pay Parking app is available. Parking availability must be confirmed on-site before purchase. At the end of Bay Lane, there are 18 boat spaces in a boat rack. Eligibility requirements apply for residents or taxpayers; check that you qualify before using the facility. These two notes relate to different planning steps: at Flying Point Beach, check parking availability before purchase; at the boat rack, check whether you are eligible to use it.

When looking for hotels in Water Mill, you can use the purpose of your trip as a starting point: artworks and theater programs, local history, or exploring the Watermill Center grounds appeal to different interests.

Discover more destinations: Medford, Wading River, Hampton Bays, Montauk, North Babylon, Greenlawn, Holtsville, Fire Island.

For the broader travel overview: Suffolk.