This month's Museum Spotlight lands on a Flushing landmark with a story that deserves to be much better known: the Lewis Latimer House. It's the former home of Lewis Howard Latimer, an African American inventor whose work helped light up the modern world, and today it's a small but mighty museum packed with STEAM programs, community events, and free admission.
The Man Behind the House
Lewis Howard Latimer was born in 1848 to parents who had escaped slavery, and he went on to become one of the most important, and most overlooked, inventors of his era. He worked alongside giants like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, and he's credited with inventing the carbon filament that made light bulbs longer-lasting and affordable enough for everyday homes, a genuine leap forward for electric lighting. Beyond his technical work, Latimer was also a self-taught poet and painter, and he was deeply active in New York's civic and cultural life.
Latimer lived in this Flushing house from 1903 until his death in 1928. Originally built between 1887 and 1889 in the Queen Anne style, the home was threatened with demolition decades later and was relocated to its current spot on 137th Street in 1988 to save it. Today it's a New York City landmark, owned by NYC Parks and operated by the Lewis H. Latimer Fund as part of the Historic House Trust.
What to See
The museum's permanent exhibition, “Light Up The World: The Legacy of Lewis H. Latimer,” walks visitors through his life and inventions. Self-guided visits are free, or you can book a 45-minute guided tour led by a museum educator. Bilingual Mandarin tours are also offered once a month.
- Self-guided visits: free for everyone
- Guided tour: $15 adults, $8 seniors/students/veterans/visitors with disabilities, free for children under 12 and caregivers
- Mandarin-language guided tours offered monthly, paired with STEAM Saturday programming
Upcoming Events This Fall
This is where the Latimer House really shines, its calendar is packed with hands-on, family-friendly programming. Here's what's on the schedule:
Lewis Latimer's 178th Birthday Celebration
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Join the museum in celebrating what would have been Lewis Latimer's 178th birthday, a festive way to honor the man and his legacy.
QPL Corona: Zoetropes
Friday, September 25, 2026
Head to the Queens Public Library in Corona to create your own moving zoetrope with Latimer House educators, a fun, hands-on optical illusion craft for kids.
S.T.E.A.M Saturday: Zines of Queens — Celebrating Our Local Trees
Saturday, October 3, 2026
In honor of City of Forest Day, join guest artist Jesse Lambert for a zine-making activity celebrating Queens' local trees.
Open House New York Weekend
Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18, 2026
The Latimer House joins this citywide weekend of free access to architecturally and historically significant sites across New York.
The museum also periodically joins the Annual Holly Tour, a self-guided walk through five historic Flushing sites: the Lewis Latimer House, Voelker Orth Museum, the John Bowne House, Kingsland Homestead, and the Quaker Meeting House, a wonderful full-day option for history-loving families.
Plan Your Visit
Address: 34-41 137th Street, Flushing, NY 11354
Phone: (718) 961-8585
Hours: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 11 AM – 5 PM
Admission: Free for self-guided visits; guided tours ticketed as listed above
Group Visits: K-12 school groups by appointment, Tuesday through Friday; max 20 visitors per group tour
Accessibility: Fully ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible; service animals welcome; on-site educator available to assist
By car, take Exit 14 from Northern Blvd/Whitestone Expressway and turn right onto 137th Street; limited parking is available on-site. By subway, take the 7 train to Flushing-Main St, then walk about 15 minutes or hop the Q25 or Q34 bus.
Whether you're stopping in for the birthday celebration this month or planning ahead for Open House New York Weekend, the Lewis Latimer House is a genuinely inspiring, easy-to-reach stop for Northeast Queens families, especially for kids who love hands-on STEAM activities and a good untold history.
Macaroni Kid Bayside – Northeast Queens · September 2026
