Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine announced plans to form a committee dedicated to establishing the county’s first Italian American museum.
Romaine said the names of the committee members will be announced on Oct. 19 during A Taste of Italy, a celebratory event for Italian American Heritage and Culture Month.
While no cost estimates on how much the county may spend creating the museum are currently available, Romaine said it will be privately funded.
“It's great to see what Italian Americans not only did to build this country out when they came here as immigrants, but to really put a stamp on the American way of life,” said Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, Anthony Piccarillo. “Everywhere we go today, Italian American culture is embedded in everything we do, whether it's food, culture, movies, you name it, and the Italian Americans have put their imprint on it.”
A Taste of Italy will be co-hosted by the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, at the H. Lee Dennison Building on Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“This is when we feed you. This is a taste of Italy,” said Romaine. “Think about all the foods that we eat that are Italian, and how the Italian language has slipped into what we speak.”
According to Romaine, the county will form the museum with the guidance of Joseph Scelsa, founder and president of the Italian American Museum in Manhattan's Little Italy.
At more than 316,000, Suffolk County’s Italian population is the largest of any county in New York, according to the American Community Survey's 2024 estimates.
Romaine said he hopes to announce a location, opening date and initial exhibits some time next year.
“Once established, this museum will play an important role in celebrating the rich heritage of Italian Americans, preserving our vibrant culture, and passing our precious traditions along to future generations,” he said.
