Store Front Museum 🇺🇸

Established in February 1971 by artist Tom Lloyd, the Store Front Museum served as a vital community museum and cultural center for the African-American community in Queens, New York. Originally housed in a former retail tire dealer building on Liberty Avenue, the museum was named to signify community connection. When you explore its rich history, you learn how it promoted African-American culture through diverse programming, including art exhibits, concert plays, karate classes, dance instruction, and drumming workshops taught by pioneering free drummer Milford Graves.

Playwright Ed Bullins and actor Roscoe Orman also led classes here. You can discover its notable exhibitions, such as the 1972 Richard Mayhew showcase organized with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the acclaimed 1985 visual documentary detailing African-American life in Queens from 1683 to 1941. The museum featured a 300-seat Paul Robeson Theatre and hosted a popular two-day African Festival.

Its permanent collection once held artwork by Romare Bearden, the Daisy Jones Collection of Black Literature, and a Ghanaian fishing canoe later transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. Although evicted in 1985 and permanently closed in 1988, its legacy highlights local civic empowerment and cultural history.

What to see at Store Front Museum

• 1972 exhibition featuring the artwork of Richard Mayhew in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Paul Robeson Theatre, a 300-seat performing arts space opened in 1972
• Annual two-day African Festival featuring live performances and displays of arts and crafts
• 1985 visual documentary detailing African-American life in Queens from 1683 to 1941
• Permanent collection holdings including Romare Bearden artwork and the Daisy Jones Collection of Black Literature

Visiting tips

Research local archives at the Queens Library to explore preserved papers and historical documents donated from the museum's records.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Flexible

How to get there & what’s nearby

Store Front Museum is easy to reach on Queens’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Forest Park and Loew's Valencia Theatre. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Queens travel guide.