EXHIBITIONS

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Long Island’s Best has been a hallmark of the Museum’s educational programming for three decades, showcasing the outstanding work of over 2,000 high school students from across Long Island. What began as an annual exhibition of outstanding student work has become a lasting tradition⸺one that recognizes excellence while nurturing the next generation of creative thinkers.

Long Island’s Best continues to be the only juried exhibition for Long Island high school students that provides the opportunity to exhibit in a museum. The Heckscher encourages students to think outside the box as they work in a broad range of media, styles, and subjects. This year, 63 public and private schools submitted students’ artwork for jurying. 402 entries were received, and Consulting Curator Meredith A. Brown and guest juror Aaron Feltman selected 84 for display. View a complete list of exhibiting artists.

Students are challenged to select artwork on view in the Museum as the inspiration for their own work, making creative connections with the generations who have come before them. Students have also written artist statements explaining their creative process. Visit the Museum’s digital guide on Bloomberg Connects to explore all artwork in the exhibit, read students’ statements, access exclusive audio and video content, and more.

This anniversary exhibition celebrates its remarkable legacy by looking both forward and back. Visitors are invited to view archival memories and watch video footage featuring reflections from past exhibiting students, teachers, guest jurors, and more. The exhibition also highlights numerous alumni who share where their journeys have led—from careers in the arts to paths shaped by creativity in countless other fields. Together, these stories reflect the lasting impact of arts education and the power of early encouragement.

An exclusive Friends and Family Preview Day and Awards Ceremony for exhibiting artists will be held on Saturday, March 28.