The Museum Shop at Historic Huguenot Street

10/10/2026

Colors are starting to change here in New Paltz! Come visit us for a tour Wednesday-Sunday through the end of October 🍂🍁

09/16/2026

Huguenot Street is a National Historic Landmark District helping visitors understand the historical forces that have shaped America

09/16/2026

Due to the threat of inclement weather, this event has been postponed until Spring 2027.

09/16/2026

How do you prove who you are when it isn't safe to say it out loud?

In 17th-century France, Protestants faced that question every day. Some historians believe they answered it with méreaux — small metal tokens used by Reformed churches to identify who could receive communion. A coin you carried quietly. A way of saying I'm one of you without a word.

Centuries later, a similar tradition took hold in the military. Challenge coins — small medallions bearing a unit's insignia — became tokens of belonging. Not currency but identity. Legend often traces their modern use back to a World War I squadron commander who gave bronze medallions to his pilots.

In more recent times, presidents and other leaders have slipped them into constituent hands in a handshake. Or members of honorary organizations pull them from their pocket to start a story.

Whether there's a direct line from a French communion token to a modern challenge coin is an open question. But the idea is the same: something small enough to carry in your pocket that says who you are and what you're part of.

That idea is exactly why the DuBois Family Association created our own challenge coin for our 60th anniversary. The DBFA family crest is on the front. The DuBois Fort — our family's original stone house on Huguenot Street in New Paltz — is on the back. It fits in your hand. It says: this family built something that lasted, and you're part of it.

We also created a Huguenot Cross pin. The Cross has been embraced by Huguenot descendants around the world as a symbol of shared faith and heritage. The traditional interpretation is rich with meaning: four petals forming a Maltese Cross for the Four Gospels, eight points for the Eight Beatitudes, four fleur-de-lis whose twelve petals represent the Twelve Apostles, and a dove pendant representing the Holy Spirit. Whether every detail of that symbolism was intended by the original designer in the 1680s or layered on by generations who needed the symbol to carry their story, we'll never know. But - either way - it is a beautiful symbol.

Every registered attendee at Saturday's celebration gets one of each in their goodie bag. They're also available at the The Museum Shop at Historic Huguenot Street inside the DuBois Fort and through the HHS online store. After the celebration, DBFA members will be able to order them through the members section of our website.

Do you own a Huguenot Cross? A family crest? A challenge coin from another organization? What do you carry that says "this is who I am"?

09/02/2026

Available in store and online!

08/17/2026

There’s no time like the present to come for a visit!

Whether you’ve been here a hundred times or not even once, we want to welcome our New Paltz neighbors to Huguenot Street next week for a FREE tour! From August 26-30, New Paltz residents can register for a free guided house tour and experience what HHS has to offer.

Registration for guided tours is available at www.huguenotstreet.org/visit; pre-registration is highly encouraged. Proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or piece of mail with the registrant’s name and address on it, must be provided at check-in.

During a tour of Historic Huguenot Street, visitors will explore the multicultural history of a unique Hudson Valley settlement and consider the historical forces that have shaped America. Period rooms and exhibits tell the stories of a French-speaking Protestant settlement as it evolved over time and also reveal the history of the area’s Indigenous and enslaved African peoples and Dutch settlers.

We can't wait to welcome you to the street soon!

08/05/2026

We ❤️ our Staff!

With a new season comes a fantastic cohort of new staff!

This , we are so excited for you to meet Sarah Boyle. Sarah has joined our The Museum Shop at Historic Huguenot Street museumshop staff, and is often the first face to welcome guests to HHS!

You might see her helping to open and care for the historic houses along the street, and working with our tour guides as visitors explore the site. Here’s a word from Sarah herself: "Hi! My name is Sarah and I just graduated from SUNY Purchase with a B.A. in Art History. I grew up in New Paltz visiting HHS often and I’m excited to be working in the museum shop this season!”

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July from the Museum Shop at Huguenot Street! Check out our newest collection: American Revolution 250. Shop in store or online and find a variety of books, arts and crafts and collectibles!

06/11/2026

Postcard Packs featuring the iconic Houses of Huguenot Street now available in the Museum Shop! Illustrated by local Artist Matt Kelly.

06/09/2026

The Quiet before a busy weekend. Join us this Saturday and Sunday for our New Netherland Marketplace: Living History Event