Episode 181 with Darren St. George, Executive Director of the Southold Historical Museum

Today I’m joined by Darren St. George, Executive Director of the Southold Historical Museum. Darren grew up in a family deeply involved in theater, education, and history, an environment where storytelling was part of everyday life. That early exposure to performance and the power of narrative has carried through a remarkable career that bridges art and scholarship.With studies in psychology and communications at Fordham and the London School of Economics, Darren has developed a distinctive approach to history, one that values empathy, context, and connection. His original works, such as Running Scared, Running Free and The Spy Next Door, and his acclaimed involvement with the Jupiter Hammon Project, reveal a passion for bringing complex and often challenging histories to life in ways that engage both heart and mind.Now leading one of the East End’s oldest cultural institutions, Darren is guiding the Southold Historical Museum into a new chapter, one rooted in collaboration, community engagement, and storytelling that connects the past to the present.We spoke about his upbringing in a family of educators and performers, the intersection of history and psychology, the importance of “living history,” and his vision for the museum as a vital part of the North Fork’s cultural landscape.