Finger Lakes Museums

What do you get when you combine molten hot glass, the "wild west," and the fastest man on earth? Only some of the coolest museums around!

You might wonder, what's the big deal about glass?  But once you see it for yourself you'll get it. Whether it's watching gaffers shape glowing hot globs of glass into something remarkable or it's traveling back 35 centuries through the glass artifacts of different cultures or it's becoming an artist yourself and making your own one-of-kind work of art, the Corning Museum of Glass is the best place on earth to celebrate the wonders of glass.Throughout the year, the museum also offers several free themed events called 2300˚ celebrations which include live glassblowing demonstrations, live music, great regional food, and lots of toe-tapping fun.

Sometimes visiting an historical museum can get a little old. But places like the Benjamin Patterson Inn Museum bring history to life. In addition to a collection of historic buildings, including the oldest in Steuben County, the museum has a few special events each year, like Whingblinger, that allow you to not just see what it was like to live a hundred years ago, but to actually do some of the things that were done back then, like hearth cooking and blacksmithing and weaving. 

Take the free shuttle and you'll find something rather unexpected here in the east – a museum devoted to the west. Everything about the Rockwell Museum of Western Art is cool, from Artemus the Buffalo crashing out the side of the building to the old jail cell inside, from the Remington and Russell Lodge where you can sit back and relax among the artwork to the enormous paintings and contemporary sculptures on the third floor. There are backpacks full of interactive fun for kids and even a room where they can dress up and play. And adults get to let their hair down at a number of exciting Finger Lakes events throughout the year, like "Music, Margaritas & Sunsets" where you can experience wonderful art, then slip outside and enjoy live music, adult beverages, and sunsets on the third floor terrace.

Sometimes you scratch your head and wonder, "Why didn't I know about this before?" The Glenn H Curtiss Museum is the sort of place people visit without always knowing what to expect and leave excited about their discovery. In addition to learning about the "fastest man on earth" who also happened to be a brilliant inventor and a daredevil of sorts, you'll find vintage motorcycles, cars and planes. There's even a wreathe made entirelyof human hair, as well as popular annual exhibits and awesome museum-sponsored events like the annual Seaplane Homecoming on Keuka Lake.

In addition to planes and automobiles, trains also played a part in our history. Even though the railroad might not play the role it once did, you can still find places where it's revered. The Erie Depot Museum in Hornell contains over 700 artifacts that focus on the Erie Railroad's history and on the people who made it what it was.

There are many other museums to see while visiting the Corning Finger Lakes region - you'll want to see them all!