Things to do in New York, United States: The Best History Museums

October 10, 2021 Concepcion Newsome

New York State has it all – booming metropolises, majestic waterfalls, mountains, wine country, chicken wings. Yes, NYC is a magnet for tourists, but an exploration of the rest of the state can be equally thrilling. The Finger Lakes Wine Region is a vision of serene waters, quaint B&Bs, and pretty vineyards. Movie buffs will love Rochester, home of the George Eastman House and one of the world’s most comprehensive film archives. On your way to Niagara Falls, stop in Buffalo to fuel up on spicy wings.
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1. Glenn H. Curtiss Museum

8419 State Route 54, Hammondsport, NY 14840-9795 +1 607-569-2160 [email protected] http://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org
Excellent
81%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 601 reviews

Glenn H. Curtiss Museum

The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, bearing the name of Hammondsport's favorite son, is located on Route 54, one half mile south of the village of Hammondsport, New York. Dedicated to the memory of pioneer aviator, Glenn Curtiss, the museum contains a priceless collection relating to early aviation and local history. The museum also features a 75-seat theater, large open area for special events and a gift shop. In addition to motorcycles and aircraft, visitors will also see antique tools, toys, boats, home-furnishings, fire equipment and much more. Visitors are also welcome to visit the Museum Restoration Shop, talk with volunteer craftsman and watch them work on historic aircraft.

Reviewed By KMJackson60

We popped over to this museum on a rainy day. I knew very little about Glenn Curtiss and early airplane history. We loved it! Glenn Curtiss was a very creative, very interesting person who did a lot of inventing. It was fun watching his life and inventions play out, and the early air pioneers start the industry.

2. The Salvation Army Heritage Museum

440 W Nyack Rd, West Nyack, NY 10994-1753 +1 845-620-7660 https://www.facebook.com/TSAHeritageMuseumUSAEast/
Excellent
100%
Good
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Satisfactory
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Poor
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Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2 reviews

The Salvation Army Heritage Museum

3. Oysterponds Historical Society

1555 Village Ln, Orient, NY 11957-1258 +1 631-323-2480 [email protected] http://oysterpondshistoricalsociety.org/
Excellent
86%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 14 reviews

Oysterponds Historical Society

Oysterponds Historical Society (OHS) brings people together to share and celebrate the unique history and culture of the Long Island hamlets of Orient and East Marion. By presenting shared experiences from the past, we connect East Marion and Orient to the present and pass it on to future generations.

4. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

4097 Albany Post Rd, Hyde Park, NY 12538-1917 +1 845-486-7770 [email protected] http://fdrlibrary.org
Excellent
82%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,511 reviews

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

Historic site features the home and estate of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Springwood, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, the only Presidential Library used by a sitting president. It was conceived and built under President Roosevelt's direction and opened to the public in 1941.The Library's mission is to foster research and education on the life and times of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, and their continuing impact on contemporary life. Our work is carried out by four major areas: Archives, Museum, Education and Public Programs.

Reviewed By R4960NKjustinw - Hasbrouck Heights, United States

I have been on the tour of Springwood many times but not at the holidays. The tour was really interesting of birthplace of FDR and the home of his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt. The house was supposed to be decorated for the holidays but only a Christmas tree in the library and the dining room set for dinner were the only holiday decorations in the house. The mansion will be going through a full renovation in April and then will be closed for a year so tour it now! The park ranger gave us an informative tour of the family, when the house was built and the additions added on, how the family grew here and the role the house played in the history of the United States especially in World War II. FDR continued to visit here after he became President and used it as his summer White House. Still it was his mother's home and Sara's influences are all over the house. Unlike other mansions, you could tell this was someone's home that was used at all times of the year. You can really see the family influences all over the house as if someone was still living here. It is a great tour and take time to visit the museum and walk through all the exhibits. It really does take two or three days to tour the house.

5. The Strong National Museum of Play

1 Manhattan Square Dr, Rochester, NY 14607-3941 +1 585-263-2700 [email protected] http://www.museumofplay.org/
Excellent
84%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2,156 reviews

The Strong National Museum of Play

The Strong is a highly interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. It is one of the largest history museums in the United States and one of the leading museums serving families. The Strong houses the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play and is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play. Together, these enable a multifaceted array of research, exhibition, and other interpretive and educational activities that serve a diverse audience of adults, families, children, students, teachers, scholars, collectors, and others around the globe.

Reviewed By V7823XUmichaelb

This museum is fun for all ages and for hours! They have a mini Wegmans, toys HOF, a butterfly exhibit and so much more! Fabulous.

6. USS Slater DE-766

Broadway and Quay Street, Albany, NY 12202-1002 +1 518-431-1943 [email protected] http://www.ussslater.org/
Excellent
82%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 432 reviews

USS Slater DE-766

During World War II 563 Destroyer Escorts battled Nazi U-Boats on the North Atlantic protecting convoys of men and supplies. In the Pacific, they stood first in line to defend naval task forces from Kamikaze attacks. Today only one remains afloat in America. Step back in time. Return to 1945 aboard USS SLATER. See how Sailors worked, hear the sounds of a living ship, touch a piece of American history, and walk the decks where hundreds of Sailors have walked before.

Reviewed By Q5053BDscotta

Having visited most of the WWII museum ships on the east coast (and some on the west), I can say that the USS Slater beat them all in terms of a restoration that made you feel as though you were on the ship when it was in service. My nine-year-old son, who only had a passing interest in WWII, loved the tour, which included tour guide (Austin) demonstrations as to how to get into a top bunk, direct an anti-aircraft gun, and use a signal light. My son particularly liked seeing and holding munitions that were near some of the armament on board because it gave him a greater appreciation for the effort that gun crews needed to expend when defending the ship. The guide answered my son’s many questions that ranged from medical care, living conditions, and general quarters patiently and clearly. My son has already made me promise to take him to see the U.S.S. Massachusetts at Falls River the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York.

7. Phelps Mansion Museum

191 Court St, Binghamton, NY 13901-3503 +1 607-722-4873 [email protected] http://phelpsmansion.org
Excellent
82%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 176 reviews

Phelps Mansion Museum

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR AN UPDATE ABOUT TOUR TIMES AND AVAILABILITY: The Phelps Mansion is a Historic House museum. We are open for tours Fri-Sun(Last tour at 3:30pm) Reservations are strongly encouraged. Admission is $7 students and senior 62 and over $5, kids 12 and under free. Come see the "jewel on Court st". Visitors to the Phelps Mansion should enter through the ballroom entrance located down the driveway side of the mansion. (Look for the open flag)

Reviewed By 129lorie

My favorite part of the tour was admiring the amazingly beautiful woodwork. It was also interesting to learn of how Mr. Phelps made his money. We were also informed about how the gas lighting was converted to electric. There were several photos of nearby historic places which our guide was quite knowledgeable of. There was even a gift shop with many interesting books. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Phelps Mansion and reccommend it to others.

8. George Eastman Museum

900 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14607-2298 +1 585-327-4800 [email protected] http://www.eastman.org
Excellent
70%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,037 reviews

George Eastman Museum

The George Eastman Museum is located in Rochester, New York, on the estate of George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography and motion picture film. Founded in 1947 as an independent nonprofit institution, it is the world's oldest photography museum and one of the oldest film archives. The museum holds unparalleled collections-encompassing several million objects-in the fields of photography, cinema, and photographic and cinematographic technology, and photographically illustrated books. The institution is also a longtime leader in film preservation and photographic conservation.

Reviewed By lesliek79 - Montreal, Canada

My primary interest was the history of photography, and the Kodak company’s inventions and innovations that popularized photography. The “History of Photography” exhibit was much smaller than I expected, featuring only a few historically important images and many cameras. A smaller exhibit (upstairs in the house) featured Kodak inventions and progress that included details about the early box cameras and the use of photosensitive emulsions on rolls (substituting individual plates). It was this exhibit that demonstrated Mr. Eastman’s genius. The temporary Warner Brothers Cartoons exhibit was informative and delightful; a throwback to my early television viewing experience. The congenial tour guide was a font of knowledge about George Eastman’s personal history and life, entry into photography, entrepreneurial skills, financial success and philanthropy. The tour of his mansion highlighted it’s history and attested to Eastman’s affluence, interests and tastes. He was a wealthy man whose interests reflected the mores of his time. His legacy reverberates in Rochester’s cultural and social life, generally, and through his inventions and philanthropy internationally.

9. Lily Dale Museum

16-18 Library Street, Lily Dale, NY 14752-9706 +1 716-595-8721 http://www.lilydaleassembly.com/inside-lily-dale/lily-dale-museum/
Excellent
64%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
21%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 14 reviews

Lily Dale Museum

10. Ellis Island

New York Harbor, New York City, NY 10017 +1 212-363-3206 [email protected] http://www.statuecruises.com
Excellent
58%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 7,211 reviews

Ellis Island

Visitors can retrace the steps of their ancestors at this famous landing point that welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States.

Reviewed By cinnamoncc - Hollidaysburg, United States

I visited Ellis Island because the boat travels there after visiting the Statue of Liberty but it turns out Ellis Island is somewhere you could spend an entire afternoon. We visited the cafe for hot chocolate and met a mock “immigrations officer” that told us stories of the islands history and the islands immigration process. We then visited the immigration museum but did not have time to visit all the exhibits. We will definitely be going back!

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