Location: Auburn
Top Things to do in Auburn
Top 6 Budget-friendly Things to do in Auburn, New York (NY)
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States, located at the north end of Owasco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, in Central New York. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687. It is the county seat of Cayuga County, and the site of the maximum-security Auburn Correctional Facility, as well as the William H. Seward House Museum and the house of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
Restaurants in Auburn
1. Seward House Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 384 reviews
We invite you to visit the Seward House Museum, the historic home of William Henry Seward; New York State Senator, two time New York State Governor, US Senator, and Secretary of State during the Lincoln and Johnson administrations. Our knowledgeable staff is on-hand to provide guided tours, helping you navigate the many fascinating aspects of this beautifully preserved home. Enjoy masterpieces of American art and special exhibitions in both the historic house and the museum’s gardens.
Reviewed By Huckle54 - Chapel Hill, United States
The Seward House will satisfy both the history and non history fan in your group. The tour guides are extremely well versed and take you through the Seward family history in this 1 hour plus tour. The home is intact exactly as it was in when the Sewards lived there. I agree with other reviewers that multiple visits to this museum-home will always provide new and interesting insights into Seward and his relationship with Lincoln as well as other politicians of the time, his wife's efforts in the underground railroad and the family's relationship to Harriet Tubman. Highly recommend.
2. Harriet Tubman Home
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 261 reviews
Reviewed By cathyo940 - Keene, United States
This starts in a building further back on the property. It has displays telling about Harriet Tubman’s life from being enslaved, her escape to the north, her return for her family, her work with the Underground Railroad, her work as a spy and nurse during the Civil War, her work as an abolitionist, and the founding of a home for the elderly and infirm of ALL races in Auburn, NY. Then Paul gave a 45 minute presentation of Harriet’s life. He was phenomenal, very dramatic, informative and fun! After that we were able to visit the Harriet Tubman Home which she established after her elderly, infirm mother was denied admittance to the local home because she was black. Her brick house toward the front of the property is not open yet but will be once they have the money to restore it. This little 4’11” woman accomplished so much and her indomitable spirit serves as a high bar for all of us.
3. Willard Chapel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 123 reviews
Reviewed By amydolan107 - Auburn, United States
Beautiful chapel filled with rich history. Wonderful, knowledgeable docents. I highly recommend visiting!!
4. Schweinfurth Art Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
The Schweinfurth Art Center is a multi-arts facility located in Auburn, New York, in the heart of the Finger Lakes. We offer more than a dozen contemporary art exhibitions each year; art classes for children and adults; quilting and fiber arts workshops; Quilting by the Lake annual conference; multi-day fine arts workshops led by nationally known artists; music, poetry, and folk arts programs; and a gift shop that offers unique items. Stop by to visit today! Masks and social distancing required. See our website for safety information.
Reviewed By kinnakeeto
This small jewel-box of a gallery on a street lined with mansions hosts superb shows, with perhaps the most notable being the annual Quilts=Art=Quilts show. This event showcases work by outstanding quilters from all over the world and the quality of the pieces is astonishing. The 2018 show really wakes up the cones in your eyes while offering plenty of food for thought as well. Upstairs, the member’s gallery awaits, with a surprising, impressive range of talent on display. The spaces are of reasonable size such that a visit here is refreshing, not exhausting. It is a very well-run facility with a charming gift shop as well. A visit here also pairs nicely with a stop at Case Labs and the Cayuga Historical Association next door, the former being where sound film originated. Check online for current exhibits.
5. The Cayuga Museum of History and Art and Case Research Lab Historic Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 36 reviews
The Cayuga Museum campus operates in three buildings: the mansion, the Case Research Laboratory, and the Carriage House Theater. The mansion is home to several changing exhibits each year as well as a permanent exhibit about Auburn Correctional Facility. The Case Research Laboratory is the home of talking movies, where Theodore Case invented the first commercially successful system of sound on film, which visitors can now explore on a guided tour to learn about the history of sound film. The Carriage House Theater is a recently renovated multi-purpose space used for museum and community events. Our mission is to provide a forum for the public to realize, interact with and appreciate Cayuga County’s shared past and unfolding present to help shape a better future.
Reviewed By J3128JWchrism - Auburn, United States
The place that sound on film was invented. The workshop/lab is still there and is full of interesting camera and science gear. Inside the museum there is a Tiffany window, interesting medical devices and rotating art. worth the trip.
6. Fort Hill Cemetery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 65 reviews
Reviewed By pamelab147 - Grand Island, United States
We went in just to see Seward and Tubman’s graves. We took a picture of the map at the entrance and that made it easy to find the plots. Well maintained and worth the trip in. Such a historical place.
