I'm not much of a boat expert but there is a lot to learn at this museum and it is also a good…read moreoverview of NY State and local history as well. Admission: $3.00 is only (Applies to 4 group members).

A fun afternoon on a cold day. Self guided tour was nice. A lot of really cool hands on exhibits…read more The old winery casks in the lower level we're a real eye catcher. Learned a lot from the introduction video. Will definitely come again.

We had a wonderful and informational tour of this 1796 Inn and other buildings. Thanks Pat.read more

I liked this place. They have some excellent buildings, some of which were brought in from other…read moreareas. There is an old schoolhouse, an old 1796 inn, a log house and other buildings. They also have a garden in which foods of the era were grown, including a hops plant. I had never seen one. The people who give tours are very nice, knowledgeable, and helpful. I bought an old book of beautiful photographs at an excellent price.

Great museum housed in an historic 2 story Montour Falls building. You'll find all kinds of…read moreinteresting Schuyler County and Finger Lakes history here!

Tompkins Center for History and Culture is located in Bank Alley just off the Ithaca Commons…read more Previously the Tompkins Trust building, the architectural character of the Palladian windows, Ionic and Corinthian pilasters, and elaborate brackets under the roof are a perfect home for the diverse history of Tompkins County. The atrium exhibit tower, honoring the Indigenous People exhibit, welcomes all who enter the space. As one walks into the center itself, five towers house exhibits related to PLACE: People, Land, Architecture, Culture and Enterprise. Utilizing the bank's footprint, one can enter the Howe/Nobles Story Vault. Inside, one may choose to record one's own story or watch recorded stories of others who call(ed) Tompkins County home. Tucked just above the main floor is the Cornell Local History Research Library where one may research family histories or just dive into the past through print materials. The old safe (Passage Through Time) houses a walking timeline of local history. A first time visitor will find herself quietly tumbling through the early days of Ithaca, with rich details and artifacts carefully knitting together a rich tapestry that are the towns of Tompkins County. As she exits this air-conditioned gem, she will remark to the staff that the next visit will need to be longer. And she'll bring her family. And then, she'll bring by her friends.

I attended an excellent local prohibition guided walking tour offered by the History Center in July…read more2022. The tour was fun. Our tour guide Ben was dynamic and knowledgeable; he tailored the tour to the participants' interests and stayed longer to answer questions. Learned a lot!

I try to make it back for the festival every year. Great music, food, crowds over 3 1/2 days. I…read morelike the events on the commons most, but the parade (Thurs night) and the party at Stewart park (Sunday) are pretty sweet too.

The best of Ithaca! Usually held during the first weekend of June, the Ithaca Festival celebrates…read morethe vital role of the arts in the community. Local food, arts and crafts fair featuring over 80 crafters and artists (jewelry, pottery, paintings, furniture, photography, wooden creations, handmade toys), healing arts fair (massage, reiki, acupuncture, herbal medicine), Gorges Green Expo (learn about environmental awareness, energy conservation, and other green initiatives. Also features a Taste of Tompkins, where you can taste locally grown vegetables, local cheeses, locally made desserts, and wine), family fun (face-painting, storytelling, performances, etc), an Ithaca Festival Parade, and a Paint Off (local artists are asked to produce a piece of art on site in just one hour and the best piece is auctioned off). There's a lot of other stuff going on, too, that I'm probably missing. It's a great place to take your family, date, friends, anyone!

A small, but well maintained museum showcasing the history of motor-less flights. There is a cool…read morecollection of gliders within the museum, and you can also ride actual gliders here. It's a great attraction to visit if you're in the area.

For Christmas, my mom gifted me with a certificate to go gliding. We chose a Saturday in August to…read moredo this and included in the gliding experience, was a pass to this museum, which is in the same parking lot as the gliding experience. This is a great supplement to the gliding experience, in that you can learn more about what you just did and the history of flying. I really enjoyed this a lot. I liked seeing the cloth from the Wright Brother's plane, which a piece is located in this museum and another one. There is so much great information. There is also a photo op to take photos and some interactive displays. I really enjoyed the miniature room, which displayed furnished doll houses. I learned so much from this museum and had no idea that Elmira was such an epicenter for gliding and that the factory that made gliders was in Horseheads, NY. I also had no idea that Astronaut Eileen Collins was from Elmira. It was cool seeing her outfits and learning various information about her. It is truly amazing at the people before us who made gliding possible and the experiments that they did to succeed. They were extremely brave, creative and geniuses. The gift shop is great as well. There is also a video to watch before touring the museum, but we skipped that since we actually glided before.

This site is in Elmira, so I made this part of a trip to see Mark Twain's grave, his study at…read moreElmira college, Rockwell Museum and the Corning Glass Museum, both in Corning, about 15 minutes away. I was surprised at how beautiful this museum was. The initial room was a bright room lit by a skylight. This museum is one of the only/oldest spots of early classical art, where the collection is housed in the original home, in nearly the exact original configuration, without any pieces being sold off. Gorgeous and worth the 7 dollar entry fee alone. They also have modern art and local art. Some colorful and provocative. When I was there, they also had some local Elmira artists, and some other random artifacts. Beautiful and worthwhile.

This museum is a treasure. It's one of my favorite things to do in Elmira and a must see. On a…read morerecent visit, I viewed a Fiber Art/Quilt Show there that is simply outstanding, some of the most interesting and provocative fiber art I've ever seen. I love to sit in the main gallery to revisit my favorite paintings and sculptures in the permanent collection. Gorgeous building, very warm lots of natural light and very pretty grounds year round. Enjoy!

The Corning Museum and their gift shop is phenomenal. We absolutely love it and have to visit when…read morewe go to the Finger Lakes. They teach you the history of glass from the Egyptians through modern times. It's so interesting to see what materials were available so long ago and well preserved they are vs modern techniques. Every piece tells a story. It's such a beautiful museum with lovely staff. They also have a great gift shop with unique pieces for all price points. We always get beautiful Christmas ornaments. I also got gorgeous glass flowers and a bird that I enjoy daily. In part of the shop, there's a back room where you can buy kitchen items from Corning. We got a really nice set of flower dishes that we love. It's a must visit in Corning and very close to town.

Great place for the family to gain a new appreciation for glass…read more Corning Museum of Glass is a standout museum that highlights the history of glassmaking and the contributions that Corning has made to advancing its use. We arrived on a rainy day to still find visitor parking packed. Inside past the guest shop, admission is $25 per adult and free for all children. It's quite worth it with multiple glass demonstrations. You can also experience making your own glass pieces with an instructor at the Studio for flameworking, fusing or glassblowing techniques ($28-$54), and pickup is next day after annealing overnight. The museum is comprised of 3 levels showcasing 3,500 years of glass history. It has scavenger card games to highlight the major glass pieces such as the intricate glass Lynx. In the lobby is Chihuly's massive Fern Green Tower, and the 1st level features neat contemporary glass sculptures such as the Endeavor of glass gondolas and even a Meat Chandelier. The 2nd level has various pieces from early Egypt to Rome where glassblowing was invented, then beyond to the Islamic world to across Europe, Africa, East Asia and locally. We were especially intrigued by pieces commissioned for the Emperor and the World Fair glass boat. Outside, a few pieces were also on display from Blown Away. We also crossed the bridge to the Innovation Gallery. It highlights Corning's contributions via engaging displays. We gained appreciation for how optical fibres replaced massive amounts of copper bandwidth. The Pyrex Tower highlights the invention of high strength glass ceramics seen in dishes and missiles. There is even a massive 20-ton glass cast telescope showpiece. The short glassmaking, flameworking & glass breaking demonstrations in this area helped teach guests the versatility and strength of this material. The volunteer for the glass breaking received a glass turtle, and a guest's artwork was used for the flameworking demonstration. Skip it or hit it? Definitely hit it for a one-of-a-kind museum experience that's well worth the drive.