These folks are doing a GREAT job restoring the items they have, ie, the circus car was completely…read moreempty when they began their reconstruction. Here and there are personal touches of hand painted plates of tigers or clowns. For the JG Brill motorcar, this car was converted to a passenger car and so the trucks were interchanged and do not hold traction motors. The front end therefore no longer contains the instrument/controllers for the original unit but the two Hall Scott motors still remain. A personal touch here are the hand painted designs in the frame of the seats, and the stain glass windows in ceertain parts of the car. The depot contains many artifacts from the days of the NY Ontario & Western Rwy, including photos of activity in the area and also Syracuse. Don't miss the framed signature of Peter Cooper, yes the man responsible for the Tom Thumb. PS there is no admission fee required but donations are accepted.

The Children's Museum in Oswego is fantastic and filled my kids with hours of fun and…read moreentertainment. We arrived on a Monday morning, left for lunch, and returned for more play until the museum closed at 4PM. The museum is technically two stories, although the first floor mainly consists of the admissions desk, a small gift shop, and a water play station. Waterproof smocks or covers would have been nice since my son's shirt did get quite wet. There were boats, fishing rods, and cascading channels of water for various kinds of water play. This was a hit with both of my toddlers. The second floor had much more activities. From large and small foam blocks, Magnatiles, a scarf suction pipe/chute, books, light tables, brite light pegs, and a mini spiral climbing structure, to a dentist's office, pizza and salad restaurant, fire truck, tree house, farmers market, farm, toilet to teach plumbing, aluminum recycling, color wheel, and much more, there was a lot for kids of all ages to explore. There was also a small sectioned-off area for 0-2 infants and pre-walkers. The space hosts birthday parties as well as STEM classes. The staff were lovely. We were given a stamp in our hands before we took a break for lunch so that we could re-enter for free that same day. The only complaint I have is that there was less in the way of offering arts and crafts or even free-form drawing. We did not see any parking lot, but took advantage of free 2-hour street parking. This is definitely a great spot for families with young kids in Oswego.

My granddaughter and I have been here several times. It's a great place for littles to explore in…read morea safe place with lots of different interactive stations and areas. However! Twice now we've been when LARGE groups from schools have been there and it is absolutely chaos. I checked the website before traveling the hour to get there and nothing was mentioned. It was so loud when we entered I couldn't hear anything the girl at the register said. There were many chaperones but no one was actually managing the kids. The place is not that large and it was wild. My granddaughter is 3 1/2 and could barely maneuver around. She had toys taken out of her hand by the older, larger kiddos and you couldn't hear a thing it was so loud. I did talk to a worker from the museum and asked if there's a place to find a schedule and she kind of brushed me off. I gave 3 stars because if you go on a "normal" day it's great for younger kids.

This was our first experience here, and it was a positive one. First, check Groupon for discounts…read more We found a great deal that was a significant discount from standard entry cost. The theater shows are... okay. Our kids weren't that impressed. If included in your ticket price (ours were, via the Groupon) it's fun to see, but I wouldn't pay extra for them. There is a lot of hands-on / interactive activities, which was well-received. However there is still a lot of empty floor space, which seems it could benefit from more exhibits or interactive displays. Maybe one day. Overall, if passing through, or visiting Syracuse, it's a great place to pass at least half a day (with kids; without kids it's not that interesting).

Great experience at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology. We went on a Sunday…read moreand it was not crowded, which made it easy to walk around and enjoy the exhibits at our own pace. There are a lot of informative and interactive areas, including exhibits on memory, energy, plate tectonics, Earth science, the geodynamo, chip chemistry, and the Micron memory megafab. I especially liked that the museum had enough depth for adults to actually learn something, while still being very kid-friendly with hands-on displays and play areas for younger children. My only small gripe is that a few of the exhibits and interactive devices felt older or worn, and some were not fully functional during our visit. Given the age of the museum and how much hands-on use these exhibits probably get from younger visitors, it is understandable. Hopefully they continue repairing and refreshing them, because the museum itself is definitely worth supporting and revisiting. The building itself is also pretty cool, with a historic exterior and a spacious multi-level layout inside. Overall, this is a great educational stop for families, kids, and adults who enjoy science, technology, and learning something new. Highly recommended.

What an incredible museum!…read more If you know me, you know I have a deep love of historic architecture. Now I've seen my fair share of octagon houses - and often being volunteer-run historic sites or restrictive museums, it isn't too often I get the chance to get a complete top-to-bottom tour. However, we happened to be in the right place at the right time for the Wilcox Octagon House Museum! This place is only open on select Sundays throughout the year, all of which can be found on their website. This place is entirely volunteer-run, and the women we met who gave us a tour of the site were incredibly knowledgeable, not only about the site itself but about the intriguing things going on in the world throughout the house's lifetime. We started on the bottom floor and learned about the structure itself, and all of the changes it went through as it changed ownership from its original builders, the Wilcox's. It was very interesting to see how at one point the house had been turned into a duplex, had a remodeled 1940's kitchen, and the unique and oddly-shaped closets. My favorite fun-fact was that the house was so highly taxed when it was constructed because each room - including the tiny closets throughout the house - was taken into consideration when being taxed. As we moved throughout the house, we were able to see the super-cool wine cellar in the basement, original kitchen, plus the top floor and the gorgeous windowed overlook with an amazing view of the surrounding town of Camillus. The volunteers were very informative and friendly, and understanding of the fact that we were kind of in a rush, only because we had plans to catch a boat ride at another museum a short drive away. I am so grateful that they were incredibly accommodating of us! In short, this was an incredibly cool place to experience, and I absolutely recommend coming here if you happen to be looking for something to do on a lazy sunday. A historic home like this is truly a treasure and it always feels good to support small volunteer-run historical such as this.

This is such a unique and cool park! It's about a half an hour drive from Syracuse, in Cazenovia,…read morewhich is a super cute town with lots of nice small businesses to explore. This place is the ultimate solution if you kinda feel like going to a museum but also want to be outdoors and go to the park, and can't choose. The park itself is stunning. It's an outdoor art park that has sculptures spread out around the grounds. There are multiple trails, some gravel and some grass. Some truly stunning views, with the lake visible in the distance at some high points. You'll wander through fields and woods and hills and happen upon other-wordly shapes and statues. The pieces are spread out, but not so much that you get overly tired hunting for them. Some are in clusters, but every now and then you'll just happen upon another one. Stumbling on another sculpture kind of makes you feel like an archaeologist or explorer uncovering ruins of ancient civilizations. It's got a very ethereal feeling. My favorite sculpture was giant metal flowers that kind of looked like a gate, but there were a lot of cool figures in different styles and mediums. The only downside I saw was that the paper maps available at the entrance had a QR code with more info about the artists and art, but I didn't see any paper or sign descriptions anywhere, which I thought would be helpful for folks who don't have phones or always run out of their data halfway through the month (guilty.) I understand that perhaps pieces change often, but it still would be nice to have more options for deeper context. Nonetheless, it was still super fun to wander and gander. I came early on a weekend morning and there was another car or two, but mostly the park seemed empty and it was extremely serene. Love it, wish it was closer. If I lived down the road I'd probably be here every day.

Beautiful hidden gem less than 30 minutes from Syracuse! Over 4 miles worth of trails to discover,…read moreand 1.4 miles of artistic sculptures. Very easy terrain suitable for all ages. The max elevation gain is only 141 feet. Lots of fun sculptures to discover, public restrooms (although Porta potties), picnic tables for dining and more.

I didn't know much about Syracuse on the whole other than they have a university. And that the Erie…read moreCanal passed through here when it was a major mode of transportation. I am glad that I came to this museum as it added to my knowledge of the Erie Canal. More than I thought I knew. Do check out the website ahead of time. It has some important information. One such thing is parking, if you are lucky enough, you will be able to snag a spot reserved for the museum parking in the city lot located across the street from the museum. Find the spots that are labeled "Visitor Center Parking," this place doubles as the visitor center as well. Otherwise, there is street parking available at a small cost. Also from the website you will find the hours and price for admission. Admission here is technically "pay-what-you-wish" meaning it can be whatever you feel an admission is. But they suggest $12 at the time of me writing this review. Once inside you will be greeted right away. The staff here is mostly volunteers but definitely know their stuff when it comes to the canal. I was given the layout of the museum and suggested where to go first. The museum is two floors and it is suggested to go through the first floor first, unless you need to use the restroom, those are upstairs. If that is what you need, you can start upstairs. I started off by just checking out the first areas of the exhibits and was approached by another volunteer who took me on quick once through about the canal and important dates and events that marked the opening of the canal. You also find out that the street in front of the museum is named Erie Boulevard because that was once the canal route. That is until it was rerouted. The things you learn when you just listen. Then I was sent on my way to make it through the museum. I went slow and took a lot of pictures so I could go back to them in case I missed something. I really enjoyed the set up of this museum. You go through an explanatory phase of the museum and then you get to explore set ups and walk through displays. Take some time to explore the canal boat as you can walk through it and see what it was like to travel by canal. Believe it or not, people still travel through the canal for leisure travel and they have had visitors here that have shown up via the canals. Once you complete the first floor, trek upstairs and take a look at the displays of the businesses of the day. Bar, pottery place, general store, and theater. All meticulously put together and showing what it was like back in the heyday. After you have taken in everything in the museum you can head outside and take in a bit more. On the canal side of the building you can view the boat inside and what the weigh station looked like. Street side there are a few things to check. Their garden area is beautiful and a nice place to catch some rest. Fun fact, Syracuse was a major stop on the canal because of all the salt. Hence their nickname The Salt City.

Whether you're a Syracuse resident or just visiting, the Erie Canal Museum is a must see…read more The Museum is small but mighty. It packs fun and education all into one place. Meander around the self guided museum to see a variety of exhibits including a boat you can actually sit in! The museum is great for all ages; young and old. The staff is super friendly and the admission price won't break the bank.

Ambiance and great music. The bands were amazing and the drinks were excellent. I highly recommend…read morechecking this place out.

We stopped in to The Fitz after dinner, that is a speak easy themed cocktail lounge that is…read moreunderground to Oh My Darling. It is basement level and just a black unmarked door opens to the staircase leading down, that has clear signage. It definitely is like stepping back in time and there's no Wi-Fi service so guests are enjoying the live music or socializing! We ordered pretty quickly at the bar, we were not offered menus so I'm not sure what their signature cocktails are. Ordered a martini requested fruity, I believe it was raspberry not sure and a dark red for my friend. We sat in some cozy velvet purple chairs in the lounge area enjoying live Jazz music. My friend recalls this was a downstairs dining area for Burger King in the 80's-early 90's. The bar and Bath Room could be a bit tidier, but otherwise fun retro vibe. There is an historical piston machine on display that was used to run the building's original elevator utilizing steam! And now serves as decor and remanence of past decades.

This was an unexpected gem of an art museum in the heart of Utica. We came here on a half-day trip…read morefrom Cooperstown (1 hour away on rural roads) for a brief visit and had modest expectations. The MWPAI has two main buildings and includes a lovely collection of paintings and sculptures. The highlight of the museum is the set of paintings by Thomas Cole on the top floor of the main building. These works illustrate various stages in one's life cycle from youth to middle-age to older-age. I was impressed by the quality of the collection here and a visiting exhibit of works by a contemporary artist from Atlanta. We arrived around 11:30am on a Thursday and went immediately to the Terrace Cafe after a quick restroom stop. The cafe is open from 11am to 3pm Tuesdays through Saturdays and has outdoor seating. I was impressed by the quality of our bistro-style lunch prepared by a professional chef. We enjoyed some iced tea and the fried deviled eggs with horseradish, dijon and scallions as an appetizer. My 13-year old son devoured his MWP burger (mustard-whiskey-peppercorn glaze), while I had the Saratoga Quiche which was light and refreshing. We were too full for dessert. Who knew that Utica could provide an elegant yet affordable lunch with a lovely outdoor view? Be sure to ask the waiter for recommendations on main dishes and appetizers. Although the service can be a bit slow, it's a delightful spot for a leisurely lunch where you can relax and unwind. My wife, teenage sons (15 yrs, 13 yrs) and I really enjoyed our short day trip to Utica. MWPAI was a highlight along with Utica Coffee Roasters and the half-moon cookies from Hemstrought Bakery.

I was glad to make another quick visit here. The Mad Men interior space alone is worth a step…read moreinside but I wanted to see an exhibit of seven glorious Tiffany stained glass windows that were recently rediscovered. These luminous eight-foot tall angels were aglow in a darkened gallery.

2 separate events attended in May = 1 lucky girl!…read more I was lucky enough to attend the Syracuse Press Club Awards - mid May. Very crowded and lots of socializing so didn't snag many photos that night but tonight I attended a screening in the auditorium & made sure to capture some of the beauty! Toured the museum before/after event. Gorgeous, vibrant art pieces. Would love to stop in for a pottery/clay workshop. So many community events so check the website too. A great space with some iconic history! Art + architecture appreciation!!! I cannot believe the architect of this museum (legendary I.M Pei)

Beautiful Afternoon taking in some amazing artwork.See website for hours and exhibits. Also I…read morebelieve all day Wednesday and Thursdays (5-8pm) are pay what you wish. Definitely worth a visit.