"those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -George Santayana…read more This is a museum in the tiny town of Eldred Pa, right along the new york - pennsylvania state line. Its dedicated to the history of WWII and the collection of artifacts and materials from that time period. They do have large collection of badges, insignias and uniforms from all combatants during the war. Eldred was the site of a munitions factory that ran non-stop from 1942 to mid-1945 that produced bombs and shell casings that were used in the war on the Allied side. It has a library where you can go around and check out books and maps if you're really interested in a certain topic. It is a great place to go if you have a Social Studies project to do and you want to go check it out. plus theres a cool tank half-bursting out of the wall, haha.

We were very surprised to find this gem of a museum when visiting family in the area, who had never…read morebeen there. Much larger than expected, the collection includes somewhere between 60,000 and 70,000 artifacts from World War II, all donated or on loan. Obviously focusing on military history, the museum is comprehensive, well thought out, and displays are well-presented. highlights include vehicles and a submarine periscope from World War II, many displays honoring locals who served (putting a human face on the conflict, uniforms, weapons, and other memorabilia. The Holocaust room is separated, so parents could make a decision as to when their children are ready to see it, and is very thorough and well done. The associate curator and the two volunteers present were super friendly, helpful, and informative. At a time when those who fought this war are passing on, the events are an abstraction to many children, and anti-Semitic, fascist or neofascist elements are once again on the rise in Hungary, Western Europe, and even our own United States, this museum does important work.

Interesting place. More of a store than anything else. Quick tourist stop. Wish they had some swag.read more

Took my kids and nephews, and they loved it. Mostly a Cutco/Kabar history museum. For me, as a…read moreknife collector, it was a big mistake... as it made me realize how many vintage knives produced by the factory there that I absolutely needed. :-) and, of course, couldn't leave without an item or two that they currently manufacture

This is a beautiful spot to stop on your elk viewing adventure. It is clean, has nice bathrooms, a…read moregift shop, and wonderful educational displays for all ages. There's trails and lookouts to look for the elk and ample parking.

There's a generous parking area with easy access to the Visitors Center. Inside ("Enter through…read morethe gift shop") you find two education rooms with taxidermy and tanned pelts; a rat snake named Java, and a cinema. Bathrooms are clean, modern, with warm water! On the trail, look for the many park benches overlooking a central broad green space: Elk prefer it to the forest, where their ears and racks can be poked by branches. In September and October it's rut season, and the mature bucks bugle to assemble their harems, warning other males to stay away. The sound of the bugling is magic: It's the sound of the Ogliocene epoch, 25 million years ago. Deer with upper canines? Highly recommend this experience! In the afternoon, enjoy deer and turkeys wandering on the green. The center is free. For best experience, bring your own folding chairs, sandwiches, and binoculars.

It had been a while since I last visited the Zippo/Case Museum, but while camping in Allegany State…read morePark for about five days around New Years, we decided to venture south to Bradford for a little New Year's Eve field trip and I'm glad we did! Yes, they closed early because it was New Year's Eve but it was still worth the stop. One of my favorite things about this place is that the museum is free (no ticket required!) which makes it very accessible. The gift shop is also a great size, with tons of Zippo, Case, and regional memorabilia. For example, I left with a Buffalo Bills Zippo! The employees were fine though they were not especially warm or chatty. Luckily the products and history speak for itself. Seeing the evolution of Zippo lighters and learning about the company's roots in Bradford never gets old. So, if you're anywhere near northern Pennsylvania or Western New York, this is a fun, quirky, and surprisingly fascinating stop that's definitely worth checking out!

The usual museum "enter/exit through the gift shop" is expanded here: The larger part of the…read moredisplays are geared towards the history of smoking with Zippo lighters since 1932. Although the local production of 72,000 lighters a day does make it an economic powerhouse, on my visit there was a local troop of boy scouts. Cringe! At the cashier desk they'll sell you a lighter, "It includes everything but the fluid". Admission is free; dogs are welcome; there's a five minute film on loop about the history of Zippo lighters and the Case knife companies.

I did a tour of Graycliff as part of the All Day All Wright tour a while ago anat that time it was…read moreinteresting but also a bit disappointing both because the renovations were ongoing and we arrived late due to traffic so the tour was cut short. Seeing online that Graycliff had just opened a new visitor center and was in full swing I decided to make a one day trip to see it again. Located about a half hour southwest of Buffalo and about an hour northeast of Erie, Graycliff sit right on the Lake Erie shore. There is a small sign at the end of the long drive that leads you to the new visitor center. The center is set up just outside the area that Wright designed. The center is very modern but it does have elements that are inspired by Wright, the horizontal lines of the building, the glass that allows you to see through the building is similar to Graycliff. Inside there is a very nice gift shop, some interesting exhibits and an unusual unisex bathroom. I had signed up for the extended tour and we had a nice group who all had some experience with Wright before, including one guy who had done extensive work in building the new visitor center. The tour starts in the visitor center with a very well made video giving some of the history of Wright, the Martins and Graycliff. After that we went through the Picking Garden which was very attractive and smelled wonderful. We then learned about the layout of the outside, including that the driveway was oriented to track the movement of the sun on the summer solstice. We were also informed about the history of the site, the local materials being used and the history of the house after the Martins had to give it up. We also were told about the water features and how the house was oriented to allow views through the house to see the lake. Although this was the 3rd project Darwin Martin had hired Wright for (the Darwin Martin House and the Larkin Company Adminstration Building were the others) here the client was Mrs. Martin and this was to be a summer house so the overall design is a bit unique. The timing of the project was also crucial as Wright had finished his Prairie Style and the Usonian style was not yet developed. Wright had also gone through a number of personal issues and public scandals so this commission was helpful in bridging a difficult period. Once inside Graycliff you realize that there are many common Wright elements, the use of natural materials, the importance of the hearth as the heart of the house and how he had opened up the common areas with a flow. Graycliff is unique in how it is oriented to the lake with huge windows on both sides. We also got to see the second floor and the second floor of the smaller second house that initially was the garage and chauffeur's quarters and later used by Martin's daughter's family. I have to compliment our docent Brian who did a great job of guiding us through the house and property while supplying information, pointing out details and just being very entertaining. Wright was a complex person, while a genius and visionary he also had personal issues and could be difficult to work with, Brian gave a nice balanced view of Wright, his relationship to the Martins and how Graycliff came to be, plus its history and restoration. On my previous visit I had enjoyed Graycliff, but also found it a bit disappointing, this visit reflects the great job that has been done on finishing the restoration and furnishing the property to best effect. While not as flashy as some of the better know Wright designs, Graycliff is well worth a visit for its historical significance to Wright and to see how he was in transition and developing new and different ideas. A great visit and I am so glad I took the time for a second visit.

Amazing Buffalo history on display on the cliffside shores of Lake Erie. The brand new visitor…read morecenter adds to the overall experience.

A MUST see for anyone interested in local history, early American bicycling, early American…read moremotorcycles, as well as early aviation and naval aviation history. There's is so much packed into this big, dark block of a building, its amazing. There is a one hour movie that really is a well made, must see...preferably before exploring the exhibition. Curtiss was involved in so many different things during stages in his relatively short life, and the museum gives substantial display area to each and all of his interests. Very well worth the entry fee.

The age of innovation when the Industrial Revolution pushed the boundaries an me like Glee. H…read more Curtiss dreamed big and literally reached for the stars. From humble beginnings to legendary flight we learn about one of Hammondsport's most famous resident. It is well worth the stop to see the collection and history. Our family found it interesting from each of their perspectives. My favorite is the restoration of a 1943 Curtiss P-40 E "War Hawk". I purposely didn't take pictures as the experience is well worth seeing for yourself.

We took a quick (2 hour) road trip to Salamanca to see this smallish collection of Seneca art and…read morehistory. It was well lit, clean, and interesting. Nice staff person.

Amazing experience and would love to return . Found the experience valuable and educationalread more

I've always wanted to visit here. So when I saw that my drive upstate was going to pass through…read moreCorning, I had to come see the museum. I actually thought that part of the museum would be Corningware, like my mom used to have. Not at all. When I got instead, was the most amazing and beautiful display of glass work I had ever seen. Religious glasswork, glasswork that goes way back in history as far back is 1500 BC. . Modern glasswork. Glasswork done by artists. industrial glass work The museum covers the whole gamut. I thought the glassmaking demonstrations were fascinating, and even the gift shop is like a mini museum in itself. I never thought I would see all of the amazing things that I saw today. Mind... officially ...Blown... thank you for an amazing visit. .

Recently took a sand blasting class. You begin with picking…read moreout a glass and then decorating it with stickers. The selection of stickers was large. After that you place your glass in the sand blasting machine. Put your gloves on and spray the glass all around. Take out and wash. It was a fun experience and organized class