Steuben County Museums

There’s no age limit when it comes to having fun! As a matter of fact, the mix of ages and perspectives when traveling with your kids often makes for the most memorable moments—at the time and also years down the road

Whether you’re looking to build bonds that last a lifetime or create unforgettable memories, Steuben has an assortment of kid-tested, family-approved museums and experiences sure to bring you together.

Glenn H. Curtiss Museum

Bet you didn’t you know the first pilot’s license ever issued in the United States went to a man with an eighth grade education from the small town of Hammondsport, NY (current population about 750 people). Chances are, you never learned about Glenn H Curtiss in any history books, despite his being a motorcycle pioneer, daredevil, and “fastest man on earth.” Or his being called the Father of the American Aviation Industry and Father of Naval Aviation.

Despite his many accomplishments, Curtiss remains a relatively obscure footnote in most textbook accounts of American history. Although he certainly enjoyed capturing trophies and being first, it wasn’t fame and recognition that drove him as much as satisfying his need to go fast, and to create something that continues to impact the world today.

The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport houses an exceptional collection of vintage airplanes, hydro-airplanes, motorcycles and automobiles. In addition to flying dirigibles and developing early airplanes, Glenn Curtiss’s contributions to aviation are many: he held the first public air show in the country, won the first aeronautical prize in the country, trained the first female pilot in America (Blanche Stuart Scott), as well as the first pilots from several countries, and developed the first seaplanes and flying boats among many other things.

“Curtiss was at this point the toast of Europe, the world’s foremost flier . . .” — Jay Maeder, New York Daily News

The museum, like the man, is something truly remarkable that has somehow managed to fly below most folks’ radar, and contains a priceless collection of vintage motorcycles, classic cars, large-scale replicas of planes, and a working Restoration Shop where visitors can often talk with volunteer craftsman, and watch them work on historic aircraft.

In addition to learning about American history, there are also flight simulators and a special section devoted to younger aviation enthusiasts which make this museum fun for families. And the museum hosts fun family-friendly events throughout the year like WinterCycle Therapy and the popular Wings & Wheels (a seaplane homecoming and exotic car show) each fall.

Finger Lakes Boating Museum

It wasn’t until European settlers came to the region that boating and boatbuilding became an integral part of the local economy and local culture. Boating was essential for the development of towns along the lakes as thriving places to live, as well as idyllic destinations for tourists.

Roads, at the time, were crude, rutted paths at best and steamboats provided a relatively cheap and swift alternative form of transportation for people, but also for goods like local grape crops, or coal from nearby Pennsylvania which was then shipped via canal barges on the vast system of rivers and canals that led all the way down the Hudson River.

Steamboats also provided tourists with scenic excursions and boat rides to the many resorts and restaurants located along the shores of these beautiful bodies of water.

But they weren’t the only boats built in the area. Outdoors enthusiasts, anglers, and leisure travelers also created a demand for recreational vessels and boat builders made beautiful wooden trout boats, canoes, sailboats, speed boats, and yachts. At one point, you could find a boat builder around the lakes every ten miles or so.

Located in several historic buildings that were once part of the original Taylor Wine Company, the Finger Lakes Boating Museum preserves the legacy of the remarkable vessels that were built here with a number of beautiful vintage wooden boats on display. But the museum also preserves the tradition and skills of boatbuilding by offering lectures and boatbuilding workshops, as well as renovation projects throughout the year.

Thanks to the significant efforts of volunteers working in the Museum’s Restoration Shop, the historic Pat II was restored and returned to the water where it now offers guided daily tours during the summer and fall seasons and is a perfect way for families to get out on majestic Keuka Lake while also learning about local history.

Annual events like the Wine Country Classic Boat Show and the Annual Watkins Glen Waterfront Festival are ways the local communities pay homage to their boating heritage, a lifestyle that continues today.

Heritage Village

Heritage Village is comprised of a handful of historic buildings from different communities in the region that have been relocated to one spot creating a living history museum complex all centered around the oldest building in Corning, the Benjamin Patterson Inn which was also the Jennings Tavern a couple centuries back.

The village consists of 1796 Benjamin Patterson Inn, as well as an assortment of other historic buildings that represent American life from another time including an 1850’s log cabin,1878 Browntown one-room schoolhouse, 1870’s Cooley working blacksmith shop, the Starr Barn and joinery shop and the agricultural shed containing antique farming equipment.

The museum complex hosts a number of events throughout the year that bring history to life as costumed docents recreate a variety of daily tasks from hearth cooking to blacksmithing with the forge being a popular attraction.

The museum is operated, in part, by a group of volunteers and history buffs. While the main office and museum gift shop are open Monday through Friday, it is best to call ahead of time to register for a guided tour through the village where you can step inside these historic buildings and get a glimpse into another time.

Guided tours are offered at limited times, so please check the museum’s website for more details.

Corning Museum of Glass

There aren’t many places that would allow you to interact with a material hotter than volcanic lava, but The Corning Museum of Glass encourages it!

And we know what you are thinking. Taking kids to a museum of priceless glass objects seems about as good of an idea as letting loose a bull or two, only this is one museum designed with kids in mind. And it’s unlike any museum you’ve probably ever been to, not just because it’s the largest museum of glass in the world, but because of the variety of experiences found there.

“. . . it seemed a terrible idea to bring a mischievous and energetic 1.5-year-old into a glass museum! I needn’t have been worried, though. Rock-hard “Gorilla Glass” protects all the pieces from a little guy’s destructive punches, and there’s even an entire wing devoted to hands-on play and learning for children!” – Lillie Marshall, Around the World “L”ugh

Hundreds of thousands of people visit The Corning Museum of Glass each year, and over and over, we hear them say, “I had no idea!”

You’ll see massive glass sculptures (so big they created a 100,000 square foot addition to showcase some of them) that will leave you wondering, how did they do that. Artifacts from the past 35 Centuries that reveal human ingenuity at its finest with everything from small decorative pieces, perfume bottles, and depictions of ancient Pharaohs to intricate, delicate stemware, elaborate cut glass, remarkable stained glass, and more unusual pieces than you can imagine.

Two of the favorite stops for kids are the Innovation Center and The Studio.

In the Innovation Center you can see a variety of familiar and unusual glass creations that have over the past 150 years made life easier with exhibits on everything from Pyrex to fiber optics. You can watch flame-working demonstrations, glass breaking demos, learn about fiber optics, and stand next to a 200” telescope mirror. It’s the perfect combination of history, learning, and discovery that leaves visitors of all ages astonished.

Thanks to a new multimillion-dollar expansion, The Studio has grown to help house even more Make Your Own Glass projects so that you can watch master glassblowers create remarkable pieces in the Hot Shop, then make your own glass keepsake. What better souvenir of a family getaway than one you make yourselves? The Studio has various projects to accommodate most ages.

Inspired by Blown Away and interested in learning more about glassblowing, The studio also offers a variety of workshops, classes, residencies and more.

“The Corning Museum of Glass dazzles with fabulous galleries of glassworks and terrific demos of live glassmaking. But the wow factor here is that kids and parents can sign up for workshops to learn artisanal crafts such as glassblowing, fusing, glassforming and sandblasting—and leave with one-of-a-kind souvenirs they made themselves.” – Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, MiniTime: Bring the Kids

Tickets are good for two days and Kids 17 and Under get in free every day. Combo tickets with The Rockwell Museum are also available at a reduced price.

The Rockwell Museum

So much more than an institution of fine art housing incredible pieces you might expect to find somewhere like The MET, The Rockwell is also a cultural center, a community gathering place, and an integral voice in telling the story of the American experience from a variety of interesting and often unheard perspectives.

There are a number of fun experiences designed to provide children with an engaging introduction to the arts. “Young art explorers connect with The Rockwell collection through gallery games and activities, including Art Hunts, I-Spy Games and more, designed to inspire an appreciation for art from an early age.”

Upstate New York’s only Smithsonian Affiliate, The Rockwell Museum boasts a world-class collection of Western and contemporary Native American Art, and other exhibits focusing on “Art About America” as it continues to explore the people, land, and ideas that have shaped our country. And, while kids 17 and under get free admission to the museum every day, don’t forget to take them to Kids Rockwell Art Lab on Market Street for some fun, interactive experiences that foster creativity and imagination.

“Kids Rockwell Art Lab is a separate facility where children of all ages can participate at an interactive family studio, creating and exploring in an imaginative environment.” – Barbara Eichenlaub, Pittsburgh Quarterly

Each summer, the museum works with local students and guests artists to create stunning murals throughout town as part of the Alley Art Project. You can learn more about the public art which is always based around a new theme inspired by art found in the museum and is another popular treat for families.

Admission is good for two days and a combo ticket with The Corning Museum of Glass is available at a discount making a family museum outing even more affordable.

Other Nearby Museums

Arnot Art Museum

Imagine transforming an old home into a work of art. In way, that’s what happened in Elmira (located 25 minutes from Corning) when a Greek Revival home built by John Arnot, Sr. in 1833, the year his son Matthias Arnot was born, was renovated and opened in 1913 as the Arnot Art Gallery. The museum showcases the personal collection Matthias had acquired over the years and which had been on display in his home. Since first opening over a century ago, the museum “has grown to become one of the leading cultural institutions in the region.”

Housed in its original 1833 showcase with a grand late twentieth century gallery addition, the Arnot Art Museum displays its permanent collection of seventeenth to nineteenth century European paintings and nineteenth and twentieth century American art. Temporary exhibitions highlight various aspects of the collections and include works from around the world.

Considered an exceptional venue for contemporary art and often called a “hidden gem,” the museum is seldom crowded and a real treat for art lovers who can explore at their leisure. The museum’s intimate size also makes it easily digestible for all ages as a tour typically takes less than an hour.

The museum offers free admission for children 18 and under.

John W. Jones Museum

Also in Elmira, you will find the John Jones Museum which has seasonal hours.

The museum is the original home of fugitive slave John Jones who became sextant at Woodlawn Cemetery (located across the street), and personally buried nearly 3,000 confederate soldiers who died at the Elmira Prison Camp during the Civil War. Jones was also an integral abolitionist who helped over 800 fugitive slaves find their way to freedom as Station Master on the Underground Railroad.

Soar with the Eagles

A mere twenty minutes from Corning, you’ll find the “Soaring Capital of America” at Harris Hill which contains the National Soaring Museum as well as seasonal glider rides (usually from April through late October).

One of the most spectacular ways to experience the region is from a motorless plane that’s towed 4,000 feet overhead before being released to soar in silence. The panoramic views will leave you spellbound.

In fact, Conde Nast Traveler named soaring at Harris Hill as its #1 pick for fall adventures in the US! Whether you choose to take to the skies or remain grounded, you’ll be overwhelmed by the breathtaking beauty of the Chemung Valley.

If heights aren’t your thing, you can visit the National Soaring Museum and see historic and replica gliders and sailplanes on display and learn about the role the motionless craft have had in aviation.

You’ll also be able to learn about Eileen Collins, a local astronaut who became the country’s first female space shuttle pilot.