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The Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown

Central New York is a cultural treasure filled with attractions that highlight regional art and heritage. The Farmers' Museum recreates life from the 19th century with interactive exhibits and hand-on activities that allow you to "step back in time" as you explore its historic village and farmstead-where you can get your hands dirty in the Blacksmith Shop, assist with cooking over the open hearth in the Lippitt Farmhouse, or whip-up some old-style candy in the pharmacy. Take a ride on the Empire State Carousel. Visit our cute farm animals. Browse Todd's General Store. Discover the Cardiff Giant-America's greatest hoax. Talk with our knowledgeable costumed interpreters. All in a peaceful, bucolic setting overlooking Otsego Lake.
 

See Two Great Exhibits in our Main Barn

This year, the museum is proud to present Grow: An Exhibit to Get You Gardening and Barns of New York and Hops on Tap: Celebrating hops and the art of craft brewing.
 

Grow: An Exhibit to Get You Gardening - through October 31

Gardening is healthy, easy to do, and offers great nutritional, physical, and mental benefits. Whether in your backyard, in containers on your deck, or in a community garden, you can learn how to cultivate fresh vegetables. Are you thinking about planting a backyard garden? Large landowner or apartment dweller, GROW: An Exhibition to Get You Gardening is framed with ideas and advice on how you can start growing!
 
Sponsored by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and Bank of Cooperstown.
 

Barns: Cathedrals of the Countryside

Dairy barns, with their soaring roof lines and towering silos, punctuate the rural landscape. Upstate New York's agricultural buildings have long served as landmarks due to their size and visibility. Nowhere is this monumentality more noteworthy than on gentleman's estates, such as Edward Severin Clark's Fenimore Farm. Architects designed barns such as this, built 100 years ago, to be practical: to house cows, provide storage for hay, grain, and silage, and model advances in sanitation to ensure pure milk. But they also hoped to create rural landmarks that would model new and visually striking ways to meet basic farming needs.
 
Curated by Cynthia G. Falk-professor at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, a master's degree program in museum studies sponsored by SUNY Oneonta. Dr. Falk is the author of the books Barns of New York: Rural Architecture of the Empire State and Architecture and Artifacts of the Pennsylvania Germans: Constructing Identity in Early America, and served as the co-editor of Buildings & Landscapes, the journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum from 2012 to 2017.
 

More in our Main Barn

Beyond the ticket kiosk, visit the Cardiff Giant, America's greatest hoax. The Louis C. Jones Center provides a large space for small concerts, meetings, and parties. For those interested in antique tools and farm equipment, the second-floor exhibits offer a wide variety of unique, 19th-century craft and farm tools.
 
IN OUR HISTORIC VILLAGE
 

Hops on Tap - New Hop and Craft Beer Programming throughout our Historic Village!

Discover what hops, craft brewing and Cooperstown all have in common. Daily programming and special events related to hops and craft brewing offer a glimpse into the region's connection with beer production - past and present. In our circa 1790s tavern, visitors are greeted by a friendly innkeeper who shares the history of hops. Interpreters discuss the processes of growing, harvesting, drying, pressing, and baling hops, as well as malting, brewing and other uses for this unique crop. You'll also hear about the social impact of hops in the region. Visitors will find interactive features throughout our Historic Village. View details.
 

Details

Hours

 
April 2-May 6 / May 7-October 15 / October 15-October 31
 
May 7 - October 15 (Columbus Day)
Open Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
 
October 15 - October 31
Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Limited buildings open.
 

Prices

  • Adults and Juniors (13-64): $12.00; Seniors (65+): $10.50; Juniors (7 - 12): $6.00; Children (6 and under): FREE
 
 

Special Packages and Offers

VISIT COOPERSTOWN'S OTHER TREASURES AND SAVE
All 3 museums savings of $7.00 for adults and $2.50 for children
 
Triple Play: $42 Adult / $18.50 Juniors (7-12)
  • Admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers' Museum
 
Double Play: $33.00 / $18500 Juniors (7-12)
  • Admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Fenimore Art Museum or
  • Admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame and The Farmers' Museum
 
You may purchase the ticket at the first museum you visit. The ticket is good for one visit to each museum within one year from the date on the ticket and you do not need to visit all the museums on the same day.
 

Events

  • Harvest Festival
  • Candlelight Evening
  • Sugaring Off Sundays
  • Workshops & Lectures
  • Kid's Programs
 
 

Activities

  • Living History
  • Farm Demonstrations
  • Cultural Artifacts

2019 Exhibits in the Main Barn

Barns: Cathedrals of the Countryside (April 2-October 31, 2019)
Dairy barns, with their soaring roof lines and towering silos, punctuate the rural landscape. Upstate New York's agricultural buildings have long served as landmarks due to their size and visibility. Nowhere is this monumentality more noteworthy than on gentleman's estates, such as Edward Severin Clark's Fenimore Farm. Architects designed barns such as this, built 100 years ago, to be practical: to house cows, provide storage for hay, grain, and silage, and model advances in sanitation to ensure pure milk. But they also hoped to create rural landmarks that would model new and visually striking ways to meet basic farming needs.
 
Curated by Cynthia G. Falk-professor at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, a master's degree program in museum studies sponsored by SUNY Oneonta. Dr. Falk is the author of the books Barns of New York: Rural Architecture of the Empire State and Architecture and Artifacts of the Pennsylvania Germans: Constructing Identity in Early America, and served as the co-editor of Buildings & Landscapes, the journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum from 2012 to 2017.
 
Brew: New York's Craft Beer Revival (May 11 - October 31, 2019)
Between 1840 and 1900, New York State grew more hops and brewed more beer than any other state in the country. Since 2000, brewing beer on a small independent scale has been at the forefront of the Grow Local movement. Today, New York State has more than 400 craft breweries and a new generation of entrepreneurs is resuming New York's leadership in craft brewing. In turn, the craft beer revival is sparking a resurgence in both agriculture and tourism, supporting the local economy and communities.
 
Brew: New York's Craft Beer Revival is originated by The Farmers' Museum and features objects, images, and text highlighting the history of New York State brewing, hops, and barley up to the present day. Central New York's breweries and beer experts share their stories and process in this vibrant and engaging exhibition.
 

Collections

The Farmers' Museum holds over 23,000 agricultural tools and artifacts, historic structures, and even a carousel that celebrates the history of New York. Through demonstrations, interactive programs, workshops and interpretive exhibits, the Farmers' Museum preserves the agricultural history of Upstate New York.
 

Historic Structures

The 22 buildings that make up the 19th century historic village have histories of their own dating back to the late 1700's. Relocated from rural communities around New York State and carefully restored to bring you a real life experience of rural life in the 19th Century. At the Farmers' Museum you will be transported back in time as you walk through the village from the Farm House, Doctor's Office, Blacksmith Shop to Todd's General store and many more.
 

FAQs

  • What is the history of The Farmers' Museum?

    The renowned author James Fenimore Cooper, known for his classic books including Last of the Mohicans, owned the current site of this agricultural attraction that has been a working farm since the 1790s. The property changed hands over the years until Edward Severin Clark built a brand new barn, cottage, and facilities in 1918. The museum officially opened in 1944 as a true living history museum focusing on pre-industrial life in rural America using demonstrations and entertaining yet educational interpretive exhibits.

  • What types of events are taking place this season?

    The museum offers a wide range of events throughout the year from their "Step Back In Time" weekend series, livestock show, and the Heritage Plant Sale to the Annual Benefit Horse Show & Luncheon. During the holiday season, events include magical Candlelight Evenings with tours through the snowy grounds, the chance to sip warm cider next to a roaring bonfire, and even a visit from Santa Claus. 

 

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