A trip to a museum can be an adventurous learning experience for everyone in the family. We’ve chosen seven museums across a wide area of subjects, from nature to military history to art. The Hudson Valley is home to many museums, historic sites, and learning centers—these are just a few to get you started.
**Check operating hours and days before visiting. NOT all museums may be open year round**
Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art
State University of New York at New Paltz
1 Hawk Dr., New Paltz, NY
845-257-3844
This Museum has a special commitment to collecting important works of art created by artists that have lived and worked in the Hudson Valley and Catskill regions. “Children are welcome at the Dorsky Museum—it’s never too early to introduce a child to the experience of looking at art!” says Sara Pasti, the Dorsky Museum’s director.
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Hudson Highlands Nature Museum
Outdoor Discovery Center
100 Muser Dr., Cornwall, NY
845-534-5506
This museum is a center for nature, with a focus on environmental education and a mission to develop responsible caretakers of the natural world. Programs focus on the unique ecology of the Hudson Highlands.
Dia:Beacon
3 Beekman St., Beacon, NY
845-440-0100
Located in a repurposed old factory building on Beacon’s waterfront, the museum has works by some of the most important artists of the 1960s and 1970s, including Joseph Beuys, John Chamberlain, Walter De Maria, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, and Andy Warhol.
West Point Museum
United States Military Academy
2110 New South Post Rd., West Point, NY
845-938-3590
The West Point Museum houses what is considered to be the oldest and largest diversified public collection of military relics in the Western Hemisphere. “We are very appealing to families. We have something for all ages,” says the museum’s director, David Reel. Admission is free. The Visitors Center and West Point Museum are open to the general public daily.
Museum of Firefighting
117 Harry Howard Ave., Hudson, NY
877-347-3687
The FASNY Museum of Firefighting contains the premiere collections of firefighting apparatus, equipment, gear and memorabilia in the world. What makes it a family favorite, however, is the significant amount of hands-on activity available. “We have a new Bucket Brigade exhibit,” says Jamie Smith, the museum’s executive director. Pressing a button sets the house ablaze, and the bucket brigade begins, with kids filling reproduction leather buckets from the well and passing them along until the “fire” is extinguished.
Children’s Museum
75 North Water St., Poughkeepsie, NY
845-471-0589
The Children’s Museum’s mission is to enlighten minds through a fun and creative learning environment where hands-on experiences spark curiosity, discovery and the joy of exploration. Their newest exhibit, Link, Lift, Launch invites children to create helicopters, launch rockets, and build all sorts of cool things. The exhibit provides an age-appropriate introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Museum Village
1010 State Rte. 17M, Monroe, NY
845-782-8248
Museum Village offers visitors the opportunity to explore vignettes of 19th century American life. Using a large collection of eclectic artifacts, the museum provides hands-on educational experiences and exhibits that illustrate the transition from a rural to an industrial culture and economy in America.
Time and the Valleys Museum
322 Main St., Grahamsville, NY
845-985-7700
Home to the history of the Rondout and Neverskink Watersheds, the Time and the Valleys Museum offers families an interactive look at a unique piece of local history. Exhibits often include activities, puzzles and hands- on experiences for children as well as an educational guide through the history of the watersheds.
Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame
240 Main St., Goshen NY
845-294-6330
Drive a sulky to the finish line in the 3-D simulator. Riveting state-of-the-art and interactive exhibits. Call and judge a race. Theaters tell the fascinating history of America’s first sport. Home of the largest collection of Currier & Ives trotting prints. Changing art exhibits. Group tours, conference and private party facilities.
Samuel Morse House at Locust Grove
2683 South Rd., Poughkeepsie NY
845-454-4500
A permanent exhibit explores Samuel Morse's careers as an artist and inventor of the telegraph and Morse Code. The collection includes original works of art, reproductions of Morse's early telegraph models and chronicles the development of the telegraph equipment. Locust Grove also offers numerous special events throughout the year, many for children and families as well as beautiful grounds for hiking and walking, a museum shop, mansion tours and visitor center.
Updated September 24, 2018
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