We just spent 2 full days at the Strong National Museum of play and there was an entire exhibit we…read moremissed! This place is so expansive and so well-done, I can't say it enough. My kids are 6, 4, and 2 and each of them had a genuinely wonderful time. My husband and I did as well. We brought our lunch both days and ate in the cafeteria. We brought our stroller in with us all around which was helpful for toting around all the stuff you need for 5 people. I really can't complain about a thing. There were employees all over the place cleaning up constantly and taking care of the exhibits while also not interfering with the kids and their play at all. On friday and Saturday they have extended hours into the evening which is what lead us to come when we did. We were happy to have extra time each of those days and stayed well beyond 4pm which is the closing time the rest of the days. If you are considering giving this place a go, check it out for sure!!!

We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing…read more.. This place is big! I spent over four hours here, and could've easily spent more. This place reminded me of the Exploratorium in San Francisco, , except instead of interactive exhibits highlighting scientific principles, these interactive exhibits were all about play! Play for both the kids, and the grown-ups. They had a ropes course for the younger kids, and another one for older kids and the grown-ups. For the kids, they had a scale model of a local grocery chain, where the kids could either "work", or "shop", right down to the working checkout lanes. They had a Sesame Street exhibit...., A butterfly habitat, and and All kinds of different indoor and outdoor play areas. I can still hula hoop! (for a whole five seconds...). They also had all of the exhibits on toys, games, and video games. This is the home of the national toy, Hall of Fame, and the national video game Hall of Fame. it was so cool seeing toys from my childhood, and a wide range of video games and pinball machine machines that are playable. The price to get in is very reasonable, and they also offer a military/veterans discount, and memberships to the museum, which offer free museum admission. There is a parking garage attached to the museum, with a small charge for parking, and there is a also a small charge for the ropes course, the butterfly habitat, or to play the video games/pinball machines. (4 tokens for a dollar, and every machine only takes one token...) This is an absolutely fun museum for kids of all ages. Thanks!!!

Our tour guide, Jessica, was lively and knowledgeable, providing the history of the cave and the…read moremain man behind it, an inventor who held many patents including fire extinguishers. The tour included an underground boat ride with cool, clear water dripping from above; kisses from the cave. Wear comfortable shoes and remember to ask for the AAA discount.

I was intrigued by this attraction, but was unfortunately a bit underwhelmed…read more You start the tour with a bit of a walking tour learning about the area and its history, then you take a boat ride into the "cave" The cave is really more like a tunnel than an actual cave and is completely man made. The tour guides, however, are wonderful and informative. They have a lot of great information and are personable and engaging. It is worth a visit to learn some interesting facts and try something new and unique, but don't come expecting a cool cave experience. As long as you set your expectations, you won't be disappointed and have a more enjoyable experience.

This little museum is THE BEST EVER!!!! I LOVE Jello, and everything was about jello here and was…read morejust so much fun! We learned a lot more about jello, and shared a lot as well! So many of the display pieces were memories of our past, as well as things we had never seen! There was an absolutely FUN and interesting scavenger hunt that made everything even more interesting and focused. We earned a Jello pencil, which I will treasure for sure! Along with the postcards and photos too. Oh, and the recipes as well. Yep, I remember Poke cake, special holiday jellos, Jello Jigglers and found some more recipes to try too. The docents were great - they all knew so much and love jello as much as we do! We were excited to be able to buy cranberry jello - as we have never seen it in our stores. And they had other flavors to watch for and discover. This may be a small museum (with a downstairs that houses vehicles and transportation for jello production and distribution) but we could have spent more time here and enjoyed every minute! Thank you all so much!

There's always room for Jell-o!! Who hasn't had the flavorful light easy to make dessert? Just…read moredidn't realize this treat was created in Leroy NY. Super cute but a bit small museum showcases the history and culture behind its famous jiggle treat. Invented in 1897, super popular with their original flavors.. strawberry, raspberry, orange and lemon. I prefer lime myself! Lots of memorable though out the place. Huge spoons that were in NYC. Loved all the different marking campaigns over the years. From jell-o they moved on to pudding, and even Jell -o shots ! Something for everyone!

There is a lot to take in so take advantage of the helpful staff & their extra knowledge!…read morethere was a function space & a party going on during our visit, looked like a fun place to celebrate. there was a gas station INSIDE of the museum, designed by none other than

What a delightful and interesting museum! It's open concept and self guided which means you can…read morejust take your time checking everything out. It was impeccably clean and each item was thoughtfully curated. I loved it!

First off, I want to say that I give all props to what they do and are trying to accomplish…read more Keeping those classic planes flying and restoring others is a labor of love. That said, a little curating and information goes a long way. I understand that the planes are for the most part not stationary, but placing an informational plaque or sign by each plane, stating what it is, when built, and the significance of its type and that specific plane would be a tremendous help, and make any visit more interesting. I have basic and vague knowledge of the different planes; my wife has none. The downloaded audio tour was way lacking and many of the numbered items in the museum were off. And I'd rather just read a sign near an item then fumble around for the right audio track and then have to listen to it. And so the war at home (sic) exhibit was a little slapdash too. Sometimes less is more. There are exhibits of a period livingroom, kitchen, laundry room, etc. But they cram so many period items into each room, it's very unrealistic in terms of giving you a taste of what life was like then. It was as if a collector - or hoarder - filled each room with stuff. Just have the rooms decorated with the items one may have had, and perhaps some explanations of maybe how long one had to work to buy a radio or phonograph, etc. I get it; they are probably doing the best they can with a limited budget. I respect that. But being there are no docents readily available, and even if there were, informative signs near each plane, and maybe a history of the jeep - besides the audio - would make ones visit so much more fulfilling.

Fun family visit. Great for the family. More than you think to explore in the exhibits.read more

Wow! This house is a hidden gem. Built in the 1850s, the house features three floors of exhibits…read moreand a cupola. The furniture and decor was intentionally acquired to only feature pieces from the late nineteenth century, including East Lake furniture and a few other pieces original to the home. The volunteers were friendly and knowledgeable, and led guided tours throughout the house. The tour is 1 hour and costs $8/adult. I highly recommend visiting the house!

I love octagon houses and this is a rare opportunity-- Newstead Historical Society, 1870 Octagon…read moreHouse, leave message 716-542-7022. Gift Shop. Trolley car ride available between the Octagon and Knight-Sutton Historic House Museum. Director_RTOH@newsteadhistoricalsociety.org $12 a person - group of one to five people $10 a person - group of 6 or more people. In depth tours available. membership@newsteadhistoricalsociety.org * collections@newsteadhistoricalsociety.org * https://newsteadhistoricalsociety.org/rich-twinn-octagon-house/ Another is the 1856, Camillus Octagon House (5420 West Genesee Street, 13031, near Syracuse, Rte 5, 315-488-7800, https://octagonhouseofcamillus.org/special-events/ https://octagonhouseofcamillus.org; octagonhouseofcamillus@gmx.com), FREE! donations welcome! 5 floors, great views from cupola, open FREE on Sundays 1-5 PM (OR by app't) for guided tours in Spring-Fall or, rent for your family functions! rest room off 1st floor kitchen, informative website (floor plans, info on Fowlers, phrenology, listing of FREE events (special FREE event in Nov--inc great chances on specially, often themed, decorated, lighted, 3 ft trees, 2nd weekend of Nov; home made food available (pie by the slice, 6 sugar cookies, coffee, hot chocolate to eat at Grandma's table!), stories, with live music inc choirs & pump organist (moi!), gold octagon ornaments $6) Not to be missed! Near the Camilus Erie Canal Park, http://eriecanalcamillus.com/boat.htm, (680) 800-5298, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, NY 13031. Open Sundays, 1, 2, 3 PM, Wed's, 1, 2, 3PM precisely for inexpensive historic, narrated vintage boat rides (45 min) with music over aqueduct (wheel chairs accomodated!), special cruises upon request for your family gatherings! with walk/bicycle paved way (Adult $5, 5-12 aged $3PM, under 5 FREE, max $15.00 per family!); historic fully stocked air conditioned Sims General Store, exhibits, costumes for kids' dress up, quaint inexpensive gift shop, original Canal big tools, wonderful doll house!, lock keeper's house, bugle, and original wooden lock from the Canal, school tours, please ask for the small, water recreation of how a lock works without electricity!, map of 362 mile Canal (365 days in a year! easy way to remember!mo, the original Erie Canal w/ path (there were 3 Erie Canals!), the new walk/bicycle way, FREE Towpath Day in August!, modern rest rooms ! Also see the Camillus Martisco Station Railway Museum, http://www.townofcamillus.com/default.aspx?PageID=85 MAKE A DAY OF IT

I loved my visit to the ROM. I didn't get to see all of it, but what I did see was impressive…read more Starting with the dinosaur skeletons and then on to the antiquities, it was really enjoyable. We had a 4 year old with us so we spent a lot of time on the 2nd floor with the bees and the bats and the animals, but I enjoyed it just as much. The play area they have set up for the kids is brilliant, it engages the kids while also getting them involved in 'art' and 'design'. We made a bee out of pipe cleaners and then played in the garden area. I plan on coming back to Toronto next year and I want to come back to see what I missed.

Toronto Review 7/Many: I went to the Royal Ontario Museum as the first of many museums/exhibitions…read morewe did in the city. Apparently, tickets are cheaper if you book them online, but they were reasonable enough, with the typical discounts for seniors or kids. We added both the special exhibits, and for those interested, I would recommend one (Psychedelics) but not the other (Bees.) The first floor included the first special exhibit, "Bees: A Story of Survival," which was a collaboration/moving exhibition by the National Museums Liverpool along with Wolfgang Buttress. The exhibit covered bees in many ways, including their habits, conservation, and other topics. This was all presented in a series of corridors with many touch screens, though one of them wasn't working right. The rooms overall were pretty dark, with the whole exhibit being pretty abstract, including hives large enough for us to walk through, among other things. In the background, there was a mix of classical music and the sound of bees, but I couldn't really hear the bees, which might be a good thing, honestly. Overall, it was a bit of a letdown as it was just a bit too abstract for my liking, which was a bit of a buzzkill. Soon after, we beelined (okay, I'll stop) to the other exhibit, which was on the 4th floor. The other, much better exhibit, was "Psychedelics: Art, Culture. Science." It was a bit hard to find, as it was through an extra door which probably needs a label, but once inside, it was excellent. It was quite large and included various methods cultures have used to consume said substances, some music and other things created by said cultures, and many paintings/albums inspired by psychedelics. The exhibit also included a video portraying a "trip," which was unique and quite loud. It also ended with a nice artwork by Brian Blomerth (or should I say blometh for this exhibit/I kid,) who also has a rather trippy homepage. Outside of the two special exhibits, we went through a variety of things before getting hungry. Another exhibit I enjoyed was "Shokkan: Material Encounters in Japanese Art," which included some touchable objects and some good details and facts that I wasn't personally aware of. There was also a room that went over the various fauna and flora of Crawford Lake, and otherwise we checked out some general things. The other exhibits included suits of armor/weapons, a good mixture of dinosaurs, a more general Asian gallery (which unfortunately had a lot of background noise as they were working on another room, so we left,) and a small exhibit on Judaica. A particular highlight of the rest was a section going over various periods of European history, ranging from Baroque to Renaissance to semi-modern styles, including examples of rooms, architecture, music, and other things. While not my favorite thing we did on the trip, this was an excellent museum overall. I can see why it's so popular, and I would go back to see other exhibits so I could see the rest of the museum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3BLAFoKTqw&t=5s…read more I've always been fascinated with trains, trucks, old cars that go back in history. And many times I've wanted to go and see this museum. So on 9/19/2021 they were holding a special event for old fire trucks, I headed out there. They had an assortment of vehicles going back in time. The old trolley car which you can ride on, fire trucks, roadway machinery, an original Greyhound bus, and more. I was impressed. Good for the history buffs, and families. And I give special credit to the men and women who donate their time to make this happen.

Really surprisingly nice. Don't confuse this one with the Rochester and Genesee Valley Railroad…read moreMuseum. It wasn't cheap, $27 for me and 1 kid. But there is a lot to see here and admission comes with a really nice ride on the tram. They have a couple cars from the old Midtown monorail which brought back a lot of memories. Lots of cars and engines you can climb on, and a lot of the bells still work. Some other neat old antique vehicles as well. All the people that were working/volunteering were super nice as well. Overall great way to spend an afternoon.

We got tickets here as part of our city pass. The staff who scanned our tickets was really lovely!…read more There's a good amount of art here and it took us a couple of hours or so to look at everything. The line for the infinity mirror gets long as a warning. Luckily we were there at the same time as a visiting impression exhibit from the Dallas museum. Don't forget about the ships display downstairs in the basement!

Toronto Review 14/Many: While visiting Toronto not long AGO, we went to this museum. Aside from…read morethat terrible pun, the museum was excellent and quite big, with an interesting mix of modern and old artwork. Of course, we didn't love everything, but that's to be expected with modern art. Anyway, it didn't take long for us to enter, but it was a bit difficult to find everything. Part of this was because some of the hallways couldn't be accessed, as there was what looked like a wedding reception on parts of the lower floors. The first thing that we went to was their signature exhibit right now, "The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art." It was a nicely designed exhibit that took up the entire floor, with plenty of space between each artwork, allowing people to get around and look at everything. I was happy to see that it wasn't just works by the most prolific artists, but also works by Morisot, Bernard, and Munch, among others. There was also a nice gift shop for this exhibit, among other things. Also, there was a nice observation area up the stairs, even with the fifth-floor gallery being closed. Of the other special exhibits, my favorite one was "Ranbir Sidhu: No Limits." A London-born but Toronto-based sculpture creator, Sidhu created works for this exhibit that were made primarily of mirror-finished stainless steel and were fascinating to look at due to their sheer size and scale. If you want to look up one of them, Asteroid 3033 X1 is the centerpiece. Near the end of my time there, I also saw "Diego Marcon: The Bubble Boy," which had some interesting use of CGI and puppets, with one of the movies reminding me a little bit of Anomalisa from a few years ago. Outside of these works, I wasn't as big a fan of "Dawoud Bey: Material Histories, Living Landscapes." The shadows were interesting, and some of the work had interesting faces, but I found the movie inside to be on the more pointless side, even if it had some creepy/unsettling aspects to the music and otherwise. Due to the giant line, I wasn't able to see "Yayoi Kusama's INFINITY MIRRORED ROOM - LET'S SURVIVE FOREVER" either. The pictures look nice, but I wasn't planning on waiting what seemed like 45 minutes or an hour, so if you don't want to wait that long, go there immediately. The Dutch master paintings from "Painted Presence: Rembrandt and His Peers" were also nice, with some more impressionist works around the corner. Outside of this, there was some interesting Indigenous and Canadian art, some other Dutch/European works, a nice collection of snuff bottles, and a large space with sculptures by Henry Moore. I would go over everything else, but I won't, as there was a lot. Overall, it was a nice selection of works from all over, with my only complaint being that it was a bit difficult to find everything. I would highly recommend taking several hours to go to this museum.