On our way home to CT from Western NY, we took a pit stop at the All Things Oz Museum, and we're so…read moreglad that we did! My family loves the original movie, especially my mom (who also read some of the books). We did the guided tour, which was super informative and very interesting! The girl who took us around was super friendly, and we enjoyed chatting with her. We were impressed at the memorabilia they had, and it was cool getting to learn more about L. Frank Baum in his hometown. They even had a cute photo op at the end. Definitely worth the stop if you're in the area!

We stumbled across this place and it was an incredible find. If you could take the guided tour,…read morewhich is no additional cost, definitely take it. Mark was our guide and gave a fantastic description of many of the details that we would've just walked by and never understood. I would highly recommend visiting this museum.

This is such a unique and cool park! It's about a half an hour drive from Syracuse, in Cazenovia,…read morewhich is a super cute town with lots of nice small businesses to explore. This place is the ultimate solution if you kinda feel like going to a museum but also want to be outdoors and go to the park, and can't choose. The park itself is stunning. It's an outdoor art park that has sculptures spread out around the grounds. There are multiple trails, some gravel and some grass. Some truly stunning views, with the lake visible in the distance at some high points. You'll wander through fields and woods and hills and happen upon other-wordly shapes and statues. The pieces are spread out, but not so much that you get overly tired hunting for them. Some are in clusters, but every now and then you'll just happen upon another one. Stumbling on another sculpture kind of makes you feel like an archaeologist or explorer uncovering ruins of ancient civilizations. It's got a very ethereal feeling. My favorite sculpture was giant metal flowers that kind of looked like a gate, but there were a lot of cool figures in different styles and mediums. The only downside I saw was that the paper maps available at the entrance had a QR code with more info about the artists and art, but I didn't see any paper or sign descriptions anywhere, which I thought would be helpful for folks who don't have phones or always run out of their data halfway through the month (guilty.) I understand that perhaps pieces change often, but it still would be nice to have more options for deeper context. Nonetheless, it was still super fun to wander and gander. I came early on a weekend morning and there was another car or two, but mostly the park seemed empty and it was extremely serene. Love it, wish it was closer. If I lived down the road I'd probably be here every day.

Beautiful hidden gem less than 30 minutes from Syracuse! Over 4 miles worth of trails to discover,…read moreand 1.4 miles of artistic sculptures. Very easy terrain suitable for all ages. The max elevation gain is only 141 feet. Lots of fun sculptures to discover, public restrooms (although Porta potties), picnic tables for dining and more.

I was not expecting to stop here and find this the other day on my way to Chicago from Boston. I…read morehad to go to the bathroom, saw the sign for the boxing hall of fame from the highway, and said bingo. I have been boxing the last decade, so obviously I had to see the OG ring from Madison square garden. It's a small museum that you'll go through quickly, but man is it cool to see.

I'll just get this part out of the way: I'm not a fan of boxing (nor do I hate it), as in I just…read moredon't follow it like some people do. I know there will be a lot of people who would appreciate the museum, and since I was in the area at the time, I figure - why not visit? Yes, it's definitely the Int'l Boxing Hall of Fame and I'm surprised they don't have (+ Museum) attached at the end! It is actually two parts: one big building which has the gift shop and the old Madison Square Garden boxing rink (which was donated to the place in 2000s). The smaller building houses three rooms, one mostly focused on the Hall of Fame inductees, plus some cool, very retro memorabilia such as old books from the 19th century about boxing. It's interesting to know that boxing has been around for centuries and somehow someone was taking notes and records on who were the greats during the older times. I've heard of all the boxers that everyone else has heard of, like Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Evander Holyfield and a couple others. Of course, they're all enshrined. Even Sylvester Stallone, who wasn't really a pro boxer - just helped popularize it - is in the Hall of Fame! The other two rooms have memorabilia dating back to at least 1900. Lots of cool retro posters, bronze fists that are meant to look like other boxers, etc. A different but great experience, regardless of how much you care about boxing. Apparently the greats think it's a big deal...Tyson and Stallone have both been here!

My granddaughter and I have been here several times. It's a great place for littles to explore in…read morea safe place with lots of different interactive stations and areas. However! Twice now we've been when LARGE groups from schools have been there and it is absolutely chaos. I checked the website before traveling the hour to get there and nothing was mentioned. It was so loud when we entered I couldn't hear anything the girl at the register said. There were many chaperones but no one was actually managing the kids. The place is not that large and it was wild. My granddaughter is 3 1/2 and could barely maneuver around. She had toys taken out of her hand by the older, larger kiddos and you couldn't hear a thing it was so loud. I did talk to a worker from the museum and asked if there's a place to find a schedule and she kind of brushed me off. I gave 3 stars because if you go on a "normal" day it's great for younger kids.

The Children's Museum in Oswego is fantastic and filled my kids with hours of fun and…read moreentertainment. We arrived on a Monday morning, left for lunch, and returned for more play until the museum closed at 4PM. The museum is technically two stories, although the first floor mainly consists of the admissions desk, a small gift shop, and a water play station. Waterproof smocks or covers would have been nice since my son's shirt did get quite wet. There were boats, fishing rods, and cascading channels of water for various kinds of water play. This was a hit with both of my toddlers. The second floor had much more activities. From large and small foam blocks, Magnatiles, a scarf suction pipe/chute, books, light tables, brite light pegs, and a mini spiral climbing structure, to a dentist's office, pizza and salad restaurant, fire truck, tree house, farmers market, farm, toilet to teach plumbing, aluminum recycling, color wheel, and much more, there was a lot for kids of all ages to explore. There was also a small sectioned-off area for 0-2 infants and pre-walkers. The space hosts birthday parties as well as STEM classes. The staff were lovely. We were given a stamp in our hands before we took a break for lunch so that we could re-enter for free that same day. The only complaint I have is that there was less in the way of offering arts and crafts or even free-form drawing. We did not see any parking lot, but took advantage of free 2-hour street parking. This is definitely a great spot for families with young kids in Oswego.

After touring the nearby Stickley factory we drove a few miles to the Fayetteville library where…read morethis gem of a museum is located on the second floor. This used to be the factory years ago. The library on the first floor is hands down the best furnished library we've been in since it was all Stickley furniture! The museum is small but well done with good displays. The curator Amanda was very helpful and enthusiastic. We learned a lot on top of the tour we just did. Highly recommend but check the days and hours that the museum is open since they are limited.

We planned to tour the Stickley Museum as an add-on rather than a focal point of our family's…read morevacation itinerary, but it turned out to be the highlight of our trip! In fact, we enjoyed it so much, we were surprised we stayed so long! And, we hope to return! I must say that our enjoyment was mainly due to the personableness and knowledgeability of the director and curator, Amanda Clifford, who communicated effectively from day one; that is, the day I emailed before the trip, and that's out of the country since we're not even Americans! We're Canadians and we're antique furniture artisans. Amanda was so attuned to our passions--perhaps sharing them even--that the three of us covered a lot of territory together at once. We felt like the tour was a real treat, being able to discourse deeply over the mechanics, aesthetics, history, sentimental values plus the current appreciation of antique furniture. We discussed the variety of woods, the types of structural techniques, the idiosyncrasy per Stickley brother, and enjoyed listening to all the fascinating stories behind specific pieces, time periods, and personalities. The visit really adds meaning to our own work! Moreover, the museum is situated above a lovely public library, which kept our kids, who preferred to do something other than to study old furniture, busy with computers and books while my husband and I toured the floor above. The librarians were friendly and accommodating. Even more, every space in that building, including the washrooms, seems to be furnished with prized pieces of Stickley antiques! The venue, including its outdoor garden and indoor cafe, has a wonderful atmosphere all around! While explaining some of the history of the Stickley company, Amanda ended up also covering information on Fayetteville, a quaint, history-preserving community, plus other cities and regions in the state of New York. Every question we asked her--be it regarding furniture, geography, history, or just plan tourist-related interests--was answered with expertise, courtesy, and thoughtfulness. Thank you, Amanda, for making the tour a thorough pleasure! We hope to return in the near future for a visit to the Stickley factory in nearby Manlius, NY, too! ------------------------------- People may not realize this as personally until they visit a museum like this one, but the pieces of wood we use as furniture in our homes are items we live with day and out, and throughout history. How we make them, use them, decorate with them, choose them, maintain them, and value them speaks a great deal about the culture from which we come and about the characters who own them. This is what makes furniture both pragmatic and personal, functional and fascinating, and why so much of ourselves as human beings is invested into antiques; hence, making a visit to the Stickley Museum so significant. (Written by the owner of "Olden Wood Revivals", a co. of artisans who specialize in restoring antique furniture in Northumberland County, Ont., Canada)

I attended part of the Peterboro Freedom Festival (events on Juneteenth). This museum is a hidden…read moregem! I knew the hosted interesting events, and they didn't disappoint! I totally recommend visiting the National Abolition Hall of Fame! And visit the Gerrit Smith Estate Historic Site while you're in Smithfield/Peterboro. Peterboro is northeast of Casenovia, NY.

We had a great time on our tour at the 1890 house. Our tour guide, Rose was fantastic and very…read moreknowledge about many elements of the house and background of the family who lived a the home prior to it becoming a museum. Definitely recommend this tour.

The house tour was great. We went around Halloween time which added a spooky element. It was…read moreinteresting to learn about Victorian period customs and lifestyles in this region. I highly recommend.

My friend and I stumbled across this gem of a museum during a downtown festival. There was no…read moreadmission on this particular Sunday and had tons of complimentary books, brochures and information regarding historical and present Syracuse! We spent well over an hour marveling at the rich history of the Salt City of Syracuse, original maps, antiques, so much to see! You definitely could spend hours digging into the history of Syracuse, Erie Canal, and surrounding areas! They do have an area for games and reading and a gift shop.

I ain't sayin she an Onondaga But she ain't messin' wit' no…read moreBroke MAGA I ain't sayin she an Onondaga But she ain't messin' wit' no hat wearer 18 years 18 years She work for this association For 18 years 18 years, at this association And after 18 years She found out I'm not Asian!? This is a lovely old building in the heart of downtown Syracuse which is probably most famous these days for being the epicenter for the ghost walks. It's great that they organize them and have jumped on the massive popularity of these things all over the world. Syracuse has a lot of old scary buildings so it's perfect for ghost walks, and the ghost walk run by this little place is actually probably one of the very best we've ever been on.

This was our first experience here, and it was a positive one. First, check Groupon for discounts…read more We found a great deal that was a significant discount from standard entry cost. The theater shows are... okay. Our kids weren't that impressed. If included in your ticket price (ours were, via the Groupon) it's fun to see, but I wouldn't pay extra for them. There is a lot of hands-on / interactive activities, which was well-received. However there is still a lot of empty floor space, which seems it could benefit from more exhibits or interactive displays. Maybe one day. Overall, if passing through, or visiting Syracuse, it's a great place to pass at least half a day (with kids; without kids it's not that interesting).

Great experience at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology. We went on a Sunday…read moreand it was not crowded, which made it easy to walk around and enjoy the exhibits at our own pace. There are a lot of informative and interactive areas, including exhibits on memory, energy, plate tectonics, Earth science, the geodynamo, chip chemistry, and the Micron memory megafab. I especially liked that the museum had enough depth for adults to actually learn something, while still being very kid-friendly with hands-on displays and play areas for younger children. My only small gripe is that a few of the exhibits and interactive devices felt older or worn, and some were not fully functional during our visit. Given the age of the museum and how much hands-on use these exhibits probably get from younger visitors, it is understandable. Hopefully they continue repairing and refreshing them, because the museum itself is definitely worth supporting and revisiting. The building itself is also pretty cool, with a historic exterior and a spacious multi-level layout inside. Overall, this is a great educational stop for families, kids, and adults who enjoy science, technology, and learning something new. Highly recommended.