If you're a fan of the Christmas classic film, you will love the It's a Wonderful Life Museum in…read moreSeneca Falls. Having seen the movie many times, I was overjoyed to visit the museum, which contains a treasure trove of unique photos and artifacts related to the movie. While many of the items are replicas not used in the actual film, it's still a perfect place for fans of the movie to kill a bit of time perusing pictures of the cast members, some of which who visit the museum annually for events. Admission is a modest $5 donation, and they have a cute gift shop with items for purchase. Staff on site at the museum cannot have been any friendlier, and were willing to let us stay a few minutes even past the closing time as we had arrived shortly before they closed for the day. There is a perfect photo op spot to commemorate your bisit to "Bedford Falls." This particular museum is located in a temporary spot through 2026 while the original permanent museum is undergoing major construction and expansion. While I'm sure the permanent museum complete with theater.would be a perfect 5 out 5 rating from me, this temporary museum space was still a very enjoyable experience for me. If you are a fan of It's a Wonderful Life, make it a point to visit this museum in Seneca Falls. There is a bridge in town which served as inspiration for the bridge scene in the movie.

Was dying to visit this spot--this is a favorite movie, special to my family--as I I know it is to…read moremany--and certainly deserving of its esteem and lore, IMHO. The museum itself is a small spot that is chock full of great photos and interesting stories about the movie and its cast, many of which were new to me. I learned some interesting tidbits and could definitely feel the care and appreciation with which the museum is curated. It is, though, very small, and surprisingly lacking in actual memorabilia--as explained up front, only 5 known movie props exist, most with private collectors. Perhaps unfair, but I guess I was expecting something a bit more. Still and all, worth a visit if you are visiting scenic Seneca Falls and the amazing Women's History National Park nearby. Make sure to walk over to the nearby bridge after your museum visit, which is definitely a convincing piece of this town's claim to be the "real" Bedford Falls.

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.

Our visit to Fort Ontario was fantastic. It is clear that the individuals who work there are very…read morededicated and knowledgeable. It is well kept, signage is clear, and the technology available made it very easy to engage with the artifacts there, which I loved! Not only were the information and items very informative and interesting, but there is also a beautiful view of Lake Ontario. A quick trip from Syracuse, and located in an area with many restaurants and cute gift shops, I highly recommend a visit to Fort Ontario - you will not regret it! Make sure you give yourself enough time to really look at everything. Well worth the time.

This place is very cool! Lots of history and well maintained. You can go into most of the…read morebuildings and they did their best to stage the rooms as they were back in their time. You can also walk the upper level of the fort walls. The views are amazing. This is an inexpensive way to spend the day teaching you kids history. Bring them and show them some of the American history available in Oswego!

I stopped in while in the area about 40 mins before they closed to see if I could take a quick peak…read morearound and they were super accommodating and had a tour guide give me a brief tour with high level talking points. Even with the abbreviated version of the tour I learned so much!! It was so nice to see how they restored the house to match the photos and to see and feel the tour guides passion while giving the tour. I'm glad I made the last minute decision to go, it was such a unique to Rochester experience.

Small quaint little home of Susan B Anthony. It is well maintained. This is a piece of American…read moreHistory. It's in a neighborhood that's a bit run down and feels unsafe. Private parking available as well as street parking.

I was fortunate to have been the bartender over 20 years ago for the fundraising event to build the…read moremuseum. Ruth Gruber and so many of the survivors were in attendance. I've been meaning to visit since its opening. The tour is self led after an 8-minute video. Each area of the exhibit has touch screens (they provide a stylus) and some have audio. The accompanying app digs deeper into the stories and history. It is a must see if you're in the area. The events leading up to and during the refugee settlement should be taught about in school.

Fort Ontario, now home to Safe Haven Museum, was the only U.S. jurisdiction to formally protect,…read morefeed, house, and educate European refugees during WWII. Thanks to President FDR, 982 refugees found their way to America and away from the devastating effects of the Holocaust. To me, it seemed unbelievable that such history could be found in CNY so I had to check it out. One Saturday morning, I made the 20 mile drive to Oswego in order to visit this small local museum. I arrived 30 minutes after it opened and was the first person there. I chatted with a delightful volunteer, who gave me a rundown of the site and its history before allowing me to watch a 38 minutes video, which included refugee interviews. After the video, I strolled around the tiny gallery to read their stories and see photos. Afterward, I walked through the main area one last time and again chatted with the volunteer, who has been keeping an eye on the place since it opened in 2002. All and all, I would say that I spent two hours at the museum, but you could easily see it all in an hour or so. Admission is $5 for adults. It is obvious that this local landmark is proud of its heritage and has gained a lot of support from both survivors and their families. There are currently plans to expand the facility and add an outdoor garden, which will be lovely. I was sad to hear that there is a shortage of volunteers because this type of history should be protected and shared for generations to come. My only real complaint is that the "theater" where the movie is shown is in the middle of the exhibit hall and the background noise is a tad distracting when you're reading plagues and information boards (a group of people came in 30 minutes behind me). Although this is a small museum and perhaps a work-in-progress, I recommend it to anyone who, like me, enjoys a trip to the museum to learn new things. I took several courses revolving around the Holocaust in both high school and college, but I never heard the story of Fort Ontario. It is worth going to see for yourself to reflect upon Oswego, NY's place in WWII history.

Nice little museum. A little pricey like everything around here. Not too much to look at other…read morethan climbing to the top. A little claustrophobic at the top. Wouldn't want to do it if there were other groups.

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.

The perfect place to take your kids, especially in the winter season! Such a gem for kids &…read morecurious adults. There is always something new to explore. We love coming here, and every visit feels a little different because they keep adding new, hands on areas for kids to explore. The newest GROW exhibit is a huge hit with my crew, especially the part where they buy eggs and pretend to run their own little farm stand. It blends imagination, real world skills, and ag technology in such an engaging way. I also loved the Amateur Nature Photography winners wall. It's such a beautiful way to celebrate local talent and get kids excited about nature. As someone who loves nature photography myself, I could've stayed there all day. A few favorite spots: Building Bricks area -- my boys love making forts Science Playhouse -- a multi-level indoor play area with climbing, sliding, and exploring. Indoor playgrounds are rare these days, and this one is fantastic. Micron area -- super engaging and surprisingly educational. Vending machines and bathroom layout -- easy, clean, and parent-friendly (a huge win). And don't miss the Dome shows. It's always worth checking the showtimes. My kids love grabbing popcorn and watching the short movies and planetarium-style features. This is one of those places where you can spend 30 minutes or three hours and feel like it was absolutely worth it. Staff is friendly, everything is clean, and it's genuinely fun to watch kids learn through play. Highly recommend for families, nature lovers, and anyone looking for a relaxed, meaningful outing with young kids.

The national Air Force museum of Canada is a great place to learn about the military history of the…read moreRoyal Canadian Air Force. There are lots of different types of planes that you can exhibit as well as history information. Although this is no longer free, there is an admission cost to enter the museum now.

So worth the visit. They are restoring an old Lancaster at the moment. Saw old fighter jets and…read morean old Hercules. Elderly 'copters and other planes. Very much worth a visit. They honour all airmen and women from all backgrounds - that was nice to see. The Museum is run by dedicated and faithful volunteers. Very knowledgeable gentleman, who described in length the history of the Halifax bomber which was recovered from the bottom of a lake in Europe. They have done a stellar job restoring this amazing workhorse.

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.

Came here with two other people and we all really enjoyed it! There was a lot to see in the museum…read moreand it was really informative about a variety of science topics. It was interesting for adults and children, and there were many families the day we came. Although there was a lot of reading, there were several interactive displays too.

I struggled with rating this museum because I am torn about my feelings towards it…read more On one hand, their specimens are absolutely jaw dropping if you're into fossils or geologic history. On the other hand, it's the size of a post stamp. It is a beautiful building and all the exhibits have impeccable designing, but don't expect this experience to take more than an hour at most. I stopped to read every single placard and it took me roughly forty five minutes to get through everything. I can see this place being understimulating for the average kid, but at least my kid loved it because he loves fossils and sea shells. I am very appreciative of the work they do here to keep history alive, I just wish there was a bit more to it.