This is an awesome place to come abd look around because there is SO much cool stuff to see but I…read moream reviewing this as a wedding venue. I was in a wedding there this past weekend and everything went so smoothly. The getting ready areas were very fun (the men got ready in the Firehouse toom and the girls got ready in the Marilyn Monroe room). The only issues we had were that the lighting was too dim for getting ready - we remembered to bring a separate makeup mirror with bright lighting options which saved us. The outlets were also difficult to find. It was a very cool and unique space to get ready in and the men were set up with a pool table in theirs. The wedding photos are not in yet but I just know that they are going to look phenomenal. We took photos in many different places around the venue (its huge) and I can't wait to see how they came out. Definitely more unique than youd typically expect for wedding photos! The bride had a positive experience with staff in getting everything ready and organized leading up the big day. Everything went as planned and it looked beautiful. Some exhibit pieces were in the way during the ceremony and they made arrangements to move them to make more space. The only issue we ran into was the heat. The AC was on but I dont think it was directed into the getting ready spaces, and when there were large groups of people around in the main room it was still too warm. Not a deal breaker but something to consider if being too warm on your wedding day is a concern for you.

Mardi Gras by Jazz 90.1 catered by Madeline's Catering . Ambiance 10…read moreNew Orleans cuisine 10!

What an absolute treasure we have here in Rochester! With over 12,000 permanent pieces in the…read morecollection. From paintings, sculptures, artifacts and everything in between. Came here with a six year old first time visitor. When we got our tickets the staff member suggested we do one of their scavenger hunt's. That was a big success., we did the horse one inside and the metal sculptures outside. Great way to keep kids engaged. Loved the Picasso and the progressive proof exhibit in the Lockhart gallery. Had to make sure I visited my favorite paintings including anything by Monet . Great outside area with different sculptures in the garden and surrounding pathways.

I love this little local art museum. I've been here so many times but never reviewed it…read more From their website: "MAG offers free access to children age 5 and under, active University of Rochester students*, faculty, staff & retirees, and SNAP card holders (along with three guests)." They are also open late on Thursdays and second Friday, and admission is half price after 5pm on those days, which is nice for people who work a 9-5. They also have tours that are included in the price of admission. The last time that I visited, I was able to participate in one of the Thursday night MAG general collection tours. Everyone who worked there was very kind, and the tour included some interesting history about Rochester that I would have never otherwise known. For a local museum, the collections are very interesting and cover a broad range. There are also some big names in American art, so try to spot them! They also have a small but good impressionist collection. One of the coolest aspects of this museum is the baroque organ which is played on Sunday afternoons.

Anytime we visit Rochester, we have to visit the Eastman Museum. It's a great museum, featuring not…read moreonly the permanent exhibit, the house, the outdoor garden but also the rotating exhibits. Everyone is also very nice and welcoming. I absolutely love photography so I love seeing the old pictures and the cameras that took them. It's so cool to see the evolution of the camera. They also have a few movie cameras too. They also had a whole wall displaying the colors used when Technicolor was first introduced. I also like seeing how much better pictures got over time too. When we visited recently, there was a wonderful exhibit that I absolutely loved. It combined my love of flowers, horticulture and photography. It was so cool that this man grew these beautiful tall flowers across a large portion of his property and photographed it all. He also created some other beautiful pieces. I especially loved three large panels. While touring the house, you see many fascinating items from Eastman's life. It's a beautiful home. You can just imagine the parties he must have hosted there. I would love to have attended a party that he had in his dining room. He had some beautiful things. the foyer where you go to the other rooms or upstairs. He had some interesting artifacts too like his pipe organ that had around 6k pipes. I bet it sounded amazing because there were also buttons that made it sound like a whole orchestra. The gardens there are absolutely beautiful when not under construction. They have so many wonderful varieties of flowers and other plants. I can't wait to go back and see it after the construction is done. There was also a beautiful picture of Macchu Picchu outside. If you love photography, you must visit. They have a nice gift shop too.

This is a house that reflects the zeitgeist and sensibilities of it's first owner, as do Elvis's…read moreGraceland and Hearst's San Simeon. If you're one of the world's richest men, how do you design your home? It turns out, George Eastman, best known for earning camera patents and running a multi-million dollar international firm, had a wild and wacky side. Who else would install not just a cathedral-style Wurlitzer near the central stairwell, but hire an organist to play it every morning at 08:00 as an alarm clock? He once took an African safari and decorated his home liberally with the mementos: An elephant's head is in place of pride in the atrium. Eastman's mother lived to an advanced age, and had her own wing in the house. For me, this was some of the most interesting and personal parts of the house. Her bedroom window had the best view of the formal gardens below. The nurse's quarters were adjacent to hers. The state of the art wheelchair was on display, and looking into the medicine cabinet (behind glass) were the medicine bottles she used. Raise your hand if you're surprised morphine was there? Except for the china pattern, the piano, and the furniture, Mrs. Eastman is almost invisible. Perhaps that was her preference. In summer the gardens are open to the public. There's a gallery/ photography museum next to the house on the first floor; the price of admission is covered in the same visit fee. Seniors, students, children have discounted ticket prices.

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.

While a small museum, the Museum Of The Earth packs in a lot of exhibits and information. It's an…read moreimmersive experience at times as well with full rooms decked out with artifacts or fun interactive displays. For those in the Ithaca/Cayuga area, it's worth a stop in for an hour or so of your time.

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 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!!!

Constructed in 1822 of stone and decommissioned in 1881 and then returned to active service in…read more2014, the Charlotte Genesee Light is a lovely example of some of the earliest lighthouses. 40 feet tall and in an octagonal shape, it is next to but not attached to the keeper's house. The light was originally lit by whale oil lamps but those were replaced by a proper Fresnel lens in 1853. Not open for tours on this late weekday afternoon but the grounds are open and you can have a proper walk around. Even on a somewhat cloudy day, it is a beauty! There are a number of captions and other things to see on the property including the original well, the original keeper's house and more. [Review 1409 of 2024 - 413 in New York - 22432 overall]

My girlfriend and I walked with a friend from Schaller's on Edgemere to the beach, deciding to…read morecheck out the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse in the process. The staff are all very welcoming and knowledgeable about different aspects of lighthouse and maritime history as they pertain to Rochester. One of the docents led us on a tour through the rooms, pointing out items from the lighthouse's history and regaling us with its history, such as the 33 farmers who used a clever rouse to convince the British that an entire army was camped on the coast during the War of 1812, thereby preventing an invasion. We had the opportunity to climb with the tower. The lighthouse is only 40 feet tall, but it sits atop a 40-foot bluff, giving it 80 feet of elevation. The docent at the top explained to us of sediment deposits and years of industrialization had pushed the lake coast outward so that the lighthouse no longer sits at the point where the Genesee River empties into Lake Ontario; rather, it's slightly upstream from the current point of connection. The light room guide explained the current 4-th order Fresnel lens and how it still acts as a signal light for the lake in case boaters lost the ability to use modern directional equipment. He then gave us stickers in celebration for climbing to the top. Though there was a light rain, it was still a lovely day and a great spot to visit.