Adirondack Experience facts for kids
Main entrance of the Adirondack Experience
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| Location | Blue Mountain Lake, New York |
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The Adirondack Experience is a special museum. It is located in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. This museum helps us learn about the history of the Adirondacks. It sits on the land where an old summer resort hotel once stood. This hotel was called the Blue Mountain House. It was built in 1876.
The museum is quite large. It has 23 buildings and covers 121 acres. There are 60,000 square feet of space for exhibits. A big new exhibit opened in July 2017. It is called Life in the Adirondacks. The Adirondack Experience is open from late May to mid-October each year.
The museum has many interesting things. These include old artifacts, photographs, and art. They show the past of the Adirondack region. You can find these items in 24 different buildings. Some are historic structures, and others are modern galleries. The museum also hosts special events. They offer workshops and demonstrations by artists. Schools can even take free field trips if they are in the Adirondack Park. There is a research library too. It is open all year. The museum has published 65 books about Adirondack history and art.
Contents
History of the Museum
How the Museum Started
The museum began in 1948. A person named Harold K. Hochschild started it. He wanted to save a steam locomotive and two train cars. These had been left near the Marion River. Soon after, the Adirondack Historical Association was formed.
Opening and Growth
In 1953, the historic Blue Mountain House was bought. This became the perfect spot for the museum. After years of hard work, the museum opened its doors. This happened on August 3, 1957. In 1963 and 1964, the museum helped with an archaeological dig. This dig explored the Wiawaka Bateaux Site.
Name Change
In 2017, the museum changed its name. It went from The Adirondack Museum to Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake. This new name better shows what the museum is today.
What You Can See: Collections
The museum has many amazing collections. They show what life was like in the Adirondacks.
Large and Unique Objects
The museum has some very big items. These include a Pullman railroad car. There are also several guide boats. You can see an Idem class racing sailboat. A steam locomotive is also on display. There is even a one-room schoolhouse. You can also explore the rustic "Sunset Cottage." The complete cabin of writer Anne LaBastille is here too. The Log Hotel, built in 1876, is original to the museum's site. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Other Important Collections
- Fine Art: The museum has over 2500 pieces of art. This includes paintings, prints, and sketchbooks.
- Watercraft: It has the largest collection of old wooden boats in the United States. These boats were used on inland waters.
- Photographs: There are more than 70,000 historic photos. Some famous photographers like Seneca Ray Stoddard took these pictures.
- Rustic Furniture: The museum has the biggest public collection of rustic furniture in North America. Many pieces were made by a local artist named Joe Bryere.
- Research Library: The museum's library is very important. It has the most complete collection of books, maps, and documents about the Adirondack region.
New Art Exhibit
A new permanent exhibit opened on July 1, 2023. It is called Artists & Inspiration in the Wild. This exhibit is inside the former Lynn Boillot Art Galleries. The museum received a large grant to help build this exhibit.
Images for kids
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The engine that started the museum: The Marion River Carry Railroad, at 1,320 yards (1,210 m), the shortest standard-gauge railroad line in the US
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The Log Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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This Guide boat was built on-site as a demonstration
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Platform Tent
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Antique Strip-built Canoes
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Dog Sled
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Buck Lake Club, one of several buildings moved on site
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Adirondack Guides, one of thousands of photographs in the museum's collection
See also
- Adirondack guideboat
- Adirondack Mountains
- Great Camps
- Reynoldston, New York
- The Wild Center
