Jell-O Gallery facts for kids
The Jell-O Museum in Le Roy, New York
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The Jell-O Gallery is a super fun museum in Le Roy, New York. It's all about Jell-O, that wobbly, colorful dessert! The Le Roy Historical Society runs this cool museum. It's a great place to learn about the history of Jell-O and see lots of interesting items.
Contents
The Museum's Story
The Jell-O Gallery is located in an old stone building. This building was once part of the Le Roy House and Union Free School.
From School to Museum
The original school was built in the 1860s. It taught both boys and girls. Later, in 1898, the stone building you see today was built. This was to make room for more students. By 1911, a new high school was built nearby. The old school buildings were then sold.
In 1945, the property was given to the Le Roy Historical Society. An older wooden school building was taken down in 1962. But the stone building stayed. It was used for storage for many years.
Opening the Jell-O Gallery
In 1996, the Historical Society decided to fix up the old stone building. They wanted to host a special Jell-O exhibit. This exhibit was called "There's Always Room for Jell-O." It was part of the Jell-O Jubilee celebration.
The exhibit was a big hit! It was on display from June 1997 through September of that year. Because it was so popular, the museum decided to keep the exhibit permanently. In May 1998, the Jell-O Gallery officially opened its doors for good.
What You Can See
The Jell-O Gallery has many cool things to explore. You can see old advertisements and learn how Jell-O became so famous.
Jell-O Collectibles
The museum displays hundreds of Jell-O items. These include old Jell-O spoons, fun toys, and different Jell-O boxes. You can also see old recipe books and other Jell-O souvenirs. There are even original oil paintings used in early Jell-O ads!
Learning About Jell-O
You can learn all about Jell-O's history. The displays share interesting facts and stories. A friendly tour guide is often there to tell you more. They give a short introduction about Jell-O's past in Le Roy.
"On the Road" Exhibit
In 2006, a new exhibit opened on the ground floor. It's called "On the Road: A Century of Ruts, Dust, and Macadam." This exhibit shows how people traveled long ago. It has old horse-drawn wagons and even an ox cart. A cool 1908 Cadillac car is also part of this collection. There are eleven vehicles in total!
Around the Museum
Outside the museum, there's a special brick sidewalk. It's called the Jell-O Brick Road. It was put in place in 1996. Many bricks have names carved into them. These are names of important people from Le Roy and Jell-O employees. There's also a Little League baseball field behind the museum.
The Gift Shop
Before you leave, you can visit the gift shop. It's right next to the exhibit room. You can find T-shirts, sweatshirts, and magnets. They also have Jell-O molds and other fun Jell-O collectibles.
Research Library
The museum building also has a large research library. Here, museum staff help people with research. They can answer questions about family history, the town of Le Roy, and Jell-O's past.
See also
- Le Roy, New York
- Le Roy House and Union Free School
