Cultural Attractions

World-renowned museums, music, amazing architecture and more! With New York’s Choice Hotels you’ll be a stone’s throw away from it all. Take a peek at the cultural attractions the state of New York offers.

In New York City

American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY   10024
212-769-5100

There are so many exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History, we suggest serious fans devote a couple of days to exploring the museum’s ins and outs. Exhibits include the famous Dinosaur Hall, the Hall of Biodiversity, the Hall of Planet Earth, the Rose Center for Earth and Space, and, perhaps best of all, the New Hayden Planetarium.

Apollo Theatre
253 W. 125th Street
New York, NY   10027
212-531-5300

Once a notoriously dangerous neighborhood, New York City’s Harlem has become a safe haven where the arts might be expressed and where culture might thrive. Of course, before its impoverishment, Harlem was a cultural haven where ideas like Jazz were able to take hold. As the venue where many of today’s most famous musical artists broke ground, the Apollo Theatre is a landmark which serves as a homage to Harlem’s past and future greats.

Broadway
Broadway, Between 40th and 50th Streets
New York, NY  

The Theatre District is where the money’s at if you’ve ever enjoyed musical theatre in your lifetime. New York is perhaps most famous for this, and the Broadway you’ll walk down is the street whose name has become synonymous with big-time musical theatre. A host of world-class shows are to be found on Broadway, from the fun and funny to the dark and depressing. As you navigate toward the show of your choice, look up if you haven’t already and see the dazzlingly endless electric display of Times Square.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY   10028
212-535-7710

Perusing through the Metropolitan Museum of Art might take a day or two; in fact, it’s been estimated that it could take up to three weeks. We encourage you to allot some time in this world-famous collection of classical art exploring the museum’s miles of galleries, which range from ancient Grecian statues to the work of Impressionist masters.

In Long Island

Arsenal
425 Park Avenue
Huntington, NY   11743
631-351-3244

Built in 1740 as a farm building, the Arsenal has since been converted to a residential dwelling. It also has since been converted to a historic site and the house played an interesting role in the history of the revolutionary war. Guests visiting Arsenal will be intrigued to find out exactly why the building is called, well, Arsenal. This cultural attraction in New York is open year-round.

Dinosaur Walk Museum
221 E. Main Street
Riverhead, NY   11901
631-369-6556

The Dinosaur Walk Museum will delight the budding paleontologist. If you’re not sure exactly what a paleontologist is, well, the Dinosaur Walk Museum will delight you as well, as its fascinating educational curiosities are at once a learning experience and an enrapturing visit to the past. 17,000 square feet house the over 50 life-sized full-skin dinosaur models which find their home at the museum. Interactive exhibits such as a fossil dig and a movie theatre make this New York destination a must.

Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum
2000 Montauk Highway
Montauk, NY   11954
631-668-2544

Come to Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum to see on full display the oldest of New York State’s lighthouses. The second congress of the United States authorized the building of the lighthouse under the political reign of none other than George Washington, in the year of 1792. Completed in 1976, the lighthouse towers over 100 feet tall and remains to this day an essentiality of oceanic navigation along the eastern seaboard.

In Hudson Valley

A.J. Snyder Estate
668 route 213
Rosendale, NY   12472
845-658-9900

This estate is located in the beautiful and historic Hudson Valley Region in New York State, specifically in the Rosendale National Cement Historic District. And as such, its historic implications will be clear to any visitor. Tours are abundant, and include several mines, an old cement factory, a canal, and even an exhibition hall including carriages and sleighs from times when antiques weren’t quite antique yet.

Bardavon 1869 Opera House
35 Market Street
Poughkeepsie, NY   12601
845-473-5288

A National Historic Landmark since 1869, this theatre has a couple of claims to cultural fame. The first is apparent: its historic status. But the second is little less obvious – the opera house is now host to a wealth of fine performance art, including but not limited to opera, theatre for family and young people, and even the world-class Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra, which plays a fantastic repertoire of fine classical music.

Historic Clarkstown Reformed Church and Cemetery
250 Germonds Road
West Nyack, NY   10994
845-358-4320

There’s history everywhere in New York, and the Hudson Valley is the opposite of an exception. Here at the Historic Clarkstown Reformed Church and Cemetery, you’ll find that case to be extremely true, with 250 years of service to the community exemplified by grave dating back to the American Revolution. Also featured are graves from the War of 1812. Historical markers will guide guests through the timeline of this historically significant site.

In Central Leatherstocking

The Afton Museum
116 Main Street
Afton, NY   13730
607-639-2363

The Afton Museum contains many cultural wonders within its historic walls that guests to New York will undoubtedly want to explore for themselves. Just a little taste of what awaits you: exhibitions on local history, industry, and home life; a dazzling model of the Link Space Shuttle Trainer; and memorabilia which dates back to the Revolutionary War.

Bridge School House Museum
Route 30S, Eastside Road
North Blenheim, NY   12131
518-827-6344

At the Bridge School House Museum, guests are invited to see the inner-workings of the educational system of days past. Here in this one-room schoolhouse which has been relegated into a museum, visitors to New York can gape at the way American once learned. Curiosities abound, and include old school desks and blackboards which originally occupied the school in its days of institutional yore.

Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History
Route 20
Warren, NY   13439
315-858-2868

Guests travelling to New York who find themselves in the Central Lockstocking region of this beautiful state are heavily encouraged to saturate their curiosities at the Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History, where hands-on exhibits and behind-the-glass displays will educate and inform about fossils, dinosaurs, and other ancient species which once populated the earth. Learn what a Trilobite is, or dig for Devonian fossils – only at Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History.

In Capital-Saratoga

Agnes Macdonald Music Haven Stage
Central Park, Fehr Avenue
Schenectad, NY   12304
518-372-5656

Come to the capital region of New York State to witness one of the more grandiose theatres in this section of mainland America. One of the great features of Agnes Macdonald Music Haven Stage is its outdoor location, allowing guests to enjoy at once the glory of entertainment without the overbearing enclosure that walls so often impose. Music, theatre, and movies all have found a place at the stage, as well as family programs which run from spring through fall.

Albany Symphony Orchestra
Palace Theater
Albany, NY   12206
518-456-3333

Where can you go on your visit to the beautiful and politically-rich region of Capital-Saratoga to experience a night of musically-inclined culture like no other? Well, naturally, you can go on a trip to the Albany Symphony Orchestra, where a wide range of culturally rich performance pieces go on display. Witness the vast and encompassing repertoire of the Albany Symphony Orchestra in New York State’s glorious capital city.

Mansion Historic District Guided Tour
25 Quackenbush Square
Albany, NY   12207
518-434-0405

This guided walking tour spans over 2 miles of the beautiful mansion historic district in the cultural haven of Albany, where New York State’s political capital is seated. Ramble past a slew of architectural styles in their beautifully preserved states, and witness historically significant buildings such as the Albany Diocese and the Executive Mansion. Best of all, you’ll get to learn all about these magnificent structures from an informative and friendly neighborhood historian.

In Greater Niagara

Attica Historical Society
130 Main Street
Attica, NY   14011
585-591-2161

Guests travelling to Greater Niagara in New York State who are interested not only in the study of genealogy but also in the chronicles of the 1900’s will have found a dream destination at the Attica Historical Society. On display are the history and genealogy of the area, including artifacts such as furniture, household objects, and even war memorabilia dating back to the war of 1812.

Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
1023 Swann Road
Lewistown, NY   14092
716-754-7489

Those who have an interest in statues will be pleased with the offerings which are to be found at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine – over 125 life-sized statues are featured on the shrine’s 35 acres. Underneath a Glass Dome Basilica is where you’ll find yourself at this wonderful attraction which centers on the religious figure of Fatima. With a Fatima chapel replica, religious articles and memorabilia and more, it seems like it’s doing a good job.

The Kavinoky Theatre
320 Porter Avenue
Buffalo, NY   14201
716-881-7668

At the Kavinoky Theatre, guests will revel in two separate facets of culture. The first is a bit more historical, and has to do with the fact that the theatre is itself a fully restored 1908 playhouse of the Victorian vein, capturing perfectly the grandiose warmth that the era once exhibited. The other facet has to do with the plethora of fine entertainment offered on the theatre’s stage. Call the number listed above for details.

In Finger Lakes

Patterson Inn Museum
59 W Pulteney Street
Corning, NY   14830
607-937-5281

This site has been registered with the National Register of Historic Places, and for very good reason. Those interested in the culture of the 19th century will find their home here, where buildings on the site include a tavern built in 1796, a log cabin built in 1855, and a 1-room schoolhouse which dates back to 1878.

Wings of Eagles Discovery Centere
17 Aviation Drive
Horseheads, NY   14845
607-739-8200

Guests visiting the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center are transported to an earlier place in time, when airplanes hadn’t yet progressed to the Boeing 747. Learn about the early days of flight, from the Golden Age of flight onward to the exploration of the outer reaches of our solar system. Attractions include a flight simulator and a real operational vintage airplane.

The Redhouse
201 S. West Street
Syracuse, NY   13202
315-425-0405

This arts facility is located in Syracuse’s own Armory Square, a center for the arts in this interesting and diverse Finger Lakes city. Presentations are unique and vast in their spectrum, and include contemporary theatre, fine music and art, and independent and documentary film. Call ahead for the schedule of events.

In Adirondacks

Hyde Collection
161 Warren Street
Glens Falls, NY   12801
518-792-1761

This world-class collection of European and American masters is sure to delight the art fan of every walk of life. Works by some of the finest, including Rembrandt, Rubens and Renoir are hung for your appreciation in an 18th-centry Florentine villa.

Lake George Historical Association Museum
Old County Courthouse
Lake George, NY   12845
518-668-5044

Those who are fascinated by the workings of history will take delight in this New York State destination, which takes place in an old courthouse. As such, the courthouse gives way to actual 19th-century jail cells and artifacts from the time period. Hotels and mansions of that era are discussed in exhibits as well.

Chapman Historical Museum
348 Glen Street
Glens Fall, NY   12801
518-793-2826

This restored Victorian home of a prominent Glens Falls merchant combines history with reality in a setting which at once is a reminder of the past and a living testament to the preservation of history into the present. Learn about the region you find yourself in through various exhibits on display at this Adirondacks destination.

In Thousand Islands

Antique Boat Museum
750 Mary Street
Clayton, NY   13624
315-686-4104

Guests to New York’s beautiful Thousand Islands region will find themselves confronted with a lot of water: Lake Ontario is one of the largest lakes in the country, and much of the region’s boundaries run along it. So why not head down to the Antique Boat Museum, where you’ll learn all about the vessels which course the lake’s waters from over 200 antique freshwater boats, motors and engines.

Fort Brewerton/Block House Museum
US Route 11 & Route 37
Brewerton, NY   13029
315-668-8801

Culture and history abound at Fort Brewerton/Block House Museum, where you’ll find the actual remains of a strategic stone fortification built during the French and Indian War. At the museum, you’ll learn about what you’ve just seen, and also about various Native American cultural tidbits. War artifacts are on display behind the glass as well.

Lake Ontario Playhouse
103 W. Main Street
Sackets Harbor, NY   13685
315-646-2305

Stand-up comedy abounds at the Lake Ontario Playhouse, where some of the biggest names in stand-up comedy have performed once, twice, and even more times. Some even got their start at the playhouse, which also offers summer theatre productions of highly professional caliber, along with a musical for the holidays.

In Chautauqua-Allegheny

American Museum of Cutlery
9 Main Street
Cattaraugus, NY   14719
716-257-9813

See how Americans have been eating for three-hundred years. Trace the evolution of eating habits as you may never be able to do again at the American Museum of Cutlery, which regards itself as the premier guardian of all of America’s edged tool and weapon manufacturing history. That means there’s more on display here than forks and knives – visit the museum and find out about their diverse array of exhibits.

Adams Art Gallery
600 Central Avenue
Dunkirk, NY   14048
716-366-7450

The Adams Art Gallery houses the works of many contemporary artists, so fans of the surreal and the interpretive are encouraged to visit. But also on display is something a bit more classical – the architecture of the gallery reflects its origins as a church, and the spacious interiors and natural and track lighting are sure to delight the staunchest of classicists.

Portage Hill Gallery
6439 S. Portage Road
Westfield, NY   14787
716-326-4478

Some of the best destinations are those which take care of two desires in one fell swoop, and the Portage Hill Gallery is just that. As an art gallery, vacationers to New York State can satiate their penchant for the appreciation of art in all its mediums here. They may also learn about the area through artistic medium, as the artwork contained in this gallery is all from regional artists.

In Catskills

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
200 Hurd Road
Bethel, NY   12720
845-583-2000

At the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, guests will be treated to one of many genres of music which will entice the ears and soothe the soul. From classical to country, pop and jazz, all performers here have gained renown and acclaim. After all, this is the site of the historic 1969 Woodstock Festival that took the American youth subculture by storm.

Catskill Artists Gallery
38 S. Main Street
Liberty, NY   12754
845-292-0310

Fine art and crafts, featuring the work of regional artists. Mediums are extensive and include paintings, sculpture, fabric, pottery, woodcraft, photography, and more. Here, vacationers will find the perfect venue in which to receive and interpret the native spirit of the Catskills region, fostering an in-depth understanding that might otherwise be missed.

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