Discover New York's Museums with Don WIldman 1st ed.

Plan Your New York State Museum Getaway with I Love New York Chautauqua-allegheny You can find out more detailed travel information on getting to New York’s museums—including nearby activities, attractions and options for lodging and dining—at iloveny.com. History lovers will delight in New York’s Path Through History initiative, showcasing the state’s unparalleled network of museums, historic sites and cultural institutions. Thirteen themes have been developed— including civil rights, the Revolutionary War, presidential history, sports history, natural history and more—to help you discover the events of the past and learn how they reverberate today. Go to iloveny.com/ paththroughhistory for a list of special history events (including the annual Path Through History Weekend held every summer), a personal itinerary trip builder and more. You can also put every square mile of New York State in your pocket with the I Love New York mobile app. It’s available for download from the Apple Store and Google Play. Find out more at iloveny.com/mobile. photo: gene wilburn via Flickr CC The museums profiled in this publication represent just a small sample of the many hundreds more waiting to be explored all across New York State. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Jamestown preserves the vast archival holdings of the worldrenowned naturalist, ornithologist and conservationist. In 1934, Peterson published his wildly popular A Field Guide to The Birds, and set the standard for the modern field manual. I’m not a birdwatcher yet even I have two RTP guides on my bookshelf. In the course of his long career, Peterson received nearly every award available to naturalists but the best evidence of his passionate love for nature are his remarkable bird and botanical paintings, many of which are on display. The Institute hosts a revolving series of natural history exhibits, and the beautiful museum and peaceful, hike-friendly grounds alone are worth a visit. rtpi.org 69.4 miles from Buffalo Station “Lucy I’m home!!” I exclaimed— entering the lobby of the Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy, a shrine to the comedic joys of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz—and nobody blinked. Must happen a dozen times a day. I’m one of the countless Americans raised on I Love Lucy reruns—but while I am well-versed on her Vitameatavegamin routine and have done my own imitation of the candy assembly line, I knew very little about the comedy genius herself—for instance, that she was raised here in Jamestown, NY—or that her Cuban-born husband and partner, Desi Arnaz, fled Cuba after Batista’s 1933 revolution. Here, you can wander through a mockup, in full living color, of the famous apartment where Lucy and Desi shared many an adventure with their befuddled neighbors, Fred and Ethel. There is also an annual Comedy Fest every summer that pulls in head liners like Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and Lewis Black. A national comedy center, indeed! lucy-desi.com 70.1 miles from Buffalo Station There’s something evocative about lighthouses, the way their bright beams pierce the darkness. Since 1826, there has been a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Erie, near Dunkirk Harbor. Today, the Dunkirk Lighthouse and Veteran’s Park Museum photo: Brian Hubbard via Flickr CC (rebuilt in 1876) still serves on active duty, guiding ships—or, at least, pleasure boats—to safety. Climb the spiral stairway to the upper observation level for a great look at how great a Great Lake really is! The small military museum honors those who served in the Armed Services and the grounds are great for picnics. dunkirklighthouse.com 47.3 miles from Buffalo Station 8 • iloveny.com NY MUSEUMS BY RAIL

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