On one of the coldest days of the year, I decided it might be prudent to do some indoor exploring near Seneca Lake, our focus lake for February. I took along my intrepid mother for a museum adventure. First stop: Geneva History Museum, run by the Geneva Historical Society. Located on Main Street in Geneva, the museum “tells the stories of the city’s people and places, ordinary and extraordinary.” [Photo courtesy of Geneva History Museum: https://genevahistoricalsociety.com/visit/geneva-history-museum/]

Along with the library and research room, they had several different exhibits. Our stand-out favorite was the Discovery Room. Although we are well outside the target age of 6-12, our inner children made an appearance while exploring the hands-on activities. An extensive mural covering two walls showed a timeline highlighting events happening in the country and specifically in Geneva. A trunk full of period clothes and drawings of what children wore in centuries past comprised the Clothing Corner, where children can try on clothes of days gone by, and check their look in the mirror. Native American Beadwork and Seneca Basket Weaving stations give children the opportunity to try their hands at those crafts.

The civil engineer in me was particularly enthralled by the road exhibit. A model section of 5&20 going down the table had various methods of road surfacing through the years, starting with “corduroy roads” featuring logs laid perpendicular to the direction of travel, and ending with a current asphalt surface. Another tabletop display gives children the opportunity to recreate downtown Geneva, with buildings, vehicles, and trees.

Next stop: Main Street Arts Gallery in Clifton Springs. We particularly enjoyed the Flora and Fauna exhibit put together by husband and wife team Kurt and Judy Feuerherm. This display explores the “humor found in the behavior of birds and the beauty of the floral world” (http://www.mainstreetartsgallery.com/). The flora was represented by acrylic painting/collage pieces by Judy, while the fauna was embodied by assemblage sculptures by Kurt.

The rich history of our region and the talent of our local artists make for some enjoyable, enlightening and informative experiences. What a pleasant way to spend an arctic winter day!