Book Review: Unknown Museums of Upstate New York
Katie 
Unknown Museums of Upstate New York features 50 treasures of museums in New York that you probably don’t know about. The book starts with mentioning that several of these museums did get damage from Hurricane Irene a few years back as well as another storm right after. The author checked with the owners and many of them are back up and running or on their way to be. The museums are broken up into regions Chautauqua/Allegany, Greater Niagara, Finger Lakes, 1,000 Islands / Seaway, Central-Leatherstocking, The Adirondacks, The Catskills, and the Capital District / Saratoga so you can more easily plan your trips based on what museums are near each other!
Each museum entry features 4 different sections. The main entry is the history of the museum. The second section is the “Wow Factor” or what the most special item is at the museum that makes visitors say “Wow!”, the 3rd is “The Take-Away” which is where the author describes the reaction to his visit to the museum. “Up around the Bend” features other places for you to visit while on your trip to the museum. Also noted are the hours, location, directions, fees, etc.
While all of these museums have reasons to visit – here is the list I came up with of what I’d like to try and visit… Lucy Desi Museum & Desilu Studios (Jamestown), Kazoo Museum (Eden), Jell-O Museum (Leroy), Museum of Oddities (Cazenovia) and the Trolley Museum (Kingston). Who knew a cheese museum could be so fascinating?
It’s too bad that a lot of upstate New York is just too far from me to make these day trips (the Lucy Desi museum is 6 hours away!). Sometimes I forget just how HUGE New York State really is. Oh well, maybe one of these days I’ll find myself passing through for one reason or another.
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
Unknown Museums of Upstate New York is an informative and entertaining guide to the rich resources available at fifty small, often overlooked, regional museums. Even those familiar with the upstate area will likely have never visited and perhaps never heard of some of the treasures this guide unearths, such as the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum, the Kazoo Museum, and the Robert Louis Stevenson Cottage and Museum. D’Imperio tells each museum’s story, in light of its cultural and historical relevance, and he provides a wealth of information about the museums as places of interest to visit, not just to read about. In addition to information on ticket prices, hours of operation, and travel directions, Unknown Museums of Upstate New York highlights key information about the collections and offers suggestions for how visitors can make the most of their visit, listing nearby and related venues of interest to the regional explorer. Each of these museums deserves a visit, but you won’t find any of them in New York City. They’re some of the gems of Upstate New York, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find them without this guide.
Chuck D’Imperio is a well-known radio personality from Upstate New York and the author of several books that explore the hidden facets of his home region, including the recent Monumental New York! A Guide to 30 Iconic Memorials in Upstate New York.