Cooperstown Museums to Host Community Day Oct. 5

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – With another summer of family-friendly fun for visitors of all ages complete, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate the spirit and teamwork that made it possible with the 2019 edition of Community Day.

Residents of Otsego County will be provided with complimentary admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum on Saturday, Oct. 5, as Cooperstown recalls a memorable 2019 and looks forward to more history in 2020.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 5, while Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum will each be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day.

At the Hall of Fame, visit the Museum’s new Shoebox Treasures exhibit, dedicated to the story of baseball cards, as well as the recently renovated Grandstand Theater. The plaques from the Class of 2019 will be on exhibit along with artifacts from the careers of Harold Baines, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith. The Museum will offer a variety of additional family-oriented programming throughout the day, all included with Museum admission on Saturday, Oct. 5, and free to residents of Otsego County:

10 a.m. – Greeting and Q&A with Hall of Fame President Tim Mead: New Hall of Fame President Tim Mead will share his passion for baseball and Cooperstown, and participate in a question-and-answer session, followed by a special screening of Generations of the Game film. Grandstand Theater

11:30 a.m. – Plaques of the Gallery Tour: Aimed at visitors of all ages, this program educates visitors about the history of the Hall of Fame Gallery, the process by which each plaque is made and installed and the history of our Induction in this 35-minute guided tour. Begins at Buck O’Neil Award on Museum’s first floor

1:30 p.m. – Open Hour in the Learning Center: This interactive room allows families to explore baseball history through hands-on items from the Hall’s education collection. Learn how equipment and styles of uniforms have changed over time. Learning Center, first floor

3 p.m. – So You Think You Know Baseball? Test your knowledge of baseball history in this interactive game show for fans of all ages! Make your way through all nine innings, and you could win a free commemorative Hall of Fame gift. Put your wits to the test and see if you’ve got what it takes to walk away a winner! Bullpen Theater, first floor

For more information, please click here.

At the Fenimore Art Museum, see new exhibitions including Heroines of Abstract Expressionism, offering a glimpse of a one-of-a-kind private collection of paintings, works on paper, and sculpture by women artists who pioneered Abstract Expressionism in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. Artists include Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler and many more. See the museum’s permanent collections including the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art. Afterwards, enjoy lunch on the Fenimore Cafe’s garden terrace overlooking Otsego Lake. Find more information here.

At The Farmers’ Museum, discover the exhibit Brew: New York’s Craft Beer Revival. Central New York’s breweries and beer experts share their stories and process in this vibrant and engaging exhibition which features objects, images, and text highlighting the history of New York State brewing, hops, and barley up to the present day. Enjoy a Hops Talk in Bump Tavern at 11:00 a.m. Then, reacquaint yourself with the timeless Country Village, friendly farm animals and engaging interpreters – characteristics that make this attraction a destination for travelers from around the country. Find more information here.

In order to gain free admission to each museum, visitors must present a government-issued identification with an Otsego County address at each museum’s main ticket booth.