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 2024 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 2024 and looks forward to more history in 2025.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 5, while the Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum will each be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day.

At the Hall of Fame, visit the Museum’s new The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball exhibit, dedicated to exploring the stories and impact of the Black baseball experience, including the deep connections between baseball and Black America.

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:

10:30 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 20-minute guided tour.  Begins at Buck O’Neil Award on Museum’s first floor

11:30 a.m. – Tools of the Trade: Tools of the Trade: Explore the evolution of baseball equipment in this interactive program. Your Team Today exhibit, third floor

1 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

For more information, please visit baseballhall.org/events.

At Fenimore Art Museum, see new exhibitions including American Masterworks; Young at Art: A Selection of Caldecott Book Illustrations; Boundless Spirit: American Folk Art at Fenimore Art Museum; New York to Paris: Street Photography by Todd Webb; and The Art of the Everyday: American Genre Painting. Afterwards, enjoy lunch on the Fenimore Cafe’s garden terrace overlooking Otsego Lake. Find more information at FenimoreArt.org.

At The Farmers’ Museum, discover the exhibit The Buzz about Pollinators which explores three of New York’s important agricultural products – apples, maple syrup, and honey – with a particular focus on the role of bees and other pollinators in their cultivation. Find out what you can do to help pollinators thrive in the face of climate change and other challenges. Afterwards, reacquaint yourself with the timeless Country Village, friendly farm animals and engaging interpreters – characteristics that make the museum a destination for travelers from around the country. Find more information at FarmersMuseum.org.

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.