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    Fort Drum, NY Museums

    The Burrville Cider Mill is one of the oldest businesses in Jefferson County, established in 1801 as a saw and gristmill. Make sure to tour the old mill and watch them press cider and make cider donuts.

    The Paddock Mansion is the former family home of a local banker and his wife, built around 1876, and has since been turned into a local history museum. There is a library, galleries, historic Watertown military artifacts, and examples of the Victorian lifestyle, in addition to one of the largest existing Kinne Waterwheels in the world.

    The Pickering-Beach Museum shows visitors what life was like in the coastal town of Sackets Harbor during the early 1800s, set in the home of 19th century shipbuilder Augustus Pickering.

    The Antique Boat Museum preserves the nautical history of North America, with a focus on small craft and the history of the St. Lawrence River area. It is the host of the country's oldest Antique Boat Show and Auction held annually, and a biennial Antique Raceboat Regatta.

    The Thousand Islands Museum displays local St. Lawrence River area historical artifacts including documents, photos, maps and an impressive collection of antique and current hunting decoys. This collection led the museum to begin hosting an annual decoy and wildlife art show.

    Boldt Castle, nestled on its own 5-acre island in the Thousand Islands region, was built in 1900 by millionaire owner of the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, George Boldt, as a summer home for himself and his wife before she suddenly passed away. The castle sat unfinished until the 1970s, and now is restored to its originally intended splendor, complete with Italian gardens, a drawbridge, and a yacht house. The castle offers self-guided tours and is available only by boat or water taxi.

    The Governour Museum takes visitors on a trip back in time into a former Presbyterian Manse that is now filled with antique objects such as furniture, toys, and common household decorations and items like clocks and sewing machines, that reveal the stories and histories of real Governour area residents throughout the years.

    The Sci-Tech Museum gives the public a hands-on way to experience and have fun with science and technology with over 40 interactive exhibits and educational, fun classes for kids.

    The Fort Drum Museum preserves and shares the history of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division, both of which have been connected with almost every U.S. conflict and war since the their beginnings. Exhibits include a rare, early 20th century M1904 Colt machine gun, and medals that once belonged to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

    Syracuse

    The Everson Museum of Art is dedicated to the collection and preservation of American art, including mostly paintings, drawings and sculptures. It has one of the largest collections of American ceramics in the country and was one of the first to start collection video art; now the museum boasts the largest collection of video art in the world. The building itself is considered a work of art as well, having been designed by I.M. Pei and credited with starting his world renowned career in the process.

    The Erie Canal Museum is located in America's only remaining weighlock building, used to weigh canal boats, and as a museum is dedicated to the history of the canal and how it has shaped the past and present and will continue to affect the future.

    The International Mask and Puppet Museum celebrates the art and history of puppets and masks with collections from all over the world, including Commedia dell'Arte masks from the 17th century Italy, shadow puppets from China, and more. There are live productions at the Open Hand theater featuring both puppets and masks.

    The Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology is a science museum and IMAX theatre visited by 800,000 adults and children every year. Exhibits range across topics such as space and flight, life sciences, and earth sciences.

    The Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center offers the community the only local history museum for Syracuse, NY. Exhibits include Syracuse China, Syracuse and the Underground Railroad, early 1900s transportation, and a display on local brewing and related artifacts.

    The Salt Museum features the role Syracuse played in the nation's salt production in the 18th-19th centuries. Thanks to the area's plentiful salt springs, Syracuse supplied the almost all of country with salt until around 1900. The museum teaches visitors about how brine was turned into salt and displays the original boiling block, kettles, and wooden barrels used in production up until the 1920s.