MAP Passes to Museums, Attractions & Parks
MAP Passes, offer free or reduced admission to over 45 destinations, and are available to Poughkeepsie Public Library District residents* who are 18 or older, with an email address and no fines. *Passes to FDR Presidential Library & Museum are available to all Mid-Hudson Library System patrons.
Book up to two (2) passes for the same day to combine visits to nearby venues. These may be local places or destinations on getaway trips to the Adirondacks, Albany, Berkshires, Boston, CT coastline, Danbury or Hartford, NYC, Springfield, and Vermont.
Always confirm hours and visiting information on destination’s website.
Failure to cancel a pass you do not use may result in suspension of pass privileges.
Pass Types: Print on-Demand. Physical passes, called Pick up/Return.
Reserve for the day you want to visit. If the pass is marked “Closed”, the destination is closed. You can print the pass from home or contact the Library to print it for you once you have made the reservation. Take the printed pass to entrance on the specific date printed on the pass.
Make the reservation for the day you intend on picking up the pass. Destinations marked “Closed” mean the library is closed. Check out pass (inside pouch) for three (3) days including pick-up date, day to use pass, and day to return.
Tip: On holidays the venues may be open, but the Library could be closed, so reserve a day early.
• Library card barcode must match reservation at check-out.
• Return to library branch where checked out, and you may use Book Drop to return.
• A $5.00 per day fine if returned after due date (okay to use drop box after closing time).
• If not returned within one week, the pass is considered lost, and a replacement cost fined.
From this webpage, select the destination and click to open up to see the full description. At the bottom of the description, click on “Request Pass” to open into reservation system. You can make a reservation up to 60 days in advance. Use the calendar to select the date (the date depends on whether it is a print on-demand or pick up/return pass, info for each is found above).
Once you have selected the date, click “Request Pass” and you will be prompted to enter your library card barcode. Once you’ve completed the reservation, an email confirmation will be sent to you. For Print on-Demand passes, select “Print Pass” to print from home to bring to destination on date printed on pass. A reminder email will be sent 2 days before a reservation. You may also choose to receive a text reminder.
Use “My Passes” button on the TixKeeper Reservation page by logging in with your library card barcode, and clicking on the pass to cancel, or call the Library. If the reservation within 24 hours or less, “My Passes” directs you to call the Library to cancel for you. Failure to cancel a pass, so that others may use it, may result in a suspension of reservation privileges.
Questions? Call the Reference Desk at (845) 485-3445 x 3702.
Check out other FREE or reduced admission destinations within the Hudson Valley and beyond that do not require a MAP Pass!
Jump to Pass By Destination Name:
Print on Demand – Open Late May – Columbus Day
Explore Online: collections, exhibitions, and
Half Price Admission – Two Options to Select: 50% off for 2 adults and all children 17 and under; OR 50% off for up to 4 adults. Age 5 and under are always free. 50% prices: ages: 0-5 free, age 6-17 $6; students w/ID $6, age 18-64 $10; 65+ $9. Library Pass users do not need to make Timed Reservation Tickets online. Please show either the ADX MAP Pass on your mobile phone (from emailed reservation “Pass Info”) or the printed MAP Pass at the Visitor Center. If possible, they would like you to show your PPLD Library Card, too. As Internet access is spotty in the Adirondacks, you may wish to make your MAP pass reservation in advance, and print out. Hours are 10 AM – 4 PM.
Two Adirondack MAP Pass Destinations: The Wild Center & Adirondack Experience passes may be reserved for the same day, weekend or week. 32 miles apart.
Accessibility & Animals: Wheelchairs, wheeled walkers, and strollers are available on a first come. first serve basis. Service animals are welcome. Dogs or emotional support animals are not permitted.
Address: 9097 State Route 30, Route 28N & 30, Blue Mountain Lake, NY (193 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 518-352-7311
Albany Institute of History & Art
Print On Demand – Open All Year
Admits: 2 adults and 2 children (under age 18). Library Pass users do not need to register for timed advance tickets. All visitors, whether vaccinated or not, must wear facial masks and social distance. Safety Guidelines may change, so check their website, here. The Museum Cafe is temporarily closed. Check their website for current exhibitions, events calendar, and exploring the Museum from Home.
Guides & Maps: Museum Map and Gallery Guide (Hudson River School exhibition). Family Guides are available. Learn about the collections and current exhibitions.
Museum from Home: Includes art activities, exploring virtual exhibitions like their 3D tour of Hudson River School paintings, Galleries Plus, scavenger hunt, online resources, and the museum’s YouTube channel.
Accessibility: Galleries and public spaces are wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs and strollers are available for use at the admissions desk.
Parking: Free parking is available on a limited basis in their parking lot at the corner of Dove and Elk Street. On the weekend, there is plenty of free parking available on the adjacent streets.
Hours: Open Wed. – Sat. 10 am – 5 pm and Sun.12–5 PM.
Closed: Mon. & Tues. and holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.
Address: 125 Washington Ave., Albany NY 12210 (80 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 518-463-4478
Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
Print on Demand – Open All Year
Admits: The pass-holder and four family members, for a total of five guests (plus children 12 and under free) per library pass with required Timed-Entry.
Reservation made in advance on their website under “Visit.” Click on either “Purchase Tickets” or “Timed-entry tickets or reservations required.” Select Date, Ticket Type “Member/**Free/Child” for free admission, Time Slot, and enter Quantity and click the “Buy it Now” button. Next, enter your contact information, and click on the “Continue to Payment” button at No Charge, and then click on “Complete Order” to finalize your ticket reservation. Follow their “Visitor Code of Conduct and Safety Precautions” and “Tips for Visiting,” under “Visit.“ There is a 15% discount museum store with the member Library Pass. Free parking, elevator, strollers permitted, no café, and coat check is closed. Before visiting, please check website, or call (203) 438-4519.
Restrictions: The Library Pass is not eligible for special events exceeding general admission cost (requires non-members to pay a fee) or for members-only events.
Hours: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM every day but Tuesdays, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Holidays Open: Open these holidays, so Print on Demand passes from Home and go – Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day.
Closed: Tuesdays and New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Address: 258 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877 (56 Miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 203-438-4519
Print on Demand – Open Daily All Year 10 AM – 4 PM
Covid-19 Policies & FAQ: Everyone over age 2 must wear a facial mask, unless you have a medical condition. If you do not have a mask, one will be given to you. Policies & FAQ list all the safety and cleaning protocols, visitor requirements, and information to plan your visit. A stylus pen is given to each visitor for touch screen exhibits and visitors are asked to follow the one-way directions in the galleries. If capacity reaches a limit in an exhibit, staff will ask you to wait before entering.
Admits: Four (4) people for free admissions (any age) when you present the Library Pass at the Box Office. Additional tickets can be purchased at the Box Office or online at the regular price: Adults (ages 16-64) $28; Seniors (ages 65+) $23; Youth (ages 5-15) $19; Children (under age 5) are free.
Library Pass Holders do not need a timed-entry reservation as they will accommodate if capacity is limited due to Covid. Pass is valid for 10% off any photo purchase at “HOOPSHOTS” Photo Center. Pass is not valid for special events. Check their calendar to avoid or plan around any closing of exhibits due to special events held on the day of your visit.
To Shoot on Center Court: If you wish to participate in shooting on Center Court, please wear appropriate footwear (subject to change, so check website or call). No games of any kind, and no half court shots for everyone’s safety at this time. Staff will provide a sanitized clean basketball to be used by your group, if you wish to shoot hoops.
Restrictions: Backpacks and large bags not allowed in the museum unless needed for a medical reason. Food or beverages may only be consumed on the public concourse or any of the on-site restaurants, but are not allowed in the museum’s exhibits.
Dining & Restaurants On-site: There are restaurants in the Naismith Hall for Fame for dining on-site, and also nearby Springfield Riverfront. Some offer pre-ordered Box Lunches by contacting Hall of Fame for sales at (413) 231-5513. For Lodging and Dining information on their website, click here.
Hours: Open daily all year, 10 AM – 4 PM, except for holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Always check website to see if they modify hours open due to Covid. Check this calendar for early closings of the museum or a particular exhibit for any special events.
Address: 1000 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield, MA 01105 (124 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 1-877-446-6752
Print on Demand Grounds May 1 – Oct. 31 Daily + All Yr. Galleries & Special Events
Note: Leonhardt Galleries’ Winter Hours Tues – Sun. 11 am – 3 pm; Many Special Events held all year.
Admits: Four (4) Adults for free, with children under the age of 12 free, from May 1 – Oct 7 for the date of your Library Pass reservation. Grounds are free Tuesdays and Oct. 10-31. Present the Library Pass at the Garden Shop when you arrive, and stay as long as you want. Admission includes 24 acres of gardens, art in the galleries and grounds, self-guided audio tour, a free group tour at 11:00 AM each day June 1st – Sept. 1st (departs Visitor Center), and use of buildings and bathrooms. Masks required inside buildings. Picnics are allowed.
Maps & Garden Shop: Garden shop has snacks, beverages and gifts. See a Map of the Garden. View a Garden album.
Restrictions: No Smoking on grounds. Special events may require admission fees or tickets, and not accept library passes, such as the annual Harvest Festival, Oct. 8 & 9. Picnics are permitted. Only dogs that are registered service animals are permitted.
Accessibility: The Garden’s 20 acres are generally wheelchair-friendly. Many paths are accessible. Terrain varies and some gardens are only accessible by stone steps, with viewing areas. Reserve a wheelchair by calling (413) 320 – 4794. Garden seating available.
Tours: Two types of tours included with admission. A self-guided audio highlights 21 places in the garden. A free group tour is at 11:00 AM each day June 1st – Sept. 1st, and will depart from the Visitor Center.
Open: Open May 1 – Oct. 31, from 9 AM – 5 PM daily, plus open for special events year around (see left sidebar), such as annual events, workshops, Winter Lecture, Spring Bulb Show, and some are free and some require admission. Free Tuesdays, and Oct. 10-31. Library pass May 1 – Oct. 7. Oct. 8 & 9 requires tickets for the annual Harvest Festival.
Closed: Nov. 1 – April 30, except for workshops, Holiday Market, February Winter Lecture, Spring Bulb Show three weeks in March — these and any events noted on the BBG website. Some special events are free, and others may require admission or tickets purchased online.
Address: Routes 102 & 183, Stockbridge, MA 01262 (68 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 413-298-3926
Print on Demand – Open All Year
Admits: 50% off general admission for two adults, two children (age 4-17) and children 3 and under are free (Note: half price rates: $7.50 adults and children $4). They accept walk-ins and recommend an advanced reservation made by calling the Berkshire Museum’s front desk at (413) 443-7171, ext. 360 to arrange a “Library Pass Reservation” for the date and time you’d plan to arrive. Or, use their website’s reservation system to select date, time and enter the number of “Library Pass Adults” and “Library Pass Children.” Museum fully wheelchair accessible. Masks for everyone age 2 and over, and social distancing. Go to Plan Your Visit for more information. They accept the printed pass or the digital pass display on your mobile phone, using your emailed reservation or text reminders under View Pass Info.
Explore from Home: Explore the museum’s digital collections, virtual exhibitions, and virtual events from your home. In addition, also explore Objects & Their Stories, WeeMuse Programs, and Resources & Tools for educators.
Highlights: Due to the museum’s founder, Zenas Crane, the Museum has a broad and varied collection of over 40,000 objects from virtually every continent, including important fine art and sculpture to natural science specimens and ancient artifacts. There are Hudson River School paintings, an aquarium, and a “wide cross-section of the world’s wonders” and artifacts from American history. For more “About” the museum.
Hours: Open year around seven days a week, except selected holidays, with hours Monday to Saturday.: 10 AM – 5 PM, and Sundays: Noon – 5:00 PM.
Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day.
Address: 39 South Street (Route 7), Pittsfield, MA 01201 (75 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Parking: Free and paid public parking near the museum. Learn more.
Phone: 413-443-7171
Print on Demand – Open April to December, includes Mansion Tours and/or Gardens & Grounds
Admits: One adult plus three guests of any age for free (under age 4 is free). This pass includes access to the grounds and seasonal exhibitions, plus a tour of the Historic House Museum as available. A Timed-Entry Reservation for the Guided House Tour or Guided Grounds Tour must be made by 5 pm the day before the Tour. Tours may fill up quickly (4 tours a day, limited to six people). See instructions below for making a library pass tour reservation.
Pass Instructions for Tour Registration: Reserve your Library Pass then go to Boscobel’s Events or Visit page on their website. Note that House Tours require vaccination and masks.
1. Scroll down to the Tours section, and select the guided tour type: “Guided House Tour” or “Guided Grounds Tour.”
2. Click the “Read More and Buy Tickets” button under the Tour you want to go on.
3. Using the same date you reserved the Library Pass for, select tour time (10 am, 10:30 am 12 pm, 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm).
4. Enter the number of people (up to 4 people by age; plus age 4 & under is free), and on the Registration Page 2 you will enter the name of the Library (Poughkeepsie Public Library District) and contact information for visitors.
5. On the next page, you will enter the library member code for Library Pass Members (on ticket instructions) as MEMLIB21 and then the cost of admission will be revised as free.
6. Show your library pass at the entrance desk.
The Boscobel House: Explore the house, built between 1804 and 1808, and how it was saved, after being sold to a wrecker for $35 in the 1950’s and demolished, and how it was reassembled at this gorgeous site overlooking the Hudson River and saved. View the history, house images, and read about how the house was saved as a beautiful work of art.
The Renowned Collection: Boscobel’s
Highlights of Gardens & Grounds: Enjoy the incredible panoramic views of the Hudson Highlands on the Hudson River and Constitution Marsh and West Point. There are 68 acres of gardens and grounds, including a maple lane, formal garden and herb garden, apple orchard, the great lawn, west meadow, and woodland trails. Picnics are carry-in, carry-out. The Frances Stevens Reese Woodland Trail of Discovery offers hikers a tranquil mile through the forest, with river views. Restrooms are at the Visitor Center.
Open: Friday – Monday, 9 am to sunset, except for special events held Tuesdays – Thursdays, such as Artist Days for visual artists to register for free on Artist Days. Hours may vary with the season.
Closed: Tuesday – Thursday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and January – mid-April.
Address: 1601 Route 9D, Garrison, NY, 10524 (22 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-265-3638
Bronck Museum | Bronck Family Farmstead, Houses, and Barns
Pick Up and Return at Adriance – Late May – Mid. Oct. Tours; Events All Year
Admits: 2 Adults and 2 Children (children under 5 are free). For a guided tour, reserve the MAP pass, make a required Tour Reservation on the Bronck Museum website for the same date, and then check out the reserved Bronck MAP Pass from the Adriance Reference Desk. The 1 hour guided tours take place Wed.- Fri. (12 PM, 1:30 PM, and 3 PM); Sat (10:30 AM, 12 PM, 1:30 PM, 3 PM) and most Sundays (1 PM and 2:30 PM). At the Reservation calendar, fill in the “Quantity” for your group, click on the same date of reserved MAP Pass to select a tour time for your group size, and complete the reservation. A picnic area and restrooms are available. Masks and social distancing are required.
Bronck Family & Farmstead: The farm land was purchased in 1663 from the native Mohicans. For 276 years, and seven generations, Pieter Bronck’s, and his wife, Hilletje Jans’s descendants passed the farm directly from father to child, until 1939 when it was willed to become the Bronck Museum. To learn more about the Bronck Family & Farmstead.
Bronck Houses & Barns: This site contains the oldest surviving home in update New York, and the oldest multi-sided barn, with 13 sides. The Bronck Museum complex consists of the 1663 and 1738 dwellings, a kitchen dependency, a Northern European side-aisle barn, a thirteen-sided hay barn and several Victorian agricultural buildings. Learn more about the dwellings and barns at Bronck Houses & Barns.
Events, Newsletter & Restrictions: While many lectures are free, the Library Pass is not valid for special ticketed events which require a ticket purchase. Lectures and Special Events are held all year, see website for details, sign up to receive their emailed newsletter and event updates.
Open: Wednesdays – Sundays, seasonally from Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day (may extend beyond), except for holidays.
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, Memorial Day, July 4th, Columbus Day, Labor Day, and usually Columbus Day to Memorial Day weekend when new season reopens.
Address: 90 County Route 42, Coxsackie, NY 12051 (50 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 518-731-6490
Print on Demand
Admits: Four people for free admission and unlimited rides on The Bushnell Park Carousel (Hartford, CT) and to the New England Carousel Museum (unlimited carousel rides) and Museum of Fire History (Bristol, CT) about 30 minutes away.
Highlight: The 1914 vintage carousel, with 48 hand carved wooden horses and two chariots that swirl around a booming Wurlitzer band organ, is housed in a 24 sided pavilion in Bushnell Park in downtown, Hartford, CT.
Hours: Bushnell Park Carousel only: January: Sat. & Sun, 11 – 5 PM; February & March closed; April – June: Sat. & Sun, 11 – 5 PM; July – August: Wed – Sun, 11 – 5 PM; Sept – Nov: Sat. & Sun, 11 – 5 PM; Dec.: Wed – Sun 11 – 5 PM.
See Hours for New England Carousel Museum and Museum of Fire History here.
Closed: Bushnell Park Carousel only: January, M-F. All February & March. April – June, M-F. July-August, Monday & Tuesday. Sept – Nov, M-F, and Dec. Monday & Tuesday. Christmas Day & New Year’s Day. Closed during severe weather.
Address: 1 Jewel St., Hartford, CT 06103 (98 miles from Poughkeepsie).
Address for New England Carousel Museum and Museum of Fire History is 95 Riverside Avenue, Route 72, Bristol CT 06010.
Phone: 860-585-5411
Chesterwood | Home & Studio of sculptor Daniel Chester French
Print on Demand Thurs. May 5 – Mon. Oct. 24, 2022
Admits: Two (2) Admissions, plus children ages 12 and under are always free with a recommended Timed-Entry Tour Reservation Booking on their website for the date of the library pass, then selecting Guided or Self Guided Studio Tour or Grounds Pass, Tour Time Slot, and entering the Promo Code in all caps: POUGHPASS at checkout for each of the two passes that pop up below at no charge (free may be applied to adult, youth, senior or military tickets). Enter children (under 13 free) or additional ticket purchases. Arrive 20-30 minutes early to park, check-in, use restrooms and walk to Studio by tour time. Show admissions staff your library card, library pass reservation (either printed or displayed on a mobile device), and your online timed-entry reservation. Walk-ins reservations depend on availability. Download maps and guides from your emailed confirmation. Masks are optional. Plan your visit to book a tour.
About Chesterwood: Situated on 122 acres, Chesterwood is the country home, studio and gardens of America’s foremost sculptor of public monuments, Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), creator of the Minute Man and Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial. Non-service dogs are not allowed on property. Download the property map.
Watch & Listen: View videos about Chesterwood, Daniel Chester French, or his daughter, sculptor Margaret French Cresson, and more. See sidebar links to articles, the studio, residence, collection, resources and more.
The Studio: Built in 1897, Daniel Chester French’s studio boasts a 28-foot-high ceiling with a reception room, casting room, workspace and unique railroad track system to view works in natural light. Today, it is filled with hundreds of French’s plaster models and tools, including the original 10′ model for the famous Lincoln Memorial statue. Includes virtual highlights of the studio to view, and more information under
The Residence: Visit web page for more details regarding the nine-bedroom residence, which was designed by Henry Bacon, and completed in 1901. In 2022, the historic residence is currently closed for touring due to renovations.
Grounds Only Pass: Explore the landscape and enjoy the stunning Berkshire mountain views, stroll through the formal gardens, venture onto the Woodland Walk, veer off to climb the Ledges Trail, and end with a picnic on the tables in the former apple orchard. Starting July 1, 2022, the annual outdoor contemporary show will be on view on the grounds. Note Restrictions that the Grounds Only ticket does not allow entry into the Studio or the permanent collections at the Barn Gallery.
Restrictions: No food or beverages sold, but you may bring a picnic. The PPLD Library Pass does not apply to special events. See their calendar for many special events and exhibitions.
Hours: Open Thursdays – Sundays, 10 AM – 5 PM, from Thurs. May 5 to Mon. Oct. 24, 2022. Chesterwood will be closed until it reopens in early May, 2023.
Physical Address: 4 Williamsville Rd, Stockbridge, MA (70 miles from Poughkeepsie.) It is just off Route 183 in the Glendale section of Stockbridge, MA.
GPS Address: Follow these directions as Chesterwood advises that Google maps and some GPS systems’ directions are incorrect and will lead you to single-lane dirt roads.
Phone: 413-298-3579
Print on Demand – Open Weekends Starting July 3rd & 4th, 2021 from 10am – 4pm. Grand Reopening Weekend Only — Free Entry & Train Rides for Everyone July 3rd & 4th!
Admits: Free general admission for 6 people. Children under 3 are free. Facial masks or face coverings are required in the museum, and aboard the trains, even if you are fully vaccinated. See all COVID-19 Protocols on their website, here. Open Sat. & Sun. only, 10 AM – 4 PM, which may change later. No timed entry reservations. Some areas have capacity limits. Not valid for free admission if special events, then $1 off per person in group. See website for special events & price. Trains are not wheelchair accessible due to age. Train rides, if available, are an additional charge. Water fountains and interactive exhibits are closed. Model train layouts now have foot pedal controls, and not push button controls.
Restrictions: Not valid for free admission on days there are special events at a special price. On special event days, the pass holder will receive $1 off Event Admission for each member in their party. Water fountains and interactive exhibits are closed.
Train Rides: Train rides, when available, are an additional charge, except when advertised differently.
Hours: Open weekends, Sat. & Sun., 10 AM – 4 PM, starting July 3rd & 4th, 2021. Open July 4th holiday in 2021. Check their website or call to see if Train Rides are available weekends.
Closed: In 2021, Closed until July 2nd. Reopening July 3rd for weekends only until further notice. In past years, they were closed on these holidays — not sure for 2021: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Easter, July 4th, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day.
Address: 120 White Street, Danbury, CT 06810 (43 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 203-778-8337
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Print on Demand – Open All Year!
Admits: 2 adults and 4 children (ages 1–18), and children under 1 year are free. Present the PPLD Library Pass at check-in. Follow their current Visitor Guidelines to see if facial masks are required. They do not have a restaurant, but they have a café with vending machines stocked with healthy snacks, water fountains, and allow you to bring in your own food or use picnic areas.
Exhibitions: The Carle hosts seven original shows a year, showcasing a variety of artists, themes, and styles. To see what is on view currently in their three galleries, as well as upcoming exhibitions, several online exhibitions, and past or traveling exhibitions, click here.
Museum at Home: “If you can’t come to The Carle, let The Carle come to you.” They offer a variety of online events, programs, and resources from Home, click here.
Storytime Hours: “Move, sing, play, and learn about the art and design of picture books. Wed. – Fri. at 11:00 AM, Sat at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM.
Art Studio or Art Activity Kits: The Art Studio is open and takes one family or group at a time. Visitors sign up at the Admissions Desk. Art Activity Kits are “to go” for visitors who do not take an Art Studio spot. Request one at the Admissions Desk. You may take them home, or use them on-site at Bobbie’s Meadow, a picnic area.
Virtual Tour: Explore a virtual tour of The Carle – a beautiful 40,000 square foot contemporary building set in an old apple orchard in Amherst in Western Massachusetts, looking out on the Holyoke Mountain Range, click here.
About The Carle: The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art inspires a love of art and reading through picture books. The Carle collects and celebrates picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world, with more than 11,000 objects, including 7,300 permanent collection illustrations, three art galleries, an art studio, a theater, picture book and scholarly libraries, and educational programs for families, scholars, educators, and schoolchildren. In 2002, Eric Carle and his wife, Barbara, co-founded the museum. Eric Carle is the creator of brilliantly illustrated children’s picture books, including his most well known title, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Hours: Wednesday – Friday: 10 AM – 4 PM, Saturday: 10 AM – 5 PM, Sunday: 12 – 5 PM. Hours or days may vary with seasons. Check their website to confirm hours.
Closed: Monday – Tuesday, and these holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, and also usually December 26 – 27.
Address: 125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA 01002 (135 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 413-559-6300
FASNY Museum of Firefighting – World’s Largest Firefighting Museum
Pick up and Return to Adriance – Open Year Around
Admits: 2 adults and 2 children (age 3-17), children 2 and under are free. You may walk-in with the PPLD FASNY Pick Up/Return Pass you check out from Adriance Library. Additional tickets, if needed, are $10 adults, and $5 children. Note that no large bags over 24 inches, no food, and no beverages. Museum is handicapped accessible. Interactive equipment for all ages is now available. Guided tours are pre-arranged for groups of 10 or more, at least 3 weeks in advance, for a fee.
Covid policies: Masks are not required if vaccinated; Masks are required for all, except age 2 and under, if not vaccinated. Museum Policies and Covid policy, is available available here.
Policies: Please follow Museum Policies, available here. Everyone must watch a short presentation before entering on how to protect the collection. No large bags over 14 inches allowed. No food or beverages allowed inside the museum, and none sold. They sell masks. Masks are not required if vaccinated. Masks are required for all, except age 2 if you are not vaccinated. All children ages 3 – 11 must wear a mask, as they cannot be vaccinated.
FAQ: An FAQ is available here.
Description: The Museum’s collection of over 20,000 artifacts, including 60 vintage fire engines, tells the story of firefighting and firefighters, spanning more than 300 years of history and firefighting heroes. Visitor’s experience the evolution of firefighting as told through the world’s foremost treasury of vintage fire apparatus, firefighting gear, equipment and historical works of art. Explore collections online here, and selected exhibitions here.
Hours: Wednesday – Sundays, 10 AM – 4:30 PM, with Gift Shop open until 5:00 PM. Open on Labor Day, but closed most holidays listed below.
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays, and Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day. They are open on Labor Day.
Address: 117 Harry Howard Avenue, Hudson, NY 12534 (44 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 518-822-1875
FDR Presidential Library and Museum – Now available to all Mid-Hudson Library System cardholders
Print on-Demand Open All Year
Admits: A family, defined as up to 5 people, to enter for the Roosevelt Presidential Museum and Library, ONLY if you print the FDR issued public library guest pass from a link below the FDR Logo when making the pass reservation OR from your emailed pass reservation confirmation by clicking on VIEW PASS INFO. Do not print the PPLD’s pass confirmation email, as it will NOT be accepted for entry.
After printing, write in the answers to the questions on the pass: name of family, how many in party, day of visit, and date of visit (same date as the reservation you made). Surrender the pass at the ticket counter of the Wallace Visitor Center, and the pass bearer must show an ID.
Printing Assistance: If you do not have a printer at home, come or call the Adriance Memorial Library Reference Desk to have a copy of the Pass printed for you. Reference Desk: (845) 485-3445 x 3702.
Restrictions: This pass does not provide access to the Presidential Library’s Archives or Research Room, nor does it provide access to the National Park Service sites, such as Springwood/FDR Home, Top Cottage, or Eleanor Roosevelt’s Val-Kill.
Covid-19 Policy: Masks are required indoors regardless of vaccination status. This policy may change, so check the FDR website.
Visitor Amenities: Uncle Sam’s Canteen (April 1-Oct. 31), New Deal Museum Store (check website for hours of operation), and a 20 min. orientation film, “Rendezvous with History,” in the 140 seat Milstein Auditorium.
Free Audio Guide: Available in English or Spanish, for visitors who are low vision or blind, to use a handheld device with two audio tour description types: Basic (2 hr. 12 min.) or Full (13 hr. 40 min.). The handheld device, Tour Mate, is available at the New Deal Museum Store for free. You may also download from the FDR website as MP3 files using iTunes to download.
Virtual Tour & Online Exhibits: Explore the permanent exhibits from home as a virtual tour, as well as seven different online exhibits.
Open: Seven days a week, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. During winter weather, check the FDR website for opening delays or closures.
Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day
Address: 4079 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: 845-486-7770
Florence Griswold Museum | Home of American Impressionism
Print on Demand – Open Year Around
Admits: 2 adults, 2 children (ages 18 and under), and children under 12 are free with Library Pass at check in. Explore the museum campus, including Krieble Gallery, Griswold House, Chadwick Studio, Hartman Education Center, Rafal Landscape Center, and extensive gardens and grounds on the river. Last entry is one hour before closing, either 4 PM (April – Dec.) or 3 PM (Jan. – March). Café Flo is open May – October, with reservations recommended at (860) 434-5542 x 126. Museum shop is open all year.
About the Art Colony at Old Lyme: “During the first two decades of the twentieth century, the village of Old Lyme, Connecticut, was the setting of one of the largest and most significant art colonies of America. Centered at the boarding house of Florence Griswold, the colony attracted many leading artists…” Learn more about The Art Lyme Colony.
Online Exhibitions: Explore the many online exhibitions, including a virtual tour of the Florence Griswold House.
Visitor Guide to Download: Printed guides are not available, but this guide may be downloaded to be used during your visit, and includes a map.
Fall Wee Faerie Village October Event: Held annually during October, all visitors age 12 and over, including those with a Library Pass, pay a $5 fee, or surcharge, for the fund-raising exhibit, whether viewing the faerie houses or not. Children 12 and under admitted free, due to grant.
Hours: Open Tuesdays – Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM, April – December, and 10 AM – 4 PM, January – March. Last entry is one hour before closing. Cafe Flo hours 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, May – October.
Closed: Mondays, New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. During exhibit preparation, some buildings may be closed, and will be noted on the website.
Address: 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371 (118 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 860-434-5542
Gomez Mill House
Print on Demand
Admits: 2 adults/seniors and 2 children to a guided tour (Wed. – Sun. at 10:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm) to view House and Mill.
Restrictions: To view the House and Mill, you must be on a guided tour.
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays. Closed for special event Sept. 14 and 15, 2019. Last day open is Nov. 10, 2019, until re-open in mid-April, 2020.
Address: 11 Mill House Rd., Marlboro, NY 12542 (12 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-236-3126
Print on-Demand Open All Year
Admits: Free admission for up to four adults or students, plus $5 admission for two additional guests, and children under 12 years of age are always free. Library Pass users do not need to make advance reservations. After the security check, present the Library Pass at the entry desk for express admission.
Visitor Guidelines & FAQ: Masks are strongly encouraged. There is no coat check at this time, limits on bag size for entry, and no baby backpacks. Visitor FAQ includes amenities and policies, such as water bottles allowed but no outside food allowed.
Resources for Your Visit: Includes brochure, map, digital guide, and exhibitions. Download before arrive or access on their free Wi-Fi.
Accessibility Guide: Detailed guide to accessibility for all.
Hours: Sun. – Mon. 11 AM – 6 PM, Tues. Closed. Wed. – Fri. 11 AM – 6 PM. Sat. 11 AM – 8 PM. Hours vary with holidays.
Closed: Tuesdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Address: 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10128 (between 88th and 89th Streets). 75-80 miles from Poughkeepsie.
Subway: Travel on the 4, 5, 6, and Q subway lines
Bus: Take the M1, M2, M3, or M4 bus lines on Madison or Fifth Avenue
Print on-Demand Open mid-April – December
Admits: Two (2) adults and two (2) youths (13-17 years) for free. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Masks are optional, see their Health & Safety Guidelines for most current information. Bimi Café and Shaker Mercantile Store open. FAQ available. Download the Walking Tour Map.
About Hancock Village: Twenty historic buildings on 750 bucolic acres, including the iconic Round Stone Barn, Visitor Center, 22,000 objects, a working farm, Seeds Market Café, a store, and hiking trails. The Discovery Room has activities for children. Audio tours for rent, $2. Specialty tours, for a fee, require reservation. See their events calendar.
Events Calendar: Check for events, including Goat Yoga, an outdoor music series on the back porch, and workshops.
Orientation Video: View this short video for an orientation to Hancock Shaker Village and history and visiting information.
Restrictions: As this is a working farm, no pets are allowed on the grounds. Service dogs are welcome. No tripods in historic buildings. Commercial photography requires advance permission.
Accessibility: Wheelchairs are free and reserved by calling 413-443-0188 x 100. The Visitor Center, restrooms, galleries, store, café, and all meeting spaces are wheelchair accessible. Compact-dirt pathways and boardwalks throughout the Village provide access to gardens and grounds, as well as the mile-long Farm & Forest Trail, which has interpretive signage. Some historic buildings are wheelchair accessible via ramp, including the Round Stone Barn and the Trustees’ Office & Store. Keep in mind, however, that most buildings in the historic village are NOT wheelchair accessible.
Hours: May vary by season. Mid-April to late-June; 10 AM – 4 PM. July – October, 10 AM – 4 PM. November – December; Saturday and Sundays only. Includes some holidays.
Holidays Open: Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Columbus Day
Closed: January 1 to Mid-April (check website for opening day), and Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Address: Route 20 & 41, Pittsfield, MA 01202 (located just west of the junction of Routes 20 & 41). (73 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: (413) 443-0188 or (800) 817-1137
Hildene | The Lincoln Family Home
Pick up/Return at Adriance Memorial Library – Open All Year
Admits: 2 adults and 4 children (age 6 – 16) and children under age 5 are free using the two Hildene Passes that are laminated together. Additional persons pay full admission – $23 adult, $6 age 6-16. Present the Hildene Pass at the Welcome Center for admission stickers. No reservations required.
Visiting Information: includes Covid-19 policy, and currently masks are optional, but subject to change. See Accessibility Guide and Hildene’s Map.
Overview: The 412 acres includes Robert and Mary’s House and Gardens (self-guided tour; in summer/fall may offer guided tours again for an extra charge, may call to reserve), 1903 Pullman Palace Car Sunbeam, Hildene Farm Goat Dairy and Cheese Making Facility, Dene Farm with 1832 Hollow School and greenhouse, Animal Barn with variety of animals, 12 miles of trails, the Batternkill wetlands with a 600-foot floating boardwalk.
Picnics & Animals: Picnics on the grounds are allowed in designated picnic areas. The Museum Store also sells Hildene made cheese, and snacks. Sanitize your hands before petting the farm animals, and no hands in the animals mouths. Pets are not allowed.
Hours Vary as they may change with the season. Currently, Thurs. – Mon., 10 am – 4:30 pm (gates close), and this may change with the season.
Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving Day, December 24, 25, and 26. Temporary hours of operation may have Tuesdays and Wednesdays closed, so check their Hours.
Address: 1005 Hildene Road, Manchester, VT 05254 (135 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 800-578-1788
Hudson Highlands Nature Museum & Grasshopper Grove
Print on Demand Museum Open All Year; Grasshopper Grove April – November
Admits: Two adults and their children under age 18 to two locations (1.5 miles apart) Grasshopper Grove – Nature Play Area at Outdoor Discovery Center, and the Nature Museum at Wildlife Education Center with live animals and birds. Visit both locations the same day. Pass includes 10% off at HHNM gift shops and member pricing to attend weekend programs and special events. Trails are open daily dawn to dusk – and are free, no pets, and library pass is not needed for Hiking Trails.
Grasshopper Grove – Nature Play Area: Check out Grasshopper Grove, Nature Play Resources, visiting FAQ, and a series of Nature Play activity videos inspired by Grasshopper Grove you can do at home. Video description of the Grasshopper Grove.
Nature Museum at Wildlife Education Center (WEC): Introduction about the WEC, Nature Museum, and Meet the Animals. Enjoy a brief video about the WEC, Nature Museum and the animals.
Programs & Events Calendar: See the Calendar for programs and events, and any registration information. Library member passes receive member prices if there is a fee, so reserve the library pass for the date of the event.
EDventures! and Social Media: Nature education videos on HHNM’s Facebook page, TikTok, and YouTube
Hiking Trails: Free and open from dawn to dusk every day. You do not need the library pass. Pets are not permitted. Download the Outdoor Discovery Center Trail Map.
Hours: Two Locations: Nature Museum, open Sat. & Sun., 12 pm – 4 pm all year and Grasshopper Grove Nature Play open Sat. & Sun., 10 am – 4 pm April to Nov. Trails open daily, dawn to dusk, for free with no library pass.
Locations 1.5 Miles Apart:
The Wildlife Education Center (includes Nature Museum)
25 Boulevard, Cornwall on Hudson, NY 12520
845-534-7781
The Outdoor Discovery Center (includes Grasshopper Grove Nature Play)
120 Muser Drive, Cornwall, NY 12518 (Entrance across from 174 Angola Road, Cornwall, NY)
845-534-5506
Hudson River Museum | Art, Science, History
Pick up and Return at both Library Branches – Open All Year
The Library MAP Pass Admits:
- 2 Adults and up to 6 children for free (to the Museum, Planetarium, and Glenview Home Tour). Present the Library’s MAP Pass at the museum entrance.
- 15% discount in the Museum Shop.
Covid Policy: All visitors 5+ must show proof of vaccination, or negative PCR test within 72 hours, and 18+ must also show a Photo ID. Visitors under 5 must be accompanied by an adult with proof of vaccination or negative PCR test, and Photo ID. Face masks are still required indoors for visitors older than two years old and for all staff members. Masks are optional in the HRM Courtyard.
Museum Highlights: Explore the Hudson River Museum’s current exhibitions, free performances outdoors in their Summer Amphitheater Series, and attend virtual and in-person programs posted to their Event Calendar.
By Train or Car: Visiting information, includes directions on “Getting There” by train on Metro North’s Hudson Line to either the local train Glenwood stop OR Yonkers express train stop. An FAQ, states there is a large free parking lot, wheelchairs are available for free, and baby strollers are allowed.
Hours: Thursday – Sunday, 12:00 – 5:00 pm with additional hours during free summer hours Friday & Saturdays, 5:00 – 7:00 PM for selected weeks, check their website.
Closed: Monday – Wednesday, and any holidays noted on their website, such as June 19, and July 4.
Phone: 914-963-4550
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Print on Demand – Open All Year with new Vaccination Policy
Admits: 2 adults & 2 children (free) plus half-price ticket cost for added adults ($18) or added children ($13) to Intrepid Museum, Submarine Growler, and Space Shuttle Pavilion with REQUIRED Timed Entry Tickets that you reserve free and any you purchase half-price for the same date & time you reserve the PPLD Intrepid Pass and bring your REQUIRED PPLD Library Card to show at entry. You will need to use the unique PPLD Member Link below to receive free tickets and half-price purchased tickets for other people in your group.
Steps To Arrange Required Tickets:
- First, reserve the PPLD Intrepid Pass for the date to visit.
- Next, use this unique PPLD Membership Link to reserve your free timed tickets for the same day as Intrepid MAP Pass.
- Read announcements for changes/closures, and any rules and policies.
- Select date of visit.
- Under “Who is Attending?” enter Library Members for free.(2 adults and 2 children free, with option purchase half-price Adult ($18) and half price Children ($13) nonrefundable tickets. Check out will show the discount.)
- Select arrival time:10 am-3:30 pm, last entry 4:00 pm, and they close at 5:00 pm. Stay as long as you want, no time limit. See Ticket Information for Added Enhancements below for other ticketed experiences not part of the Library Pass that you need to purchase in advance on their website separately.
- Review your ticket reservation and check out.
- Your tickets will be emailed, and you print them OR display on your mobile device with their REQUIREMENT that you show your PPLD Library Card.
- Bring facial masks for Intrepid Museum and Pier 86, and use the Express Members Line at entrance, and bring your PPLD Library Card to show with your tickets (printed or displayed on mobile device).
Follow their “Onboard with Safety” and “Visitor’s Pledge” which includes everyone must wear facial masks (exception for age 2 and under) at Museum & Pier 86 and more.
See Visitor Tips & Guidelines: Includes bag inspection, no coat or belongings checked, strollers in galleries, accessibility information, food service, photography guidelines, pets, and more.
Note: Some experiences will be temporarily closed during the initial reopening phase, but the vast majority of the 365K sq. ft. Museum is open
Growler Submarine & Exhibition: This line may close early.
Ticket Information for Added Enhancements: Purchase tickets for Concorde Experience, 4 Flight Simulator rides, Audio Tours (7 languages & variety of age levels), and 3-D Film (these are not included as part of the Library Pass admission).
Restrictions: Not eligible for Member events, programs or simulator rides. Guests under the age of 16 unaccompanied by an adult will not be permitted to enter the Museum.
Hours: Monday – Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM (Last entry 4 PM) including Holidays, with exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Closed: Thanksgiving and Christmas. Check Intrepid’s “Plan Your Visit” web page for notice of dates with early closure due to a special event or closure of exhibitions.
Address: Pier 86, West 46th St & 12th Ave., New York, NY 10036 (80 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: (212) 245-0072
Print on Demand – Mansion Tours with Pass (May 1- Oct. 31) & Gardens & Grounds Open Daily without Pass (April – Dec.)
Admits: 2 adults and up to 4 children, 18 years and under, to Guided Mansion Tours. Display your printed PPLD Locust Grove Pass at the Museum Gift Shop in the Visitor Center. If your family is larger than what the pass admits, admission is $15 per person. The Pass is not good for special events, or fundraising events, which require the purchase of tickets. Masks must be worn inside the Visitor Center, Mansion, and in all buildings, and when you cannot socially distance outdoors.
Locust Grove Mansion Tours: Tours are offered first come, first served, May 1 – Oct. 31 on the weekend. Tour group size may be limited depending on Covid-19. Tour times are Sat. & Sun., May – Oct, at 10:15 am, 11:30 am, 12:45 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:15 pm. The Holiday Mansion Tours in December are not included with the Library Pass, as they are special events and have a ticket price.
Visitor Center, Museum Shop, Gardens, and Grounds: Open April – Dec., 10 AM – 5 PM, daily for free, donations are greatly appreciated to assist maintaining the grounds. You do not need the Library Pass to visit the grounds and gardens. Check in and out at the Museum Shop in the Visitor Center.
Accessibility: The Mansion does not have wheelchair access, but the gravel path to the Mansion is level. Stairs on Tour include: 7 steps to front door, 17 to second floor, and 10 to ground floor. Handicapped parking is available, and the Visitor center has an accessible restroom. Level gravel path to Visitor Center (100 ft), and to Mansion (300 ft.), and throughout the gardens and grounds.
Hiking Trails Map: Five miles of 19th century carriage roads and trails wind through forests and meadows. River beautiful views along Sawmill Trail, Cascade Trail or Shady Lane Loop.
Policies & Restrictions: All guests must check in and out at the Museum Shop in Visitor’s Center; Keep pets leashed and remove waste; Do not collect plants, flowers, wildlife, or artifacts; Picnic in designated areas only and remove all trash; No alcoholic beverages; No motorized vehicles or bicycles; No hunting or shooting; No sunbathing; No sports; No fires or barbecues; Purchase of a photography permit for any family, wedding or event photography is required.
Closed: Visitor Center, Grounds, and Mansion closed January – March, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Easter.
Address: 2683 South Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-454-4500
Print on Demand Open Daily July 1, 2021 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Admits: 1 adult OR 2 children admissions (age 5 & under always free) for free to guided Mark Twain House Tour with your purchase of 1 paid adult admission that library patrons arrange by calling the Museum at (860) 247-0998 (press 5) or Grace Belanger (860)280-3130 to arrange required Timed Entry Reservation Tickets for the same day you reserve the Library Pass. The Mark Twain House Tour (1 hour) with added time after for viewing the Museum exhibits, Ken Burn’s film, and gallery. The Ghost, Holiday, or Living History tours are not included with the Library Pass. Parking is free. Tickets are non-refundable. Tours limited to 9 people. Tours are 10:20, 11:20, 12:20, 1:20, 2:20 and 3:20. See Guide to Visiting, which includes wearing a facial mask whether you are vaccinated or not, no exceptions, and social distancing. If you don’t have a mask, they will provide one. For Visiting information, click here.
Virtual House Tour: A 3D virtual house tour is available, and also a guided tour, click here.
About the House: National Geographic named as one of the best top 10 historic homes in the world. First floor is wheelchair accessible. No elevator. There are 41 steps to top, and 40 down. Mark Twain wrote his four best known books over the 17 years in residence with his wife and three daughters. An historical interpreter will take you through the house while sharing stories about the family’s life and times. The house has been featured on the Syfy Channel’s Ghost Hunters and the Biography Channel’s My Ghost Story.
Hours: Open seven days a week, starting July 1, 2021, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM (except for 8 Tuesdays in Winter and 6 Holidays). First Tour is 10:20 AM and last tour is 3:20 PM. No refunds if late. Tours sell out days in advance.
Closed: Tuesdays in January and February, and New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Library Pass is not accepted the day after Thanksgiving and Dec. 26 (marked “None” available).
Address: 351 Farmington Avenue, Hartford CT 06105 (Set GPS for 385 Farmington Avenue for parking lot or 65 Forest Street for wheelchair entrance). (94 miles from Poughkeepsie).
Phone: 860-247-0998
MASS MoCA – Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
Print on Demand – Open All Year
Admits: Two adults and two children (under 16) for museum galleries for free. Present a copy of your printed MAP Pass (or a digital copy on your phone) at the Box Office on the date of the Pass reservation. For questions, call the Box Office at (413) 662-2111 ext. 1.
No timed-entry reservation is required for Library Pass Holders to enter the museum, but some installations require a free separate timed-entry reservation, such as James Turrell and Laurie Anderson installations. See website for details.
Address: 1040 MASS MoCA WAY, North Adams, MA 01247 (98 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 413-662-2111
Mohonk Preserve
Pick Up and Return at all Library Branches
Admits: One adult and children age 12 and under for free with an adult. Teens, age 13-17, may sign out an additional pass with a parent or guardian. Library pass holders pick up a day use wristband at the Visitor Center or four Trailheads during 9 am-5 pm hours. The Visitor Center is open M-F 9 am-5 pm, and Sat. & Sun., 9 am-6 pm. Trailhead parking lots close and lock according to seasonal hours. Summer hours extended to 9 pm until Sept. 20. Autumn hours begin Sept. 21, check website. Read both sides of Mohonk Preserve Pass. Masks are required for all visitors at indoor facilities, including the Visitor Center.
Required: All pass holders must pick up a wristband in order to access the Preserve. To receive a day-use wristband, present the Library Pass at either Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center or any of the four Trailheads 9 am – 5 pm business hours. Read both sides of the pass, and Risk Waiver on back.
Hours: Preserve Lands are sunrise to one hour after sunset 365 days of the year and Visitor Center (9 am -5 pm) daily with exception to Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve after 12 noon, and closed Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Parking: Please note that trailhead parking lots will be closed and locked promptly at 7 pm. Limited and on peak summer/fall weekends will fill up early. Car-pooling and use of long-term parking lots at the Preserve’s Visitor Center and at West Trapps parking lot, located ½ mile and 1½ mile respectively from the intersection of Routes 299 and 44/55, are suggested. View this Map of Alternative Driving Routes for use during busy and peak weekends.
Note: While the pass does not provide admission to Mohonk Mountain House or Minnewaska State Park, you may hike on to either property approximately six miles from the Preserve’s trails, but you may not enter the hotel or use facilities.
Virtual Program Recordings: “Get into Nature – Online!” by viewing the playlist of their virtual program recordings virtual progam recordings that fall into these categories: Wildlife and Conservation, Recreation, Programs for Kids, and Mycology Webinars about mushrooms and fungi.
Visitor Center Address: 3197 State Route 55, Gardiner, NY 12525 (20 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-255-0919
Rules if Bring Your Dog: Allowed, but strict rules.
Motorcyclepedia Museum & Velocipede Museum
Pick up/Return at Both Libraries – Open All Year
Admits: 2 adults OR 2 people any age free and Children 6 and under are free. No timed entry reservations. If your group is larger than 2 people over age 6, admission rates are: Children 7-11 $5.00; Students $10; Senior, Veterans & Military $12; Adults $15. Museum is self-guided, handicapped accessible, with free parking. Mobility scooters are available. Please follow Covid-19 policies for facial masks, or social distancing.
Virtual Museum: Explore their online collection containing images of 600 motorcycles and more than 3,000 pieces of motorcycle memorabilia.
Note: Motorcyclepedia is the most extensive motorcycle museum in America, featuring 10 galleries in 85,000 square feet, with over 600 vintage motorcycles, from 1897 to today, with over 3,000 pieces of memorabilia, and three Motordromes, known as the Wall of Death. The Velocipede Museum is a showcase of velocipedes, boneshakers, bicycles and tricycles from the 1860’s to the 1960’s.
Restrictions: Large bags, back-packs and helmets must be stored in the Museum Lobby. Service animals are allowed. Food and drink not available for purchase.
Hours for Motorcyclepedia: Thursday evening, 5-8 PM, Friday – Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Open some holidays, check their website or call. Open all year.
Hours for Velocipede: Fridays, 10 AM to 3 PM, but check hours on website as they may change due to staffing.
Closed: Motorcyclepedia: Mon. – Wed. Velocipede: Sat. – Thurs. Check website hours to confirm, and for holiday closures.
Address: Motorcyclepedia is at 250 Lake Street, Newburgh, NY 12250 and Velocipede is at 109 Liberty Street, Newburgh, NY 12550. (18.5 miles from Poughkeepsie.)
Phone: 845-569-9065
Museum at Bethel Woods – Site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival
Print on Demand
Open daily April 3-Dec. 31
Admits: 4 persons to museum and special exhibits. Children 2 and under are free. If your group size is larger, additional tickets may be purchased onsite or online. No additional timed-entry reservation is needed. COVID-19 policies include facial masks and social distancing. The café is open 10:30 am – 2:30 PM; current menu on website. Please read Health and Safety policy and visiting information here.
Main Exhibit: The Story of Woodstock and the ’60s
Special Exhibits: Lights, Color, Fashion: Psychedelic Posters and Patterns of 1960s San Francisco
Outdoor Exhibits: The grounds, monument, and outdoor exhibits Bindy Bazaar Trails and Earth in Focus will open to the public daily.
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts: Located 90 miles from NYC at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel, NY, the lush 800 acre campus includes a Pavilion Stage amphitheater with seating for 15,000, and intimate 440 seat indoor Event Gallery, the Museum at Bethel Woods, and Conservatory for arts education programming.
Open: Open daily 10 AM – 5 PM, April 3 – Dec. 31, 2021. Open holidays, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Closed: Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day but open all other holidays, such as Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran’s Day. Closed for the winter season, January – early April.
Address: 200 Hurd Rd., Bethel, NY 12720 (75 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-583-2061
National Museum of Dance – Temporarily Closed due to Pandemic. Will Re-Open.
Print on Demand
Admits: 2 adults and children (17 and under).
Closed: Monday
Address: 99 S Broadway. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (114 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 518-584-2225
New England Carousel Museum & Museum of Fire History
Print on Demand
Admits: 4 people for free admission & Venetian Carousel rides at New England Carousel Museum & Museum of Fire History (in same building in Bristol, CT) and admission for 4 to the (temporarily closed) Bushnell Park Carousel (downtown Hartford, CT) with unlimited carousel rides, about 30 minutes away. Please follow Covid-19 procedures, on their website, which include wearing a facial covering over nose and mouth and social distancing. Masks sold for $1. NECM offers guided tours Wed. – Sun., at Noon and 2:00 PM.
Accessibility: Museum has wheelchair accessible restrooms, an elevator, and a low vision tour.
Highlights: View over 100 years of carousel art and history throughout this 33,000 square foot building, including an operating Venetian indoor carousel. In the same building, the Museum of Fire History has firefighting and fire house equipment and memorabilia, with alarms to sound, levers to pull and uniforms to try on.
Virtual Tours: The museum offers a variety of virtual tours through Zoom. For more information, click here.
Bushnell Park Carousel: Temporarily closed with plans to reopen. This historic and spectacular carousel, created in 1914 by Solomon Stein and Harry Goldstein has 48 horses, 2 chariots and a wonderful Wurlitzer Band Organ. The Carousel turned 100 years old in 2014. NECM runs the carousel as part of its mission, “to preserve and protect antique wooden carousels and carousel pieces.”
NECM Hours: From Jan – Dec.: Wed. – Sat, 10 AM – 5 PM; and Sun., Noon – 5 PM. Monday & Tuesday by calling for an appointment (860) 585-5411.
Holidays Open: Open local school holidays, call to confirm.
Closed: New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
NECM Address: 95 Riverside Avenue, Route 72, Bristol, CT 06010 (71 miles from Poughkeepsie).
Address for Bushnell Park Carousel is 1 Jewell Street, Hartford CT 06103, located inside the Pavilion in Bushnell Park.
Phone: 860-585-5411
New York State Parks Empire Pass
Pick Up and Return from all Library Branches Open All Year
Admits: Valid for the pass holder and their occupants in one vehicle. The Empire Pass is valid at most New York State Parks. For questions on fees, you may contact the park directly. PPLD has six Empire Passes available. If a pass is unavailable, park entrance fees are 6 and $10 per vehicle. See the NYS Park website for locations, activities, visiting information, park capacity limits, availability, policies, parking, restrooms, safety, and the current COVID-19 update.
NY State Parks: The NYS parks include access statewide to parks, lakes, beaches, pools, trails, historic sites, golf courses in state parks, camping, cottages, cabins, guides to enjoy particular activities, camping guides, boating safety, and more. So, explore the NYS Park website to find out more.
Virtual Tours of NY State Parks: Discover your next park adventure by exploring this 360 degree Virtual Tours of NY State Parks arranged by NYS regions, including the Hudson Valley.
Phone: 518-474-0458
Norman Rockwell Museum l Home for American Illustration
Print on Demand – Open All Year
COVID Policy: Masks required over the nose and mouth for 2 and up. See their COVID-19 Update policy for updates.
Reduced Admission Pass: Admits 2 adults at a discounted rate of $10 each adult, and children 18 and under are free, with Library Pass either printed or displayed digitally on your mobile phone. Timed-Entry Tickets are recommended and can be reserved on the Museum website (see Ticketing Instructions below). Walk-ins are accepted. Your Ticket includes a 10% discount in the Museum Store. Runaway Café is open May-Oct., and has a covered outdoor patio with scenic views. Bringing your lunch for a picnic on the grounds is allowed.
Ticketing Instructions & PPLD’s Unique Promo Code:
- Click on “Buy Tickets” menu button.
- Next click on “General Admission Book” box, and select date and arrival time.
- Next, enter the number of Adults and Children.
- In the below box for each person’s ticket, see qualifying for a discount dropdown menu, and select “$10 – Library Pass Holder” and enter PPLD’s Library Membership Code: LIB112870.
- Next, enter LIB112870 for the other Adult Ticket box.
- Complete box(es) for Child ticket (18 and under free) with zip code.
- Complete form, entering lunch/café reservation, your zip code, and agree to health regulations.
- Click on “Add to Cart“ and now you can pay the discounted price for your tickets with a credit card.
Note: You may print the pass or display digitally on your phone from the email sent with PPLD’s Pass Reservation confirmation or text reminder, using the link, View Pass Info, to display.
Virtual Museum: Explore exhibitions, videos, and a variety of museum experiences.
Current & Upcoming Exhibitions: Check out the variety of on-site exhibitions.
Hours: Mon.-Tues, Thurs.-Fri.: 10 AM – 4 PM, and Sat. & Sun.: 10 AM – 5 PM. Closed Wednesdays.
Closed: Wednesdays, and Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day. May close the first week of January.
Address: 9 Glendale Road / Route 183, Stockbridge, MA 01262 (69 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 413-298-4100
Note: Nov. 1 – 25, 2021 the Main House at Olana is unavailable while the exhibition Cross Pollination is removed. The guided landscape tours and free access to the grounds is available.
Print on Demand – Open for House Tours & Outdoor Tours
Admits: 2 people (age 13 and up), and children under 12 free, for a 60 minute House Tour or 30/60 minute Outdoor Walking Tour. Library Pass holders must call (518) 751-0344 (Tues-Sun, 10 AM – 5 PM) to reserve a Tour Time and present PPLD Library Print Pass at Visitor Center.
Tours are 10 AM – 4:15 PM, Tues. – Sun., every 15 minutes (may change seasonally). Various Tours are described here. Pass is NOT valid for discount on Electronic Carriage Tours. Museum shop is 15% discount with Library Pass, credit card only.
Arrive to check in at Visitor Center 20 minutes before your Tour time. Reservations may be forfeited to a wait-list five minutes prior to Tour Time if you have not yet checked in.
COVID-19 Policies: Masks required for buildings and tours. Learn more about the policy here.
Maps, Videos & History: Maps, click here. Video landscape tours and history, click here.
Tour Changes & Weather: Olana reserves the right to cancel outdoor tours due to extreme weather. Reservations may be changed by calling (518) 751-0344 (Tuesday – Sunday, 10 AM – 5:00 PM) or emailing tickets@olana.org.
About Olana: Olana was built in 1860 by Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters. He achieved international fame with paintings such as Niagara (1857) and The Heart of the Andes (1859). In 1966, David C. Huntington spearheaded a campaign to save Olana from imminent destruction, described in “Saving Frederic Church’s Olana.” To read, click here.
Grounds & Park: Open daily from 8:00 AM to sunset for free, with 5 miles of carriage roads and 250 acres. Self-guided audio tours of the landscape are available to download and play on smartphones and tablets, approx. 60 min. View Park Use Guidelines
Hours: Tours are Tuesday – Sunday, 10 AM – 4:15 PM. Hours and days of the week change seasonally, so check their website. Museum Shop 10 AM – 5:00 PM.
Address: 5720 Route 9G, Hudson, NY 12534 (40 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phones: Ticketing and Information (518) 751 – 0344, and Main Office (518) 828-0135
Hudson River SkyWalk: Check out the Hudson River Skywalk, a pedestrian path connecting the historic homes and studios of Hudson River School artists Thomas Cole and Frederic Church. Both are MAP Pass destinations.
Print on Demand Open May1 – Oct. 31, with Air Shows Sat. & Sun., June 19 – Oct 17
Admits: 2 adults and 2 children (5 – 17), and children under 5 free with the printed Library Pass on the date of your Library Pass Reservation. Library Pass users do not need to call in advance or need advance tickets. If your group size is larger than the Pass covers, you will need to buy tickets for additional people. Follow safety guidelines or Covid-19 protocols on their website. Library Pass includes special events, and Sat. or Sun. Air Shows, when scheduled. Two different Air Shows every weekend from June 18 to Oct 17, 2:00 – 4:00 PM. The Saturday Air Show is History of Flight. The Sunday Air Show is WWI. A gift shop discount of 10% with Library Pass. Biplane Rides information and cost on website. Open daily May 1- Oct. 31, 10 AM – 5 PM.
About Museum: “Cole Palen founded the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in 1958 with a handful of airplanes and a dream. He built it into a world-renowned destination as America’s first flying museum of antique aircraft.” In 1993, it was established as a non-profit to continue Cole’s legacy. Their mission is preserving, restoring and flying the aircraft of the Pioneer, WWI, and Golden Ages of Aviation. For more information, click here.
Documentaries Online: There are two documentaries. To view “Destined to Fly” (2016 – 41 min.) on Cole Palen and Old Rhinebeck, click here. Also available, is the 1974 color documentary, “The Story of Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome WWI Planes “I Fly Them, I Fix Them, I Break Them” – click here.
Videos Online: YouTube has many videos and news stories, and about Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. To explore Old Rhinebeck’s own YouTube Channel, click here. For a fun video about their Air Shows, click here. CNN’s “You can Still See WWI Airplanes Flying” 100 years after WWI (2018 – 3 min.), click here.
Air Show Photos Online: 2021 Air Show photos are shared on the museum’s Facebook page, where this History of Flight show by Shawn Yost was shared, click here.
Collection Online: Use this link to explore the collection online. You may select the collection type and years for airplanes, including all types of Ground Vehicles, too. They are: Pioneer Era (1896 – 1913); WWI Era (1914-1918); Golden Age (1919 – 1940); and Ground Vehicles
Museum Collection in Four Buildings: The museum entertains, educates, and preserves 77 vintage aircraft, 33 classic antique automobiles and motorcycles, and related memorabilia in a classic small town airport with four museum buildings described below.
Pioneer Building: “It all begins in the Pioneer Building with the crude biplane hang gliders that inspired the Wright Brothers. Marvel at their historic “Flyers” and follow the decade of innovation with Bleriot, Curtiss and others. These men and their machines were “Magnificent.”
WWI Building: “Names like Fokker and Von Richthofen, SPAD and Rickenbacker, echo through the WWI Building. See how aircraft matured under the pressures of aerial combat. Aviation became an extension of knights in shining armor and the pilots the last of the single combat warriors.”
Golden Age Building: “Barnstormers spread flying across the country, Lucky Lindy flew the Atlantic, and little airplanes for private flyers became part of the roaring 20s and 30s. In the Golden Age Building you’ll find the WACOs, Aeroncas, Fairchilds, Taylors, and other great names of the era.”
History of Flight Building: “It all comes together in the History of Flight Building with our comprehensive exhibit of the aircraft, vehicles, engines, and memorabilia that make up our static display and compose a tribute to the glory of man’s conquest of the air.”
Saturday Air Show “History of Flight”: Highlights the Pioneer era before WWI, a WWI Show teaser, and the Golden Age of Aviation in the ’20s and ’30s. The stars are the historic airplanes including our 1909 Bleriot, the oldest regularly flying airplane in the Western Hemisphere; the Fokker DR-I Triplane, the most famous fighter of WWI; and a precise replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, which was the first aircraft to fly NY to Paris in 1927.
Sunday Air Show WWI Dog Fight Spectacular: There is a hero, a heroine (Cheer!), the villainous Black Baron of Rhinebeck (Boo!), scenery, pyrotechnics and a WWI tank. The supporting cast includes many antique automobiles.
Biplane Rides: They are not part of the Library Pass and have a fee. See their website for information on making reservations for 1929 Biplane Rides. They also offer Lighthouse and Lighthouse and Mansion Tours. Please call 845-752-3200 for details as the guidelines are subject to change.
Open: Daily from May 1 to Oct. 31, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Closed: November 1 to April 30.
Address: 9 Norton Road, Red Hook, NY 12571 (22 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-752-3200
OPUS 40 Sculpture Park and Museum
Print on Demand Open April – November
Admits: 2 adults and their dependent children to OPUS 40, with a Timed-Entry Reservation on their website’s “Plan A Visit.” Under Reserve Tickets, select date, 2 hour time slot, and under “Member” tickets enter up to 2 adults plus dependent children at no cost. If your group size is larger, purchase additional tickets. Upon arrival, show the Library’s Opus 40 Pass (printed or digital on phone) and your timed entry reservation. The two hour time slot is strict. Masks are required. Follow their COVID-19 Protocols and Policies. Picnics are welcome. Click here to view the map online. Printed maps are available. See their events on the website, which require reservations and full price ticketing, as member discounts to events do not include the Library’s pass.
Restrictions: No pets permitted, other than service dogs. No visits to start before or end past the timed-entry reservation time slot. At the very bottom of each web page is the “Covid Policy” link, below their address. Masks are required.
Note: Framed by a vista of the Catskill Mountains, OPUS 40 is a six-acre environmental bluestone sculpture built from an abandoned quarry by one man, artist Harvey Fite, over 37 years. Architectural Digest described it as “One of the largest and most beguiling works of art on the entire continent.” In addition, there are 55 acres of forest, meadow and former quarries dotted with pools, fountains, statutes and earth art; an outdoor performance space, a gallery and store.
Hours: Open mid-April through November (as weather permits), 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM and later for selected weekends and evening events during sunsets, with food, music or entertainment. April – May open Friday-Sunday, expanding to Thursday-Monday starting in June. Check the website for evening special events scheduled.
Holidays Open: Check their ticket calendar under Plan A Visit, to see open holidays this year. In past years, Opus 40 has been open on some holidays.
Closed: Usually from December to mid-April but may be open select days off season. Check their website.
Address: 356 George Sickle Road, Saugerties, NY 12477 (31 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-681-9352
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Pick up/Return at Adriance
COVID Protocols: Masks will now be optional at Stepping Stones Museum for Children for all visitors.
Admits: One free admission with each purchase of one admission. A maximum of 3 free admissions. Price per person is $16 and seniors (62+) $12. Free for children under 1 year and active duty military personnel and their families within the same household. Special events may incur an additional fee. Check calendar for details. Parking is free.
Restrictions: May not combine pass with other discounts.
Hours: Monday Through Sunday from 9 AM – 5 PM. Check the website for changes or closings related to weather or other issues before visiting.
Closed: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Address: Mathews Park, 303 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850 (61 miles from Poughkeepsie).
Phone: 203-899-0606
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms
Print on Demand – Open All Year – Log House Tours Available
Admits: Two adults and all children up to age 18 in a household for free, guided 1 hour tour of the Log House with a REQUIRED Advance Reservation that must be booked on their website for the same date of the Library Pass. On their website, click on Visit and “Select Tours During Construction” and then select the date (limited to Sat or weekend), select tour time (12:00 PM or 3:00 PM), and under Members enter the number attending for up to 2 Adults and all children under 18. Arrive 10-15 minutes before the Tour starts, and gather around the seating by the Education Center. Restrooms available in the Education Center. Museum Shop is available online only. Masks are optional, and free disposable masks are available.
About the Log House Tour: “Tour the Log House at Craftsman Farms, the heart of Gustav Stickley’s Craftsman utopia. Largely restored to its 1910 – 1917 appearance, the Log House, which was designed to be the Craftsman Farms’ clubhouse and became the Stickley family home, features many original furnishings and other rare and important objects from the museum’s collections. Led by one of our volunteer docents, this guided tour takes visitors through the two main floors, offering an in-depth look at Stickley’s Life, his work, and his years at Craftsman Farms.”
Covid19 Policy: Masking is optional, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Disposable masks are available in the Education Center, free of charge. Many staff and visitors still choose to wear the optional mask.
Hours: One hour tours available Saturdays by advance registration only on their website, at 12 PM and 3 PM, until construction is completed, and then the hours and tours will be updated on their website. Museum Shop is available online only. Hours will vary with season.
About Stickley’s Craftsman Farms: The only home Gustav Stickley designed and built for his own use. For information about Gustav Stickley’s life, as the creator of Craftsman Furniture, a visionary spokesman and proponent for the Arts and Crafts philosophy, and a major tastemaker of his era.
Explore Online Collections: Their online collections include images of objects, grouped collections for ceramics and glass, metalwork, furniture, textiles, and originals to Craftsman Farms, and it is also searchable.
Explore Virtual & Onsite Exhibitions: Explore the current virtual exhibition, onsite exhibitions, and upcoming and past exhibitions.
Closed: During reconstruction, closed Sunday – Friday, and holidays: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Address: For GPS use 5 Manor Lane, Morris Plains, NJ 07950. Street address is 2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950. (88 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 973-540-0311
Storm King Art Center – 500 Acre International Sculpture Park
Print On Demand – Open All Year
Admits: Up to six people in ONE vehicle, with children under 5 not counted. Show your MAP Pass on the date of visit at the vehicle entrance. No more timed entry booking. Mask use is encouraged inside buildings, elevators, and restrooms. To learn more about visiting, see below and Plan Your Visit. Browse outdoor sculpture photos.
Map: You can request one upon entry or view or download a map.
Free Hourly Tram, Outdoor Cafe, Bike Rentals, Free Highlights Tour, and Free Audio Guide:
- Trams depart 10 minutes after the hour from the lower circle by the elevator below Museum Hill, and there are six stops along the route each hour, with Map noting the hourly arrival time for each numbered stop.
- A free Highlights Tour is at 1:00 PM (Saturday and Sunday) for the first 25 people outside the Museum Building, (1 hour, no reservations).
- There is a free Audio Guide by texting STORM to 56512. The Map has a headset icon next to selected sculptures in the audio tour on the reverse side.
- There are food and beverage vending machines by the elevator by Museum Hill that also include face masks, bug spray, sunscreen, and during colder months scarves, hats and gloves.
- The Outdoor Café is open. Select from a locally sourced menu of sandwiches, salads, snacks, and drinks (including beer & wine). Credit cards only.
Public Transit & Beacon/Metro-North Shuttle to Storm King: Take Metro North to Beacon station, and the Shuttle Service from Beacon’s Metro North Station on Saturday, Sunday & holiday Mondays with REQUIRED advance booking for Shuttle ticket times (online purchase) and using the Library Pass for free admission. For Shuttle only purchase, using the Library Member Pass, select lower Round Trip Price for each Ticket purchased. See info and policies, click Schedule & Tickets. Shuttle takes 30 minutes. Purchase Metro North Tickets separately.
About SKAC: Storm King Art Center is a 500-acre outdoor museum where visitors experience large-scale sculpture and site-specific commissions under an open sky, creating a dynamic place to explore art in nature. Over 115 sculptures by international artists. View Collection of sculptures. See video of Storm King from a Drone’s perspective. Click About for more information and video.
Storm King at Home: Enjoy digital content, videos of programs and performances, and creative learning activities.
Visitor Policies: The Map includes the list of visitor policies and under Plan Your Visit – see Visitor Policies. A few important ones to note are:
- No smoking or vaping allowed on grounds.
- Face masks required in Museum Building, elevators, restrooms and Porta Johns, and social distancing.
- Picnic away from sculptures at the picnic tables provided by the Parking Lots, or use your blankets in those areas.
- Children must have adult supervision at all times.
- No sports, discs, skateboards, scooters, personal bikes, audible music, drones, climbing art, touching art, commercial photography, and pets.
- See website for service dog requirements.
Accessibility:
- Wheelchairs are available by request to staff, first come, first served.
- The Tram is in operation hourly, with a wider first row for more accessibility (must step up), with extra space for a fold up wheelchairs or strollers in first row priority seating, see map for Tram stops.
- Visitors who use wheelchairs may use the paved paths, indicated on the map, and staff may suggest routes to avoid steep terrain.
- For more information, see website’s Plan Your Visit, by clicking here and then click on the + sign under Grounds & Accessibility.
Winter Weekends: Winter Weekends are in January – March, (Saturdays and Sundays), from 10 AM – 4:00 PM. The Tram runs, and paths are cleared.
Hours: Vary by season, and includes most holiday Mondays. Summers have late Friday and Saturday hours to 7:30 pm. Closed Tuesdays. Season is early April to early December, with Winter Weekends January – March. Check website for the most current hours.
Closed: Tuesdays, and other days or hours vary by season, so check website. Open many holiday Mondays. Season is early April to early December, with Winter Weekends January – March.
Address: 1 Museum Road, New Windsor, NY 12553 (25 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-534-3115
Thomas Cole National Historic Site
Print on Demand – Open April 30 – Mid-December
Admits: Two Adults (age 16 and up), plus any children (age 15 and under) are free, with strongly recommended advanced booking of Timed-Entry Tickets that you will book as “Members” in advance on their website. To ensure entry, arrive 15 minutes early to check in at the Visitor’s Center entrance. Masks are required inside buildings regardless of vaccination status. On the 15th, tickets for the next month become available to reserve. Guided Tours generally weekdays, and Self Directed Tours generally weekends. Closing dates of 2022 special exhibitions: October 30 and November 27. Last entry 4 pm, close 5 pm. Grounds free, dawn to dusk daily. See their FAQ.
Instructions for Recommended Timed-Entry Ticketing: On the Thomas Cole website, book a Timed-Entry Ticket for same date as Library Pass, selecting Weekday Ticket (usually guided tour) or Weekend Tickets (usually self-directed tour), and the hour to arrive (10 am – 4 pm). Enter up to two “Member” age 16+ tickets for free, and enter any “Children” age 15 and under for free. If your group size is larger, purchase tickets. Arrive 15 minutes early to the Visitor Center to check in with Library Pass, either printed or digital display on mobile phone.
Historic Exhibition Overview: Thomas Cole’s Studio: Memory and Inspiration: April 30 – October 30, 2022. Held in Thomas Cole’s New Studio. “The artwork that Thomas Cole left behind in his studio when he died suddenly at the age of 47 in 1848 shaped the course of American art. The exhibition…will for the first time reassemble many of those significant works and explore how Thomas Cole’s example so powerfully affected the evolution of art in America.” Curated by Franklin Kelly of the National Gallery of Art. Exhibition Overview has eight of the paintings on loan to view by scrolling down. Exhibition Catalog available, with 156 color illustrations.
Contemporary Exhibition Overview: Marc Swanson: A Memorial to Ice at the Dead Dear Disco: July 16 – November 27, 2022 in the Main House.
360 Virtual Explore: Go inside Thomas Cole’s home and studio.
Visitor’s Guide: View or print the PDF of the “Thomas Cole Visitor’s Guide – Explore at Your Own Pace”.
Accessibility: The Main House’s first floor is wheelchair accessible using an elevator lift, and the second floor requires climbing a flight of stairs. The 1839 Old Studio, New Studio, Visitor Center and Gift Shop are all wheelchair accessible. The parking lot is asphalt and includes handicap parking spaces. The walking paths are loose gravel. See their accessibility web page for additional resources, or email info@thomascole.org.
Explore Thomas Cole’s Virtual Gallery: Scroll through his paintings and zoom in on details. Includes history, creative process, hidden meanings, and relevant passages from his poems, essays, and writings. Includes an Interactive Tour.
Video Library: View Sunday Salons, Curator Talk’s, Cole Site Originals programs and exhibitions, Beecher Lectures, Artist Interviews, Fellows’ Presentations, and videos about Thomas Cole, such as “Thomas Cole: Painting the American Landscape.”
Hours: Summer, 10am – 5 pm. Hours vary by season, see website. Open Monday holidays and July 4th. Annual special exhibitions closing dates vary. Season is mid-March or late April to mid-December.
Closed: Closed Wednesday and closed for Thanksgiving and Friday after Thanksgiving, and mid-December until mid-March or late April.
Hudson River Skywalk: a pedestrian path, approximately three miles one way or six miles roundtrip, that connects the historic homes and studios of Hudson River School artists Thomas Cole and Frederic Church’s Olana. Both are MAP Pass destinations. View Map and Travel information.
Address: 218 Spring Street, Catskill, NY 12414 (50 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: (518) 943-7465
Trevor Zoo at Millbrook School
Print on Demand Open Every Day All Year
Admits: 2 adults and 1-4 dependent children with printed Library Pass AND REQUIRED Timed Entry Reservation you make on the Trevor Zoo website. If your group size is larger, make a 2nd reservation if needed, in the same time slot, and pay for tickets when you arrive (adults $6, seniors 65+ $4, children age 4-13 $4, children under 3 free). Time slots are 10:00 – 4:00 PM, with 30 minutes to enter, 8 groups per time slot. Make your reservation on the Trevor Zoo’s website for the same date of Library Pass, and arrive in the 30 minute time slot to present the Library Pass as admission at the Visitor Center/Gift Shop entrance. Stay at the Zoo as long as you like. Masks are required in Zoo buildings to protect the animals, but are not required outdoors. Animals are more active during morning and late afternoon feeding times. Last entry is at the 4:00-4:30 PM time slot, and the Zoo closes at 5:00 PM. The zoo is wheelchair accessible. Picnic areas are available.
About Trevor Zoo & Map: Trevor Zoo has more than 180 exotic and indigenous animals, representing 80 species. Trevor Zoo Map has a Zoogeographic Species Directory of 180+ animals and their location on the Zoo Map – download map PDF here. Follow social media posts with Zoo news here.
Restrictions: Please do not feed or touch the animals, smoke, or bring pets. In the Zoo Buildings, everyone must wear a mask to protect the animals.
Location of Entrance: To get to the Gift Shop entrance from the zoo parking lot, walk over the bridge and path along the stream to Mills Visitor Center & Gift Shop to enter.
Zoo Webcams: The zoo has six live streaming cameras here. And also on their YouTube channel here.
Zoo Keeper Talks Moved to YouTube Channel: Zoo Keeper Talks and videos on animals (Pandas, Lemurs, Bobcats, Tamarins and more) and birds (Herons, Cranes and more) are frequently posted on the Trevor Zoo Millbrook YouTube channel here.
Hours: Open every day of the year, including all holidays, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 9:00 – 10:00 AM reserved for Members.
Address: 282 Millbrook School Road, Millbrook, NY 12545 (22.7 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 845-677-3704
USS Constitution Museum & USS Constitution Ship
Print on Demand
USS Constitution Museum Pass: Admits parties of 9 or fewer for free to Museum.
Museum & Store Hours: April. 1 – Oct. 31: Daily, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Nov. 1 – March 31: Daily, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Please note that the USS Constitution Museum and the Ship are run separately and do not have the same hours of operation.
Museum Closed: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Closes early at 2 PM on Christmas Eve.
USS Constitution Ship: Admission is free and offers self-paced tours on a first come, first served basis, with access to the top three decks.
Ship Rules & Requirements: Before embarking on Ship (USS Constitution) all persons age 18 and older must present a valid federal or state-issued photo ID or passport and pass a security inspection. Learn more here (scroll down to Safety, Security, and Accessibility).
Ship Hours: These hours may change, so check website. May 1 – Oct. 8: Tues. Noon – 6 PM and Wed – Sun, 10 AM – 6 PM (Closed Mon); Oct. 9 – Oct. 28: Tues – Sun, 10 AM – 5 PM (Closed Mon.); Oct. 29 – May 1: Wed – Sun, 10 AM – 4 PM (Closed Mon & Tues) Fall & Winter hours at closing time may vary to allow for lowering the flag and firing of gun. The Ship (run by the U.S. Navy) does not have the same hours of operation as the Museum.
Ship Closed: All Mondays all year, and Tuesdays from Oct. 29 – May 1, and these holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Directions & Parking to Museum and Ship: Due to restricted vehicle access and limited parking availability inside Boston National Historical Park, visitors are NOT allowed to park directly next to USS CONSTITUTION. For GPS navigation, use the Nautica Parking Garage’s address: 88 Constitution Road, Boston, MA 02129. Learn more here.
Museum & Ship phone: 617-426-1812
USS Slater – The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
Print on Demand – Closed for the Winter
Admits: 2 adults and 2 children a tour of the ship, which you may book a reservation by calling (518) 431 – 1943, or check on tour times. Reservations not required. Tours leave approximately every 30 minutes, and last 60 minutes, April through November, 10 am – 4 pm. The tours require climbing open stairways and walking through tight spaces and may be strenuous for some visitors. It is advised to wear low-heeled, non-slip walking shoes and casual dress; to use facilities on shore before tour as no restrooms on ship (there is a shore-side restroom); and to wear sunscreen. Recently restored in 2020, the ship is docked on the Hudson, in Albany, NY.
Ship Tours: Tours given rain or shine. Rain gear over umbrellas is recommended. All tours are guided and personalize your experience, transporting you back to July 1945. Tour guides lead you into the watch stations, battle stations, and living compartments of the sailors. Photos of the ship’s 2020 restoration are on website and Facebook. For more Tour details and guidelines, click here.
Virtual Ship Tour: To explore the restored USS Slater, click here.
Restrictions: Food, beverages, candy, gum or tobacco products are not permitted aboard ship. Water is the only refreshment provided at the museum. Large bags and strollers are not permitted on the ship. Tripods are not permitted. Pass is not valid for group tours.
Open: Wed. – Sun., and all Monday Holidays from Wed. April 7 – Sun. Nov. 28, 2021.
Closed: They are closed Mondays (except for Monday Holidays of Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day) and Tuesdays, and Nov. 29 – early April, 2022.
Address: Broadway and Quay, Albany, NY 12202 (79 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: (518) 431-1943
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Print on Demand Open All Year Since 1844
Admits: 2 adults (18+), and ages 17 and under are free with a Library Wadsworth Pass at entrance for all exhibitions. Walk-ins accommodated. No timed entry required. Use the Main entrance or the handicapped accessible entrance/exit at Avery Memorial Library at 29 Atheneum Square North. Face masks are required, and social distancing is encouraged. Coat check and bag storage is available. Untitled Bistro cafe is temporarily closed. Library pass includes “buy one ticket/get one free” film admission. Wheelchairs are available. See website for visiting information and FAQ, click here.
Explore from Home: To view exhibitions, click here.
Restrictions: No food, and drink in the galleries. Library, food service, theater, and Austin House are temporarily closed. Pass not valid for Art After Dark or group tours. During two fundraising events, Fine Art & Flowers (late April) and Festival of Trees & Traditions (Dec.), there is a $3.00 fee per person for all, even if using the Library Pass.
Highlights: The Wadsworth
Hours: Hours may change seasonally, so check the website. Hours starting Oct 1, 2021 are Thursday – Sunday, 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Closed: Monday – Wednesday, New Year’s Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Also, early 3:00 PM closing on the day before Thanksgiving, Dec. 24, and Dec. 31.
Address: 600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103 (99 miles from Poughkeepsie) This Main St. entrance is open, and the handicap accessible entrance is also open at 29 Atheneum Square North, for Avery Memorial Library.
Phone: 860-278-2670
White Memorial Conservation Center and Nature Museum
Print on Demand
Admits: Entry to Nature Museum for 2 adults and up to 4 children (6 – 12 yrs.) and children under 6 are free. No pass needed for free access grounds, forests, trails, river, wetlands, ponds, boat launch, swimming areas, and Bantam Lake’s shoreline.
Highlights: The 40 miles of trails are free, and have 24/7 access for hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, biking, and horse riding. Property has forests, wetlands, three centuries old Catlin Woods, six miles of Bantam River, 10 ponds, and 60 miles shoreline on Bantam Lake, with boat launches. Enjoy canoeing, kayaking, boating, and swimming areas on Bantam Lake. There is camping by permit and fishing with valid CT fishing license. See website for details, events, music, educational programs, and maps.
Restrictions: Dogs must be leashed, no longer than 7 feet. Carry in/carry out policy for picnic waste. Pass not valid for Nature Museum entry on Family Nature Day (Sat. Sept. 28).
Closed: Nature Museum is closed major holidays. However, grounds and trails are always open 24/7.
Address: 80 Whitehall Rd., Litchfield, CT 06759 (50 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 860-567-0857
Print on Demand
Admits: Four youth (ages 5 – 17) for free, plus children 4 and under for free, and two adults for discounted cost of $10 each with REQUIRED Timed Entry Reserved Tickets. Children do not have to be related to adult pass users.
First, reserve the Wild Center MAP Pass by clicking “Request Pass” button below, then reserve your Timed Entry Reservation from the Wild Center website for the same date you reserved the Library Pass. On the Wild Center reservation page use: Library Adult – CoPay Libraries, and pay $10 each for up to two adults. Enter up to four Youth (aged 5-17) for free under Library Youth Complimentary, and enter the number of children 4 And Under Free. Additional people in your group pay regular ticket rates.
At the Wild Center display your confirmation Reserved Tickets on your cell phone at entrance. If late, call or email, as no refunds, and later entry is depends on capacity.
See FAQ on Visiting, Covid-19 Policies, include a facial mask at all times and social distancing. Indoor exhibits opening in phases this year, some may be open, and others closed. Indoor restrooms open, and two compost restrooms at parking lot. The Waterside Cafe menu will be limited to grab-and-go snacks only. Guests are encouraged to bring food from home and picnic in designated areas. Any food or shop purchases onsite debit or credit card only, no cash.
Outdoor Activities Highlights: The award winning Wild Center features the Wild Walk, with its elevated trails across the treetops, a 54,000 square foot museum on 81 acres, guided Canoe Trips, Pine Tree Trail (music), The Pines Wild Play Area, live animals, hands-on exhibits, café, and daily special events. See highlights of Wild Walk here.
Wild Center Digital: For Virtual Visits, Lunchtime Live shows, Live Cams (for otters, turtles, marsh, animals), Digital Learning, Virtual Programs, and Zoom backgrounds, click here.
Accessibility: The Wild Center and Wild Walk are designed to accessible. Accessibility features include listening devices, captioned theater videos, free loans of wheelchairs, wagons and strollers, or call to reserve the motorized scooter. See details here.
Hours: Memorial Day to Columbus Day, 7 days a week, 10 AM – 5 PM. After Columbus Day to Memorial Day, open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM, with additional days: Dec. 26 -31, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, all week President’s Day week, 10 AM – 5 PM.
Closed: Day after Columbus Day through Memorial Day weekend, closed Monday to Thursday, Thanksgiving and Christmas (open Dec. 26-31). Closed New Year’s Day (open holidays Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and all week President’s Day week). Closed all April.
Address: 45 Museum Drive, Tupper Lake, NY 12986 (227 miles from Poughkeepsie)
Phone: 518-359-7800