What Does Off-Season Mean For Small Museums?

For those of you who like to check in with your local museums, you may find that many of them - like the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center - have "seasons", just like your favorite sport or amusement park.

The Waterford Historical Museum & Cultural Center is currently in its "off-season"

The Museum Season for visitors to come at their leisure and view the exhibits on display at the Hugh White Homestead in the Northside Historic District is the first weekend in May through the last weekend in October.

Does this mean that the building puts up a big "CLOSED" sign and everybody comes back in May? 

No way!

Most "off-season" times for small places like the museum are actually the busiest time of the year! There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes on to make sure everything is all set and ready for the upcoming museum season. The director is on site Mon-Fri from 10am to 3pm just as in the museum season if you're looking to get in touch with the museum.

Here are just a few of the things that go on "off-season":

Upcoming Exhibits planning, research, design, writing, display, set-up, and promotion

Special events and programs planning and organizing

Collections care and updates for researcher accessibility - we're online now!

Facility updates and care to get ready for the spring/summer

Canalways Educational Program coordination(partner with NYS Canal Corp, Waterford Canal & Towpath Society, Erie Canalways National Heritage Corridor, & Town of Waterford) 

Another thing that goes on during the "off-season" are
occasional art shows displayed for one month only!

Phew! And that's only a few things! 

We're always looking for any volunteers to take part in these efforts so if you're looking for a way to give back to the community, please don't hesitate to contact the museum to learn more about how you can be involved. There are volunteer internships available to gain experience in a museum setting and for college credit.

Does this mean that you've missed your chance to stop by?

Well....that's a yes and no.

YES, you've missed your chance to view the main exhibit that is a temporary exhibit. Our temporary exhibits are only on display May-October.

You might be able to see it at the museum's Wine & Cheese event (December 7th for 2018) which is usually the very last day that the exhibit will remain out on the floor. If you can't make it during the season or to the Wine & Cheese, unfortunately there is no way for you to be able to view these past exhibits aside from what is available on the museum's website for past exhibit information.

AND

NO, you can still come to the museum for our permanent exhibit and to use our research library. An appointment is required at least a week in advance.

The permanent exhibit is open year-round for tours - including group tours - but only for select days and times. The museum asks that you try and plan your visit Wed-Fri between 10am and 3pm. The usual fees of $6 adults and $5 children/seniors apply.

The O'Connor Research Library & Archive is also available year-round, but to use this resource - whether during the museum season or the off-season - you must have an appointment. This helps the director be able to prepare for your visit and make sure that time can be given to help assist you in the best way possible. This room is only available Tues-Friday 10am to 3pm and a fee of $5 if you take any pictures on your own (yes, even with your phone, which is hard to not do today...I'm just as guilty of taking pictures of documents that I think might be important so that I can read them later to see if I can use them rather than exercise my speed-reading skills at the library/archive...)

Which leads into the next question -

What about visits outside the hours listed?

Unfortunately, the museum cannot accommodate any visitors outside of the hours listed above. This is especially so for the O'Connor Library and visits over the weekend.

WHMCC in winter during our "off-season" at 2 Museum Lane

In the off-season, there is no staff or volunteers to be able to open up the building for you on the weekend, even if you call in advance. The museum's weekend hours start up again with the museum season in May.

Any tours scheduled outside the regular season - due to a limited staff - may be subject to change or cancellation. Please keep that in mind when scheduling to visit the museum - or any place in its "off-season".

Most educational places that are "closed" will do their best to be able to accommodate you either by answering questions as best as possible or trying to work out a time that fits best for everyone's schedule. But sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day or enough hands on deck during the off-season to be able to open up our doors and resources.

If you happen to stop by the Waterford Historical Museum and decide to just give our doorbell a ring on the off-chance, you'll probably be disappointed. It's not on purpose!

If the museum can open up for you, it will definitely be done. It's always great to have people exploring the history that we have loaded onto the walls of the museum - seriously, there is a lot packed away in these rooms.

But please keep in mind that it's not always easily done - meetings and other tasks that aren't done during the museum season to allow for visitors to receive our undivided attention in case you would like a tour and/or have questions about the exhibits or just need to know where the bathroom is....they're typically packed into the off-season and can't always be rearranged easily.

The off-season is a great chance to get the know the museum through the special programs and events that are offered. These events like the Dashin' & Dancin' concert are fun ways to support the museum.

All proceeds from these programs and events go directly towards caring for the collection of historical items, documents, and photographs that are stored and displayed at the museum, and for the museum's daily operations to continue to preserve and teach the history of Waterford, NY.

To sum up with an easy list, here's what to remember about the Waterford Historical Museum & Cultural Center's "off-season":

1. Yes, the museum is definitely still around during the "off-season". 
2. If you happen to stop by, you aren't being purposefully ignored if you're turned away ("it's not you, it's me" sort of situation) - we ask that you please keep in mind that "off-season" tasks and operations are scheduled for this time of year and walk-in visits most likely will not be able to be accommodated.
3. The reason we have these "off-seasons" unlike larger institutions open to the public for visits at any time during their regular hours throughout the year (the NYS Museum for example), is because there is not enough staff and time to do so AND to prepare the next upcoming exhibit while doing all those other behind-the-scene tasks vital to operating a museum.
4. You can still get in touch with the museum, as the director is in the building during the week. You can contact the museum at 518-238-0809 or email us at info@waterfordmuseum.com
5. You can schedule a visit to the museum's permanent exhibit Wed-Fri between 10am and 3pm - it is dependent on the availability of the director, so the museum asks you to make your reservation a week in advance and to be aware of the possibility of the need to reschedule or cancellation of your visit (which the museum will always work to avoid if possible). Fees for the museum are $6 adults $5 children/seniors (65+)
6. You can still make use of  the O'Connor Research Library & Archive - an appointment is always required, regardless of open or off-season when you'd like to visit. Hours are Tues-Fri only, from 10am to 3pm. Fee of $5
7. Group tours are also available at the museum - during the "off-season" they are limited to the permanent exhibit. Group rates are $5 per person
8. Programs and special events are presented during the museum's "off-season"
9. You can join the museum as a member at any time of the year 
10. Volunteer opportunities are available at the museum year-round: Board of Trustees is in need of members and is a very active board that is involved in museum activities and operations

Empire State Paranormal Society Presentation

The Empire State Paranormal Society and the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center have been talking about working together more for a few months and on Nov. 9th, we were able to welcome them to the museum to present a talk on "Conducting Paranormal Investigations".


And it looks like it's definitely still a hot topic, even with Halloween behind us - it was standing room only. It was great having so many people join us for their presentation and get a chance to visit the museum!

Definitely take a look at their page on Facebook for more on their group @empirestateparanormal

Thanks to every member of the society for presenting on all aspects of their investigations, and sharing some of your stories.




Hearing how the group was founded, some of your personal experiences, and then learning what tools and protocols you follow was an interesting night!

Photo from the Ghost Hunt at Waterford Rural Cemetery 2018

Some of those tools are the fancy gadgets, but it was interesting to hear that one of the most liked tools from the group is the flashlights used to try and communicate. Another tool to aid in hearing what can't always be heard are the voice recording devices. Finding "shut it off" on one of the voice recordings must've been quite a find!

EMF detectors (electromagnetic frequency) come in all shapes and sizes, with the K-II meter being displayed at the talk - it's also a good way to see if there is power in the room too, which could influence whatever other equipment you might use.

The popular "Ghost Box" is run on a radio frequency, and you can attach a portable speaker to it to make it louder to hear if anything comes through. According to the society, these are good for one or two-word responses. They also like to use laser grids (which kinda look like some of those Christmas decorations that airports tell people not to shine and blind pilots with...)

After the presentation, everyone had a chance to wander the museum
 and take a closer look at their pictures and equipment

They showed off some of their other equipment and then talked about some of the things to keep in mind when planning and doing your own investigation - patience and respect for the people and property was one of the big things to keep in mind. Along with some sensible shoes so your own footsteps don't get in the way of recordings or other peoples' recordings (and so you can last the night walking around or standing around).

You also might want to bring along some duct tape since that fixes all problems. Duct tape might even help with the co-investigator who just can't keep still or quiet....just kidding....maybe....

The group even had some of their "Dos & Don'ts" printed out for attendees to the lecture to take home with them!

They also brought some of their findings from investigations that they've done - not just in New York State.


There was even some sweets to finish up the night with - brownies, donuts, pumpkin bread, apple pie bites and some hot cider - yum!

Hopefully we'll have them partnering with us again soon - they took a quick trip through the exhibit spaces and found that one of the areas in the permanent exhibit where the trunk owned by Isaac Newton Eddy had some unusual and interesting readings on their equipment.

We'll let you know when they come back to take another look at the Waterford Historical Museum!

Treasures In The Closet

Treasures in the Closet, September 2018

Everyone has something that has some story attached to it, right? Whether it's a t-shirt you got at a concert to remind you of that time you finally made it to see TSO, or the program to Don Quixote at SPAC, or that hand-painted wooden box from the Russian Festival.....

Chances are that even the I'm-so-not-a-sentimental-person has something that has some meaning to them. Or, at the very least, we've all got that pile of "stuff" that just hasn't been able to get tossed out because there might be something worthwhile in there.

Historical artifacts are much the same way - without knowing a little about where it came from, who owned it, what it was used for, and other details, it's just an item.

That photograph with a bunch of smiling faces -or stoic gazes? Just a bunch of people that got together for something and thought the moment special enough to warrant taking a picture. No names, no places, no events....just people in a photograph.

But there is a possible way to help prevent descriptions like some of the ones in the museum's database for these kinds of photographs, reading "A well-dressed man" (yes...we do have some of these highly informative "descriptions" for photographs, like this one c. 1940s supposedly of a man from the Waterford Lion's Club.)

How to solve this?  Simple - talk to one another!

A conversation can go like:

Person 1: "I have all these milk bottles because they were something my family was a part of, so I tried to get one of each kind from over the years."

Person 2: "Oh, that was your family? There's an interesting bottle that we've been keeping in the kitchen for years that we knew had something to do with Waterford, but weren't sure all the details."

Person 1: "Really? I'd love to get a look at it sometime."

Person 2: "Sure!"

So now you have a new friend too (The museum holds no responsibility for the addition of friends you may or may not want to have only as acquaintances; please share history stories responsibly).

Helen Anderson, museum member, shares
family photographs & documents

The Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center has created the opportunity for you to be able to do just that with your favorite items. It's called our Treasures In The Closet program!

This program is designed to be a discussion forum. You bring in your item or items, and it's your event. Even if you're not looking to have the blanks filled in on a photo or with an item - if you want to bring in those earrings that you like to make, go ahead!

Items brought to these programs DON'T HAVE TO BE HISTORICAL! It might be hard to believe coming from a historical museum, but don't forget we're also a cultural center too. While it's always an added bonus when it's a historical item, you really can bring in that cup that you earned from the Fire House for being a members for however many years. We want to hear your stories!

Identifying who, where, and what are important to help give an outsider context of what's going on in this photograph or what this alien-looking contraption may be (probably for some mundane device - imagine what fidget spinners will be interpreted as by archaeologists 1,000 years in the future...).

Waterford Town Historian, Russ VanDervoort,
shares family photos & his book,
Canal Canaries

But the why is also important and reminds people of the fact that real people made history - a good way to think of this is with the 2008 Jamey Johnson song, "In Color":

"A picture's worth a thousand words.

But you can't see what those shades of gray keep covered;

You should've seen it in color."

So let's add some color to history with our stories! If you'd like to share, contact the museum at 518-238-0809 or at info@waterfordmuseum.com

Mary Pliska, museum member, brought a variety of items to share with us!

Village Mayor, Bert Mahoney, shows WHMCC Trustee,
Kevin Millington, his naval books