Best Museums in the Catskills | Updated 2020

There are so many things to do and see in the Catskills, from concerts to fine dining to all sorts of outdoor activities. Our region also has a wealth of unique, interesting, and just-plain-cool museums to visit. Here are some of our favorite museums in the Catskills region:

Visit the Museum at Bethel Woods - Bethel, NY

The Museum at Bethel Woods is an absolute must-see for visitors of all ages. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is on the original site of 1969’s Woodstock Festival. The Museum is full of unique original artifacts from the festival, including clothes, instruments, and a huge psychedelic-painted school bus. We love that it gives historical context for the era and explains why the “Summer of Love” was such an iconic moment in our nation’s history. Listen to original recordings from the festival, see hundreds of never-before-seen photos, even lounge on a floor pillow under a recreation of the night sky and watch a video of Jimi Hendrix perform - it’s almost like you were there!

The Museum at Bethel Woods also has a number of smaller exhibits that change every season, a very groovy gift shop, and great food.

Where: Bethel, NY - located a leisurely 30-40 minutes from the Beaverkill Valley Inn.

Visit the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum - Livingston Manor, NY

The Beaverkill Valley is the birthplace of American dry fly fishing, and you’d be remiss to visit our region without a trip to the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum. The Fly Fishing Center and Museum (CFFCM) is the world’s largest center dedicated to the fly fishing community. The CFFCM is home to the Wulff Arts and Cultural Gallery, The Catskill Bamboo Rod Makers Workshop and Heritage Crafts Center featuring the arts and crafts of the angler, the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame, the Catskill Legends, the Hardy Cup International Bamboo Rod Casting Competition, the Poul Jorgensen Golden Hook Award, and over 100 event and activity days throughout the year.

Where: Livingston Manor, NY - located about 15 mins from the Beaverkill Valley Inn.

Visit the Roscoe O&W Railway Museum - Roscoe, NY

The Roscoe O&W Railway Museum is a great spot for any train enthusiasts. The O&W Railway was responsible for the development of the Catskills region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, from 1868 and to 1957. It carried tourists drawn to the area's trout fishing, city dwellers looking to escape from New York City's summer heat, and settlers hungry for the Catskills' natural beauty. Special trains with "trout cars" used to carry fish from hatcheries in Long Island and upstate New York to stock streams in the area - the train would stop at river and stream crossings and dump fish into the water.

Where: Roscoe, NY - located about 20 minutes from the Beaverkill Valley Inn

Visit the Liberty Museum and Arts Center - Liberty, NY

The Liberty Museum has a dual mission of presenting creative arts as well as programs of local and regional history. They host a wide range of exhibitions and events throughout the year, from gallery shows to poetry festivals to Artisan markets. Located in a historic building in downtown Liberty, it’s definitely a great place to check out during your visit.

Where: Liberty, NY - located about 25-30 minutes from the Beaverkill Valley Inn

Visit the Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History - Narrowburg, NY

Fort Delaware is an authentic depiction of the life of the Delaware Company Pioneers who settled in the Upper Delaware Valley in 1754. Costumed interpreters discuss & demonstrate the daily lives of the first European settlers in the Upper Delaware River Valley and their place in local and early American Revolutionary War history. You’ll see blacksmithing, candle making, farming, cabin keeping, musketry & military drills, cannon firings and more. From lecturers to reenactments, there’s something different every weekend from Memorial Day Columbus Day.

Where: Narrowsburg, NY - located about 1 hour from the Beaverkill Valley Inn

Ready to visit the Catskills? Book your stay at the Beaverkill Valley Inn - we can’t wait to host you!