Welcome To Potsdam Public Museum
EXHIBITIONS
Current Exhibit
The Raquette River: Past Present and Future!
VIEW OUR ONLINE EXHIBITS
Click on the link below to go to the Northern New York Library Network's New York Heritage Digital Potsdam Collections. We have over 500 images on view including: Horse Drawn Transportation, The Automobile in Potsdam, Early History, Churches of Potsdam, Potsdam in the 1940s and Railroad from 1850 to 2000, Potsdam Fire Department, the Burnap Collection of English Pottery and Benjamond Raymonds records of Land Sales 1803 to 1818.
SOME PAST EXHIBITIONS
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW : A HISTORY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
December 2019 - November 2020
Telecommunication is communication over a distance by cable, telegraph, telephone, or broadcasting. On display, we have object from radios to cassette tapes to typewriters to telephones to cell phones and things in between!
Things that play music and tools used to map areas and find your way. We also have a small display featuring written communication with quill pens and carrier pigeons.
We have something for everyone here from technology from the late 1800s to the early 2000s. Whoever you are, get ready for a trip down memory lane!
Many items are on loan from local people, so you might see your friend's stereo or computer on display!
CHINA - Land of Silk and Dragons
Spring 2018-Fall 2019
Five Potsdam families spend time in China around the time of the Chinese revolution of 1911. ...
APRIL through SEPTEMBER 2016
Explored the cultural, artistic, and personal significance of tattoos, past and present. The multimedia exhibit included historical and contemporary examples of tattoo flash art and equipment, videos documenting the tattoo process, a photo-documentary project about tattoos and identity, and the work of local tattoo artists.
Some local residents of Potsdam submitted photos of their tattoos were included in the show.
The image to the left is taken from a collection of tattoo flash art and equipment from the 1920s and 30s donated to the Museum in 1985. The works, by Schofield, will be included in the exhibition.
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN POTSDAM POSTCARDS
Historic Downtown Potsdam Postcards is the first of a series of topical postcard displays featuring the Museum’s extensive collection of Potsdam postcards. This exhibit features cards from the business area of Potsdam, focusing on Market Street, Main Street, Elm Street, and Water Street. Among the more interesting postcards that are featured in this exhibit are one of Market Street looking north, with a photograph of New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes superimposed, dating to October 20, 1908. Another fascinating postcard features a World War I parade on Market Street, dating October 6, 1917. Another intriguing postcard of Market Street looking North depicts the old Knowles Residence, which was torn down in the 1930’s. Other interesting cards depict the Water Street area before Urban Renewal.
NOTE: The WW I Postcard (to the right) was originally printed from the reversed negative.
Click Here to see our digitally modified / corrected version.
NOSTALGIA - THE 1960's
August 1, through Oct 1, 2012
The Potsdam Museum celebrated the 1960s with an exhibit of artifacts, art and music from the 1960s. This coincided with the Mega Reunion of the Potsdam High School which encompasses all classes EVER to graduate from PHS.
THE COVER UP: COVERLETS, LOOMS AND SPINNING WHEELS
June 2011 through spring 2012
An exhibition of spinning and weaving tools and equipment from the Potsdam museum's collection, to include: spinning wheels, niddy noddies, yarn winders, scutching boards, hatchels, carders, weasels, and flax breakers. Weaving accoutrements include; looms, warping boards, shuttles, heddles, harnesses and beaters. A blanket loom c. 1800 will be reconstructed on site.
2 Park St. (PO Box 5168)
Civic Center
Potsdam, NY 13676
(315) 265-6910
museum@vi.potsdam.ny.us
Hours
Tuesday to Friday: 10 AM to 4 PM
Saturday: 10 AM to 2 PM
Note: All images, text and other material found in this website © Potsdam Public Museum. All rights reserved.