Past Exhibits

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Missed one of our recent exhibits? View descriptions and pdfs below of some Historic Geneva exhibits previously on display.

Comet Finder: Dr. William R. Brooks
This exhibit looks at the life and work of Geneva comet finder William Brooks, an astronomer who made sixteen of his discoveries while a professor at Hobart College.
My Geneva is…Parks and Playgrounds
A community-sourced exhibit featuring images and recollections of gatherings, sports, and games at Geneva’s parks and playgrounds.
Ethan Fogg: Locks and Keys
A collection of locks and keys from Ethan Fogg.
New Acquisitions
An exhibit featuring a selection of items donated to the Historic Geneva collection during the past few years.
Lift Every Voice: Geneva’s Black Community Since 1966
This exhibit explores the history of Geneva’s Black community since 1966, the concluding year of a 1991 exhibit produced on the history of the city’s Black citizens. It looks at the past 50 years of change.
Community Curator: John Marks
A display of flamingo-themed items loaned by curator John Marks.
There’ll Be Some Changes Made: Geneva in the 1920s
An exhibit about how the wild decade of the 1920s affected Geneva.
125th Anniversary Geneva: Now a City
A small exhibit of items celebrating various Geneva anniversaries.
Community Curator: John LaBuff
John LaBuff’s collection of Snoopy-themed figures and collectibles.
My Geneva is…Then and Now
An exhibit that pairs historic views around the city of Geneva with contemporary photos of the same location.
Community Curator: Bill Forbis
A collection of shells and beach ornaments of the late Bill Forbis on loan from his family.
Hip Hobart Forever! 200 Years of Hobart College
Explore 200 years of the intertwined history of Hobart College and the Geneva community.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Food and Beverages in Geneva
An exhibit which explores the history of food and beverages in Geneva’s history.
Community Curator: Harriot Weiskittel
Harriot Weiskittel has loaned a collection on the British Royal Family.
2022 Geneva City School District Art Show
A display of work by students at West and North Street Elementary Schools, Geneva Middle School, and Geneva High School.
Immigration in New York State, 1650-1950
This small traveling exhibit from New York Heritage focuses on historic immigration to New York State from 1650 to 1950.
Community Curator: Mary Jean Wesler
Mary Jean Wesler’s collection of ceramic pitchers.
Historic Scrapbooks: Gluing Together the Past
An exhibit featuring a variety of historic scrapbooks from the Historic Geneva collection, documenting family and group life in the community’s past.
Community Curator: Sharon Best
A patriotic collection of American eagle sculpture from the late Bill Best on loan by his wife Sharon.
My Geneva is… Home Edition
The latest edition of the crowdsourced My Geneva is… exhibit series features homes in Geneva.
Community Curator: Pat Keefe
A display of Pat Keefe’s collection of projectile points and related materials is currently on display.
We Stayed at Home: A Record of Geneva in the COVID-19 Pandemic
What might future historians and generations need to understand the COVID-19 Pandemic? All of us have a story to tell about our experiences in this historic time, and this exhibit showcases a few of those experiences.
Geneva Innovators
In this exhibit, encounter the many Geneva innovators who have changed the community and the world with new ideas and inventions.
Community Curator: Chris Davis
Chris Davis collects bottle art and memory jugs and has graciously loaned us several items from his collection.
2021 Geneva City School District Art Show
A display of work by students at West and North Street Elementary Schools, Geneva Middle School, and Geneva High School.
Community Curator: Marty Schlabach
A Community Curator exhibit featuring Marty Schlabach’s collection of poultry paraphernalia.
My Geneva is…
The exhibit My Geneva is… is made up entirely of photos contributed by community members. My Geneva is… includes images that convey what Geneva is to an individual.
Community Curator: Karen Colizzi Noonan
Karen Colizzi Noonan collects theater memorabilia and has graciously loaned us a selection of her theater models.
Community Curator: Karen Osburn
Display of Karen Osburn’s bear and horse collection.
Community Curator: Anthony Noone
Display of Anthony Noone’s political memorabilia collection.
Those Who Served: Items From The Clothing Collection
See items from the clothing collection that are connected to men and women who served in the military and in support organizations.
Rightfully Hers
Rightfully Hers is a pop-up exhibit from the National Archives commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Rightfully Hers contains simple messages exploring the history of the ratification of the 19th amendment, women’s voting rights before and after the 19th, and its impact today.
An Educated Citizenry: Education in Geneva
Explores the evolution of schools, colleges, and informal learning in Geneva.
All Things Geneva: Items from the Clothing Collection
See items from the clothing collection that are connected to Geneva events, made in Geneva, or sold in Geneva.
Statesmen, Herons & Lakers: College Sports in Geneva
This exhibit looks at sports programs at Geneva’s three colleges: Hobart College, William Smith College and Finger Lakes Community College.
Come Out and Play: Sports and Recreation in Geneva
Explore recreation and amateur sports history in Geneva, NY.
2019 Geneva City School District Art Show
The 2019 Geneva City School District Student Art Show will be on display at the Geneva History Museum from Saturday, May 4 to May 25. The show includes works by students at West and North Street Elementary Schools, Geneva Middle School, and Geneva High School.
Panthers & Saints: High School Sports in Geneva
This exhibit looks at the history of school sports at Geneva and DeSales High Schools from the 1890s to the present.
Growing Up in Geneva
What do people in Geneva remember about their childhood here? Lots about food based on the content in our new crowdsourced exhibit, Growing Up in Geneva.
Dove’s Geneva
Explore modernist artist Arthur Dove’s connection to the city of Geneva and the mark he and his family left on it.
A Changing World: Geneva and World War I
Explore Geneva’s participation World War I.
2018 Geneva City School District Art Show
See the work of Geneva’s up-and-coming young artists!
Medicine and Illness: Health Care in Geneva
Explore how health care in Geneva has changed from the 1790s to the present.
Tell Me a Story
Enjoy the wit, humor, and imagination of our Facebook fans in this exhibit of reinterpreted historic photos.
Stuff: A Material History of Geneva
What objects represent Geneva to you? This is an exhibit of twenty-five objects chosen by our Facebook fans to represent Geneva.
Every Building Tells a Story: Architecture in Geneva
This exhibit looks at how Geneva’s buildings tell stories about neighborhood development, historic preservation, and architectural style.
“Good Results Have Followed”: the Women’s Rights Movement in Geneva 1848-2017
Follow Geneva activists’ efforts to achieve woman suffrage in this exhibit.
Two Genevas: Town and City
This exhibit explores the history and development of the Village, then City, and Town of Geneva, New York.
Music in the Key of Geneva
From international stars who have performed at Club 86 and the Smith Opera House to locals who get together and play every week, Geneva has a rich musical heritage. Music in the Key of Geneva presents and chronicles that history.
Support Your Candidate: Political Memorabilia
This exhibit marks the 2016 election year with a display of national and local political memorabilia and ephemera.
Imagemakers Photography Exhibit
The Boys & Girls Club of America ImageMakers National Photography Contest is an annual contest that encourages youth to explore the latest in photography arts. Works by youth artists from the Geneva Boys and Girls Club will be on display at the Geneva History Museum from January 8 to January 29, 2016.
“Now is the Time of Our Country’s Need”: Geneva and the Civil War
On the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, explore Geneva’s experience of this tumultuous period in American history.
2015 Geneva City School District Art Show
Come see the work of Geneva’s youngest artists! This exhibit features the best work of students in kindergarten through grade 12 at North Street School, West Street School, Geneva Middle School and Geneva High School.
Geneva A – Z
What makes Geneva…Geneva? An A to Z compendium.
The Second War of Independence: Geneva and the War of 1812
On the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, discover Geneva’s involvement in the “second war for Independence.”
History of Newspapers in Geneva
The history of newspapers in Geneva begins in 1796. Through the 19th century, the village often had at least two newspapers of opposite political views. The Geneva Daily Times began in 1895 and was the forerunner of today’s Finger Lakes Times.
Torrey Park & Club 86
Beginning in the 1890s, Torrey Park was the Italian neighborhood of Geneva. It had everything people needed: the Lehigh Valley passenger depot, jobs at nearby factories, and a variety of stores and restaurants. Club 86 grew from the Legott family restaurant and hosted musicians from Wilmer and the Dukes to Louis Armstrong and Nat “King” Cole.
The Armory on Main Street
Geneva’s armory was built in 1892 and went through several expansions and changes. As technology made weaponry and vehicles larger, many New York State armories were moved out of downtown to suburban locations. Geneva’s armory still serves as the recruitment, training, and deployment center for its National Guard unit
Brotherhood: Freemasonry in Geneva
Freemasonry has a long local history. Masonic groups have been in Geneva since 1807 when Ark Lodge was formed. Even though membership peaked in the late 1920s, lodges remain active and accept new members. The exhibit answers common questions about freemasonry (including “the Morgan affair”) and highlights Geneva’s Masonic temples through the years as well as prominent local Masons (January -June 2013). Brotherhood
Molding & Machining: Metalwork in Geneva
In the mid-1800s, Geneva claimed more foundries and machine shops than any other community between Auburn and Buffalo. By the 1950s, the metal industry accounted for almost 70% of the city’s jobs. Today, there is only one major metal fabrication company in town. Molding & Machining focuses on what drew these businesses to Geneva in the 19th century and why they were gone by the late 20th More »
How Railroads Shaped Geneva
This exhibit highlights the importance of railroads to the city from the 1840s to the 1960s. Geneva sat at the intersection of two major lines, the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the New York Central Railroad, and was connected to other railroads by regional “short lines.” The exhibit examines the many ways the railroads affected the average resident, from bringing new people and things to town, More »
Scientific Investigation: A History of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
Established in 1880, the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station’s purpose was to promote “agriculture in its various branches by scientific investigation and experimentation.” Though the nature of investigation has changed over the past 130 years scientists still address the same questions of increased production, food safety, and developing healthy food that people want to eat (June 2013 -April 2014). Scientific Investigation