Museums

Mary Baker Eddy Museum

One block down from the Women’s Rights National Historical Park [1] stands a small museum dedicated to the life of Mary Baker Eddy (118 Fall St., 315/568-6488, www.marybakereddy.com [2], 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tues.–Sun., library: free admission; exhibits: adults $6 adults, seniors and children 6–17 $4, children under 6 free). Interactive displays document the life of this 19th-century woman who challenged conventional thinking in theology, science, and medicine.

Seneca Museum of Waterways and Industry

Housed in a historic building, this museum (89 Fall St., 315/568-1510, www.senecamuseum.com [3], 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tues.–Sat. year-round, and noon–4 p.m. Sun. mid-June–Aug., adults $2, families $5) is filled with exhibits on the history of the village and its surrounding waterways. A colorful 35-foot mural lines one wall, while elsewhere are antique fire engines, pumps, looms, and printing presses. One exhibit shows how the Erie Canal [4] was built, another is a working lock model.

National Women’s Hall of Fame

The Women’s Hall of Fame (76 Fall St., 315/568-8060, www.greatwomen.org [5], 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Sat. and noon–5 p.m. Sun. May–Sept., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed.–Sat. Oct.–Apr., adults $3, seniors and students $1.50, children under 6 free) bills itself as “the only national membership organization devoted exclusively to the accomplishments of American women.” Blown-up photos and plaques pay homage to everyone from painter Mary Cassatt to anthropologist Margaret Mead.

Seneca Falls Historical Society

Formerly known as the Mynderse/Partridge/Becker House, this museum (55 Cayuga St., 315/568-8412, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon.–Fri. year-round, noon–4 p.m. Sat.–Sun. in summer, adults $3, seniors and students $1.50, families $7) is housed in a notable Queen Anne home, set back from the street behind an iron fence. Inside, 23 elegant rooms feature period furnishings, elaborate woodwork, and an extensive costume collection. A rare collection of 19th-century circus toys is strewn through the children’s playroom.