Most people come to Cooperstown and Otsego County for the baseball – and hey, we get it! There's a reason why we're considered the equivalent of Mecca in the baseball world. Many, however, leave realizing that Cooperstown is an unexpectedly artistic and cultural hotspot in Central New York.
Here's your definitive guide to experiencing the best of music, art, culture, and architecture throughout Cooperstown and Otsego County.
Architectural Adventures
Paddle to the Kingfisher Tower on Otsego Lake. Pass through the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge in Glimmerglass State Park, one of two remaining Burr Arch Truss bridges left in New York State. Head to Gilbertsville southwest of Cooperstown to explore a myriad of Tudor architecture, which has given the entire village the distinction of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Otsego County is the ultimate playground for architecture nerds.
Music to Your Ears
From taking in a world class opera experience at The Glimmerglass Festival to enjoying a variety of genres amid the Cooperstown Lakefront Park's fresh air setting during the Cooperstown Summer Music Festival and the Cooperstown Lakefront Concert Series, Otsego County's musical entertainment spans far and wide. Also popular are Brewery Ommegang's Summer Concert Series. Just a short drive from Cooperstown, catch other concerts and performances at the Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta.
Art Aspirations
Home to one of the largest collections of American Indian Art in the nation, The Fenimore Art Museum highlights Cooperstown and Otsego County's diverse arts scene, also bringing in regularly rotating exhibitions that have included collections of works by Winslow Homer, Ansel Adams, and other American greats. Beyond the Fenimore, art lovers will find hidden gems at the Baseball Hall of Fame's the Art of Baseball exhibit, highlighted by names like Warhol, Rockwell, and Neiman, as well as the avant-garde Cherry Valley Artworks.
Cultural Treasures
Scattered throughout Cooperstown and Otsego County, visitors will stumble upon countless cultural treasures paying homage to Cooperstown's rich and storied past – the ultimate living history experience of The Farmers' Museum; restored and maintained grandeur of old at historic sites such as Hyde Hall; bronze statues immortalizing James Fenimore Cooper, baseball legends, and iconic Otsego County figures. For history buffs, the cultural discoveries are endless in Cooperstown and Otsego County.
