A must see, in the heart of Erie Canal Country the 5 museums of Historic Palmyra dot your way from the Erie Canal’s Palmyra Marina to the Main Street Business district.

Since the beginning of the Erie Canal,  Historic Palmyra’s buildings have served many roles offering goods, mule service, and boarding houses.    The first is our complex is the

• Wm. Phelps General Store and home, is a step back in time to 1826 when this rental property served those early canawlers.  It has maintained its character and 1826 structure

through its purchase by Wm. Phelps in 1868 and a transition to family business and home, to its final chapter in 1976 with the death of the last Phelps.  

This store is not set up like it was but is original  with necessities and provisions used for canal travel.     This building has stopped in time with all the products, furnishings,

and items of an old Erie Canal  general store lining its shelves.   This is a one of a kind building with original, authentic items that remained in the store after it closed in 1940

and furnishings from 1868-1976.    

• Our Erie Canal Depot next door is an 1830 tenant house that housed mules in the basement for travel on the Erie Canal.    Two stalls are still visible through photographs,

we have an 8’ x 6’ diorama of Lock 60’s double lock system for the enlarged Erie Canal 1848.    Unique mule ramps,  whipple tree, yokes, and photographs of the digging

of the new Barge Canal are shared with visitors.    This unique museum is being enlarged for the 200th Anniversary of the Erie Canal.

• Our Palmyra Print Shop houses printing presses made in Palmyra, NY from 1856 to 1923 with all necessary type, type blocks, and lithograph stones from 1820 to 1972.  

These printing presses  and cutters were shipped on the Erie Canal and taken all over the world.    The platen printing press changed printing forever.   Come and stamp a

Card or make a book mark.

• The Palmyra Historical Museum is located just steps up the street and is a 23 room old restaurant and tavern built in 1826 and added to in 1898.    This served as a boarding house

and hotel from 1826 until the 1950’s.    Each room is themed and the collections are vast; covering all parts of American, State, County and community history from founding in

1789 to today.     Every aspect of history from military, dolls, toys, doctors, religions, organizations, and photographic as well as paintings are shown.     This building is a treasure

of all things for our 228 years.    This museums shares the preservation of Palmyra by Historical Palmyra from 1964 to 1976 and its continued historic buildings, look, and grandeur.  

• The Alling Coverlet Museum holds the largest privately owned, handwoven collection of the American Coverlet and art of weaving.    Since July 4th, 1976 this museums has been

sharing and featuring at least 70 displayed coverlets each year.    All museums are featuring the 200th Anniversary of the Erie Canal and this one is no exception.     Our coverlets displayed

this year are from the 1817, 1825’s through to 1876 when the last expansion was made of the original Erie Canal.       

These 5 museums at 1 destination are a must see along the Erie Canal whether by boat or by bike.   Water, rest room, and a cool stop will make your experience, comfortable,  fun and exciting.     Hours are

10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 6th to October 31,  Tuesday-Saturday.    We are closed on July 4th.     Special, group, and bus tours are available at other hours with a reservation.