The National Horse Racing Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 191 Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs. (file photo)
New York State Capital Region — This region is home to many major museums.
The New York State Museum and the Albany Institute of History and Art are both located in Albany. Skidmore in Saratoga, his campus is home to the Tang Educational Museum, and Glens Falls is home to the Hyde Collection.
Nearby in the Berkshires is the Clark Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His MoCa in North Adams and the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Most of these are known for their collections of paintings and sculptures.
There are some great local museums that could be considered specialty museums. The ones that mostly come to mind for me are the National Museum of Horse Racing and the Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs. Perhaps calling them specialties is being disrespectful. Horse racing is part of the region’s culture, and who isn’t fascinated by cars, especially vintage ones?
Not only do museums do a great job of fulfilling their respective missions, but they also have the added benefit of introducing us all to our country’s history and culture through their areas of expertise. And really, isn’t that what all museums are for?
If you don’t act soon, you’ll miss the “Bond in Motion” exhibit, which closes at the Automobile Museum on Sunday. It consists of six cars, three of which are Astin Martins. They appeared in nine James Bond movies. There are no words to describe missing out on a fantasy road trip with James Bond.
However, there is still much to admire in this museum. I particularly like the East of Detroit exhibit, which features vehicles manufactured in New York State in the early 20th century. These include Pierce Arrow, made by Buffalo, and Franklin, made by Syracuse. One of his most popular vehicles is his 1912 Ford Model T, Charles Lindbergh’s personal vehicle.
It’s instructive to look at these early cars and compare their evolution to today’s models. On a broader scale, “East of Detroit” shows how the auto industry evolved in just one century from a small group of independent entrepreneurs working in a garage to a unified global industry. Help you understand.
Bond’s car won’t be the only non-human superstar leaving the area soon. On March 31st, another legend leaves. That’s when “A Tremendous Machine: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown” leaves the museum. Few athletes have garnered as much national love and admiration as the 1973 Secretariat. This exhibition will soften the magical year in which Secretariat won the Triple Crown.
Touring the Hall of Fame exhibit is a must-see experience for racing enthusiasts and non-racing enthusiasts alike. Once you leave here, you’ll understand why it’s called the “sport of kings.” Don’t miss the 16-minute film “What It Takes: Journey to the Hall of Fame.” Screened on the hour, this show is not only the hall’s highlight, but also entertainment in its own right.
A delicious-looking new exhibit “Hot Dogs!” has been added. The Concession Experience of Harry M. Stevens. ” It opened last week and will run until January 5, 2025. For decades, the Harry M. Stevens Company operated concessions in 20 different trucks. He controlled every ballpark in New York, including Saratoga, and most of the major league ballparks.
In fact, Stevens was known as a cook for the masses. He is credited with popularizing the use of buns and the addition of pickles, making hot dogs a national favorite. Anyone of a certain age can relate to sitting in the middle of the line, ordering a bag of peanuts, and having one of the Stevens salesmen toss them at you with Tom Brady-like precision.
Stevens was born in London in 1855 and moved to Ohio in 1822. When he attended his first baseball game in 1887, he noticed that the scorecard was poorly designed. He improved them and acquired the rights to sell them at matches. He soon realized that due to the long match times, it was natural to sell snacks and refreshments to captive spectators.
Eventually, the Rigon dynasty reached its peak of prosperity. After Stevens passed away in 1934, his sons ran the company and sold it to Amamark in 1994.
Under Harry M. Stevens, the concession stand operated as a benign dictatorship. Choices were limited and products were reasonably priced. He succeeded in an era before corporate suites and corporate greed. It was a time when you could feed your whole family at sporting events and you didn’t have to take out a loan. Since 1994, the menu has expanded and prices have increased.
Before his death, Stevens commented on his life: A great family, lots of friends, a big company, and lots of money…and no dirty money. ”
The Harry M. Stevens exhibit is truly a visit to the past, a history lesson in how sports evolved from a leisurely day of escapism to big business.
For more information about the National Racing Museum, visit racingmuseum.org. For information about the Automobile Museum, visit tosaratogaauatomuseum.org.