Enjoy a historic 50th season with GCV&M!
2026 marks 50 years since Genesee Country Village & Museum opened its doors as a seasonal operation with a mere 35 buildings in the Historic Village. Now with 68 buildings, a Gallery, a Nature Center, and year-round programming, we have much to celebrate as we move through 2026. The year will be full of recognition of those who built the Museum, exciting new events celebrating both our 50th and the 250th of the United States, ways to share your memories of the past 50 years, and, of course, cake and fun!
More details about all the exhibits, programs, and events will be coming soon, and thank you for helping GCV&M reach this remarkable milestone.
There’s never been a better time to become part of our online community. Follow along on social under the hashtag #gcvmuseum and sign up for our newsletters so you don’t miss a thing. Better yet, become a Member to get access to it all.
Commemorative Events
Friends, neighbors, and guests from around the world are invited to celebrate with us during a year-long schedule of events, including workshops, talks, member events, and other programming.
Save the dates and stay tuned for more details and tickets!
Friday, May 1 – Antique Show Preview Party and 50th Anniversary Exhibit Opening
Enjoy an exclusive first look at the Antique Show and the new exhibit in the Wehle Gallery: An Extraordinary Attraction: 50 Years of History, Art, and Nature that will highlight the people and collections that have made GCV&M the amazing place that it is.
Friday, May 22 – 50th Anniversary Day
GCV&M opened to the public on May 22, 1976 and we’ll celebrate 50 years later with special tours, ways to share your memories of the Museum, and of course, cake!
Wednesday, June 17 – Antiques Roadshow
The hit PBS show is coming to the Museum to film episodes for their 31st season. If you would like to attend, tickets are only available through Antiques Roadshow – visit pbs.org/antiques for more information.
Saturday, July 4 – Independence Day
Enjoy a full day of patriotic fun, immersive experiences, and our annual Founder’s Circle picnic.
Saturday, July 11 – Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Concert
Join the RPO for a summer evening performance on the Great Meadow featuring a variety of pieces recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States. This concert is sponsored by Tom and Nan Hildebrandt.
Saturday, July 25 – Centennial Expo
Commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the United States and learn how America celebrated its first 100 years.
Saturday, September 19 – The Whirl Fundraiser
Spend a special evening with friends celebrating the Museum’s 50 years of preserving the history, art, and nature of our region. Pick your dinner location in the Historic Village soon!
Share Your Memories
In celebration of our 50th anniversary year, we want to collect and honor the memories of all who have enjoyed the Museum throughout the decades. We invite you to share a memory of your experience at GCV&M – whether that be a video, picture, voice memo, written quote, or all of the above!
Select stories will be shared on the museum’s social media, website, and marketing materials. Only first names and city/town (if provided) will be published.
Have something you would like to donate? Please fill out the Donate Object form to help us determine whether your object is the right fit for our collection.
Stories From the Archives
To mark this 50th anniversary, Museum staff combed our rich collections and archives to identify rarely seen objects, documents, and media that provide a glimpse into the breadth and depth of our history.
Anniversary Exhibition
John L Wehle Gallery will feature an all-new exhibition showcasing our past, present and future. An Extraordinary Attraction: 50 years of History, Art, and Nature will debut May 2 and continue through 2027.
Merchandise
Stay tuned for unique 50th Anniversary merchandise, including some throwbacks to our original logo!
For Media Inquiries
Aimee J. Lewis PR, Marketing & Communications, LLC
aimee.lewis@gmail.com
Make a gift
Join us as we meet this major milestone and help us shape what the next 50 years can be!