The Genesee Valley is at war, and Genesee Country Village & Museum is on the frontline!
Saturday, May 16 - Sunday, May 17 2026
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Considered the second “War for Independence,” the War of 1812 spread like wildfire across young America, from the East Coast to the Mississippi River. Come be a part of the action as Genesee Country Village & Museum explores both sides of the conflict and the impact it had on the citizens of Western New York as part of 1812: The Genesee Valley at War.
Attention, Homeschool families! Join us Friday, May 15, for the War! What is it Good For? Homeschool Guided Tour.
Ticket Information
Become a Museum Member to enjoy free admission to this event plus FREE daily admission May – October.
| Museum Members | Purchased Online in Advance | Purchased at the Door |
|---|---|---|
|
Members |
FREE |
FREE |
Buy online and save $1!
| General Admission | Purchased Online in Advance | Purchased at the Door |
|---|---|---|
|
Adult (18+) |
$16 |
$17 |
|
Student (13 – 17) & Senior (62+) |
$14 |
$15 |
|
Youth (4 – 12) |
$10 |
$11 |
|
Child (3 & under) |
FREE |
|
Notice something new? We have a new ticketing system! We hope you’ll find this easy to navigate and appreciate your patience as we roll it out. If you are having issues or have questions, please email info@gcv.org. Museum Members will need to login to received discounted Member pricing and more information on how to do that is available here. Thank you, as always, for your support of the Museum!
Get Your Marching Orders
See what’s happening around the Museum below in addition to these special timed programs.
Friday, May 15
Friday’s programming is geared toward field trip students learning about the impact of war throughout the 19th Century on Western New York. General public welcome!
- 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. – March in step alongside a Civil War soldier on Village Square
- 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Stop into Jones Farm to talk about all things Civil War with a knowledgeable costumed interpreter
Saturday, May 16
- 10:15 a.m. – Watch a flag raising and muster on Village Square
- 11 a.m. – Enjoy a fashion show by the Jane Austen Society of North America
- 12 p.m. – Listen to a talk about Jane Austen at Brooks Grove Church
- 1 p.m. – Stomp and spin – and join in! – with English Country Dancers on Village Square
- 2 p.m. – A skirmish will be had on Village Square between the American and Crown Forces!
- 3 p.m. – Sit in on an Anglican General’s funeral service from 1812 at St. Feehan’s Church
Sunday, May 17
- 10:15 a.m. – Go back in time and join an 1812 American church service in Brooks Grove Church
- 11 a.m. – Enjoy a fashion show by the Jane Austen Society
- 1 p.m. – Stomp and spin – and join in! – with English Country Dancers on Village Square
- 2 p.m. – A skirmish will be had on Village Square between the American and Crown Forces!
- 3 p.m. – Watch a prisoner exchange on Village Square
Historic Village Highlights
Explore, see, and experience our Historic Village. We invite you to tour spaces and buildings representing home, civic, social, economic, farm, and religious life throughout the 1800s.
Visit and talk with our trades folks and historical cooks who both practice and preserve timeless skills like pottery, woodcraft, metalwork, and more. When staffed, explore fiber, sheep to shawl, in Hetchler House (#6); weaving in Humphrey House (#25), and finer fiber work in Foster House (#27). Don’t miss historic cooking & baking at Jones Farm (#14) and Livingston-Backus House (#38)!
Be sure to visit Nathaniel Rochester House (#12), open every day, to delve into the real and often untold history of enslavement and freedom in the Genesee Country.
Plus:
- Visit with reenactors of the American and Crown Forces (Saturday and Sunday)
- Join members from Hull Family Home & Farmstead who will be cooking, teaching calligraphy, sharing about historic stenciling, and playing children’s games in McKay, plus doing laundry on the lawn of Humphrey.
- Purchase your own regency headwear from a historic vendor.
- Learn about rations through the ages at Altay Store – see how soldiers have kept themselves in fighting shape throughout the decades. Plus, did you know Uncle Sam was a product of the War of 1812?
- At the Apothecary, find out how our understanding of medicine shaped battlefields throughout history.
- Play a ship game at the Schoolhouse and learn about the naval battles of Lake Ontario. Make your way around a ship as you race from bow to stern.
- Explore the connection between the War of 1812 and the National Anthem we still singing today in Foster-Tufts House, then color a flag that represents YOU!
- Talk with a Dolly Madison interpreter, heroine of 1812 and First Lady to James Madison
John L. Wehle Gallery
Home to an extensive collection of 19th-century clothing and sporting and wildlife art, the John L. Wehle Gallery includes three rotating exhibits and serveral smaller displays. Exhibits include:
- An Extraordinary Attraction: 50 Years of History, Art, and Nature [NEW in 2026)
- Color Me Calico: A Taste for Prints and Parties
- Perceived Realities: Wildlife, Land, & Myth
Genesee Country Nature Center
The Genesee Country Nature Center is a fantastic place to explore the flora and fauna of the Genesee Valley Region. Take a hike on a nature trail (ranging from .5 – 1.3 miles), learn from a resident naturalist, meet animals up close and personal, and so much more.
Food & Beverage
Stop into these locations for a bite to eat or something to drink!
- Depot Restaurant
- Open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. (grill closes at 3)
- Grab a wrap or burger and a drink.
- Freight House Pub
- Open from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Grab a small bite and a craft beer or cider.
- D.M. Munger Confectionery
- Open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Located on the Square in the Historic Village
- Stop in for Village-made cookies, candy, hand pies, and more!
- Hosmer Taproom
- Open Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Located in Hosmer’s Inn
- Stop in for fresh hand pies, homemade shrub, and more.
Shopping at the Flint Hill Store
Be sure to stop in the Flint Hill Store where you’ll find a variety of Village-made goods, fudge, GCV&M merch, and more.
FAQs
Parking is free and plentiful! Park in any of the main lots at the front of the Museum. Please leave the first two bays available for handicapped parking.
Please have your ticket(s) either printed out OR pulled up on your phone screen and ready for scanning for quick and easy check-in. Pro-tip: take a screenshot of each of your tickets to have ready and pulled up on your phone screen! Please note: Wifi can sometimes be spotty at the front of the Museum.
Yes! This event is rain or shine. The Museum will only cancel in case of a severe weather emergency.
Please dress accordingly for the predicted weather conditions.
We recommend wearing a good pair of walking shoes – there is a lot to see and do, and surfaces in the Historic Village (brick paths, cobblestone, grass), can be uneven.
Yes! Leashed service animals are welcome with proper identification.
We’re sorry to hear that you’re not able to attend! Tickets may be refunded only up to 7 days prior to the event date and are strictly non-transferable by date, entry time, or program.