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Two North Tonawanda museums participate as Smithsonian 'Museum Day Live!' sites

by jmaloni
Wed, Sep 5th 2012 07:00 am

The North Tonawanda History Museum and the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum will offer free admission on Saturday, Sept. 29, along with more than 1,400 other participating venues in the nation for the eighth annual "Museum Day Live!" sponsored by the Smithsonian Magazine.

Additional area venues that are participating are the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village in the Town of Amherst; the Erie Canal Discovery Center-The History Center-The Penney Gallery-The Colonel William Bond-Jesse Hawley House in the City of Lockport; and the Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford.

The participating sites will emulate the free admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution's Washington, D.C.-based facilities. The "Museum Day Live!" project seeks to encourage learning and the spread of knowledge nationwide.

Inclusive by design, "Museum Day Live!" fulfills Smithsonian Media's mission to make cultural education accessible to everyone. Free admission is granted at participating museums to visitors who download a "Museum Day Live!" ticket at www.Smithsonian.com/museumday. The 2011 Smithsonian "Museum Day Live!" event drew more than 350,000 museumgoers nationwide. This year's Museum Day Live! is expected to attract close to 400,000 participants.

The "Museum Day Live!" ticket will enable visitors to gain free entrance for two people at participating venues for one day only. One ticket is allowed per household or per email address.

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. Approximately 30 million people from around the world visit the museums annually.

The Smithsonian Institution is able to extend free admission to its facilities because it receives funding from the U.S. government, through the House and Senate interior, environment and related agencies appropriations subcommittees. The 2011 budget request to Congress for the Smithsonian was $797.6 million. Additional funding for the Smithsonian comes from its own endowment, from retail and concession sales and licensing activities, from private and corporate contributions.

The Western New York museums do not have the luxury of the revenue streams possessed by the Smithsonian.

The board of trustees, members and supporters of the North Tonawanda History Museum encourage readers to pass this information on to friends, relatives, and colleagues who may never have visited Western New York-area museums. It is the organizer's hope that those who may "sample" museums on Museum Day will come to realize the important work done in preserving, presenting and protecting local heritage, and in promoting the communities in which we operate.

The North Tonawanda History Museum, located in The Lumber City History Center at 54 Webster St., in North Tonawanda's historic downtown shopping district near the Erie Canal and Niagara River, is also pleased to provide the services of its Gateway Cities Welcome Center component to North Tonawanda visitors and residents alike in order to provide directions, area tourism information, and information on dining and shopping venues as well as other cultural venues.

Free parking for visitors to the North Tonawanda History Museum and its Gateway Cities Welcome Center is available in the municipal parking lot on Manhattan Street behind the History Museum, with Webster Street readily accessible from the parking lot by Project Pride Way and Tremont Street. Manhattan Street runs parallel to Webster Street and River Road - in between them - and can be reached by either Tremont Street or Goundry Street.

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