Ski and Ride Museums – New York and New England

By Jeremy Davis

Did you know that throughout New York and New England that there are six different ski and snowboard Museums that you can visit, along with several satellite locations? Each location tells the story about our region’s rich outdoor heritage. Most of these museums are low cost or free, with donations always welcome. These museums can make for an interesting side trip during a ski vacation or at any time of the year. Be sure to check out each’s website before visiting to confirm their operating hours, as these can change depending on the season.

Lake Placid Olympic Museum – The Lake Placid Olympic Museum, located at the Olympic Center, celebrates not only the history of Olympic sports – including skiing – during the 1932 and 1980 Winter Games, but also showcases items from other Olympics around the world. Visitors learn about what it takes to be an Olympian, learn about the “Miracle on Ice” 1980 ice hockey game, and can even take a ride on a virtual bobsled run. Open seven days a week, 9:30am-5pm. Admission: $15 adults, $12 military, 7-19 years old, students, and over 65. Free for six and under. Visit: lakeplacidolympicmuseum.org.

Depot Museum in North Creek – North Creek has a rich ski history, including being the site of the first ski lift in New York State, the first ski patrol, and was a major snow train destination. The Depot Museum celebrates all of this. Here, you can learn about North Creek’s pioneer history, including Ride Up and Slide Down at Gore in the early 1930s, where locals would drive visiting skiers to relatively close to the summit of Gore, and skiers would be able to ski all the way back down to the village. Besides skiing displays, there’s also an incredible model railroad set of the entire village, and exhibits on Teddy Roosevelt, since he learned he had become president right at the Depot in 1901. Even if the Museum is closed, you can still walk around the railyard, see the platform where skiers from the snow trains exited, and sit on two vintage double chairlifts from Gore. 

Open Saturdays 1-5pm in February, Weekends from Memorial Day until July 4th, then every day but Wednesday during the rest of the summer. Fall schedule will be announced. Admission: Free (donations welcome). Go to: northcreekdepotmuseum.org.

Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum – Located in downtown Stowe, the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum collects, preserves, and celebrates Vermont’s skiing and snowboarding history, with over 8,000 objects in their collection. The current exhibitions include the photography of Hubert Schriebl, and an exhibit on Snurfing to Snowboarding. There are also free events, both online and in person, throughout the year. Open Thursday-Sunday 12-5pm, closed April 13-May 20 and Oct .19-Nov. 26. Admission: $5 suggested donation. Visit: vtssm.org.

New England Ski Museum – The New England Ski Museum has two locations – one at the base of the Tram at Cannon Mountain (which will be replaced in the next three years) in Franconia, N.H., and the other in downtown North Conway, N.H. Both locations feature unique exhibits, displays, and experiences. At the Franconia location, visitors can view Bodie Miller’s Olympic medals, Olaus Magnus’ book which features the first depiction of a skier, and even a sword that was owned by Mussolini and found by 10th Mountain Division troops, among many other items and displays. There’s also a satellite photography exhibit at the summit lodge at Cannon.

In North Conway, visitors can learn about the history of skiing, interact with a display about lost ski areas, take selfies with ski lifts and Tuckerman Ravine backgrounds, enjoy the library, and much more. The Museum also has many events throughout the year, including the annual Hannes Schneider Meister Cup in March, a whole weekend celebrating ski history. Open in Franconia on Friday, Saturday and Monday 11am-4pm, with more days during vacation weeks. Open in North Conway on Friday-Monday 11am-5pm, daily during school vacation weeks. Admission: Free, donations welcome. Go to: skimuseum.org.

Maine Ski and Snowboard Museum – Located near Sugarloaf Mountain in Carrabassett Valley, the Maine Ski and Snowboard  Museum celebrates the history and heritage of Maine skiing and snowboarding. Exhibits here include one on Sugarloaf’s ski history, a collection of Maine skis and snowboards, and more. There’s another exhibit at the Bethel Historical Society (open by appointment in the winter) on the history of ski areas and ski manufacturing. Open Thursdays and Saturdays 10:30am-3:30pm. Visit: maineskiandsnowboardmuseum.org.

Jeremy Davis is the author of five books, including “Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks” and “Lost Ski Areas of the Northern Adirondacks” – available at nelsap.org. He serves on the New England Ski Museum emeritus board and is a director of operations of Weather Routing Inc. in Glens Falls.