The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, NY, explores early aviation, transportation and regional history through collections connected to pioneer aviator Glenn Hammond Curtiss. Its aircraft, vehicles and local-history displays make it a practical cultural outing from Bath; the museum is about 38 minutes by car from a two-star hotel in Bath.
- Location: 8419 State Route 54, Hammondsport, NY 14840
- Opening pattern: Open daily
- Admission: Adult tickets are $14.50; reduced rates and free admission categories are available
- Parking: Free on-site parking, including wheelchair-accessible spaces
What is the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum known for?
The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum is known for its early aircraft and collections documenting transportation and regional history. Its mission is to preserve and interpret those subjects while highlighting Curtiss’s innovations and accomplishments.
The aircraft collection includes original examples such as a 1927 Curtiss “Robin” and a 1943 Curtiss C-46 “Commando.” Restored aircraft include a 1917 Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny” and a 1943 Curtiss P-40 E “War Hawk”; the collection also includes a reproduction of the 1909 “Silver Dart.” Some aircraft are on loan.
Other collections widen the picture beyond aviation. The automobile collection includes a 1904 Orient Buckboard, a 1914 Ford T Depot Hack and a 1928 Ford A Sport Coupe. Motorcycles from 1904–1930 include a 1904 Curtiss Hercules Single Cylinder and a 1914 Indian V-Twin, while the bicycle collection ranges from a velocipede dated circa 1865 to bicycles dated circa 1890–1900.
The museum’s history page recounts that the Curtiss School of Aviation opened in Hammondsport and San Diego in 1910, with Charles Willard and Alexander Williams as its first students. An Albany Flyer exhibit covers Curtiss’s May 29, 1910 public flight from Albany to Manhattan, a 150-mile journey.
How do you get from Bath to the museum?
The museum is at 8419 State Route 54, about one-half mile south of Hammondsport village. From Bath, plan a drive to the museum; free parking is available on-site, with wheelchair-accessible spaces beside the entrances in the parking lots.
For another outing in the area, plan a Hammondsport and Keuka Lake day trip from Bath.
How much time should you allow for the exhibits?
Allow time to move among the aviation, automobile, motorcycle, bicycle and regional-history collections. If you’re visiting as a group, guided tours can be scheduled during regular museum hours and last approximately 45 minutes. Groups booking guided or self-guided tours should arrange them at least two weeks ahead.
You can also visit the Restoration Shop, talk with volunteer craftsmen and watch them work on historic aircraft. The museum has a 75-seat theater, a large open area for special events and a museum store. Personal or educational photography of collection pieces is permitted; commercial photography requires advance arrangements with the director.
The nearby Finger Lakes Boating Museum offers another transportation-history stop near Hammondsport, with its own collections to consider as you plan the day.
What are the museum’s hours, tickets and visitor facilities?
The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from May 1 through October 31, and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from November 1 through April 30. It closes on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Opening hours
- Monday to Sunday: 9 AM–5 PM
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
Admission is $14.50 for adults ages 18–64, $13 for seniors 65 and older, and $11 for youth ages 7–17, veterans and retired military. Museum members, children 6 and under, and active-duty military are admitted free.
Group rates apply to groups of 10 or more people. General admission does not require advance reservations; groups booking guided or self-guided tours should schedule at least two weeks ahead. Check the official site before you go.
Wheelchair access is available throughout the museum. Service animals are welcome, but pets are not allowed inside.
Pairing the visit with Hammondsport
Because the museum sits about one-half mile south of Hammondsport village, you can pair its collections with time in the village or by Keuka Lake. The museum’s focus on regional history also gives the visit a local context alongside its transportation displays.
For a second museum stop centered on the region’s boating heritage, the Finger Lakes Boating Museum near Hammondsport is another option to include in your plans.
FAQs
Where is the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum?
It is at 8419 State Route 54, Hammondsport, NY 14840, about one-half mile south of the village.
Does the museum have free parking?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available, including wheelchair-accessible spaces adjacent to the entrances.
Can you take photographs inside?
Personal or educational photography of collection pieces is permitted. Commercial photography requires advance arrangements with the director.