The Adirondack History Museum is set to open for the 2018 season on Saturday, May 26th with a seasonal exhibit reflecting on World War One and a new permanent exhibit, Hiking in the Adirondack High Peaks.

The exhibit, Over There: Local Boys Go to War, examines the impact of World War I on the men of the Adirondacks. The exhibit features local stories and experiences presented through photographs, artifacts, and ephemera.

The Rosenberg Gallery show, Artists of War: Posters as Propaganda in World War I, features original WWI posters by a variety of artists. The Great War era is frequently referred to as the golden age of poster illustration. The posters present many aspects of the war effort — including war bonds, food preservation, women’s aid, and enlistment — and were utilized to shape public opinion and unify the nation behind the war effort. The show, featuring original posters from the Gretna Longware collection, will be curated by Aaron Noble, New York State Archivist and co-author of A Spirit of Sacrifice: New York State in the First World War.

The Adirondack Suffragists exhibit will remain for another season and is expanding to highlight the contributions of women to the war effort. The war greatly altered women’s roles in society and gave new force to the cause of women’s suffrage.

In additional to its three WWI exhibits, the museum will mark a milestone by hosting the grand opening of a new permanent exhibit, Hiking in the Adirondack High Peaks. This interactive exhibit explores the history of High Peaks hiking, significant figures and groups, and the mountains themselves.

To celebrate, the museum will host a special reception on July 20, featuring a screening of the film The 46ers. Director Blake Cortright will introduce the film.

The museum’s Thursday evening film/lecture series will begin on June 21, and run through September. The series explores World War I history, the Great Influenza of 1918, and High Peaks hiking.

The Adirondack History Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $2 for students.

The Adirondack History Museum is located at 7590 Court Street, Elizabethtown. For more information, contact the museum at (518) 873-6466, echs@adkhistorymuseum.org, or visit the Museum’s website.

Photo of World War I planes by Clyde Cheesman.