One of my favorite places to go no matter the weather is Adirondack Experience (ADKX), the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake. Though Cabin Fever lectures and special ADKX holiday store hours were available throughout the winter months, the ADKX is will be open daily from Friday, May 25 to October 14, 10 am to 5 pm, for the 2018 season.

The 19,000 square-foot “Life in the Adirondacks” exhibition explores what it is to settle, work, and live in the Adirondacks.

The Wilderness Stories video introduction explores the five major themes of the exhibit. The presentation shows the beauty of the Adirondacks, which draws us and keeps us coming back. “Call of the Wilderness” is one of the first themes, covering the topic over time and including such notables as Teddy Roosevelt and Verplanck Colvin.

People have foraged and hunted through the Adirondacks, escaped the city heat, and used its healing landscape to recuperate from illness. The museum explores the effects humans have had on the Adirondack landscape.

For the first time the museum explores the history of the Mohawk and Abenaki in a substantial way with “A Peopled Wildness,” an exhibition with video interviews, music, interactive language stations and artifacts. “Roughing It” focuses on how people experience the region as an urban escape, at a Great Camp, or off-the-grid homesteads.

A huge part of the Adirondack appeal is its wilderness accessibility. People are drawn to careers that place them within the great outdoors. Through its vast collection of artifacts, the museum showcases the joys and struggles of working these outdoor occupations through “Adirondack Tough: Working in the Wilderness.” From logging, mining, to ice harvesting, wilderness careers come with their own set of challenges. Participants can explore those challenges through interactive and interpretive displays.

The last piece of the “Life in the Adirondacks” puzzle is “Our Adirondack Park.” With a walk-on Adirondack Park map, this exhibit delves into the human interaction with the land along with conservation strategies implemented to reduce that impact. Through a multi-media experience, people are able to share their own memories to continue to add the human element to the Adirondack Park story.

Of course, no visit is complete without discovering the 121-acre campus and over two dozen buildings. The property and exhibits provide even more means to explore everything about the Adirondack Park. Keep in mind that each day’s admission is valid for a second visit within a one-week period.

Photo of Adirondack Experience Life in the Adirondacks log jam exhibition provided.