Woodstock Museum at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

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Visiting The Museum? View standard policies, dining options, and purchase your tickets online for a discounted rate!

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Exhibitions in The Museum

Discover the iconic fashion of the 1960s, listen to music from the era, and watch a series of films that bring history to life with original footage featuring the people, stories, sights, and music of the three-day Woodstock Festival. Woodstock: The Music shows, for the first time ever, high-definition footage of the best performances from the Woodstock Music and Art Fair told from the perspective of the performers themselves, as well as contemporary artists from today.

Exhibitions in The Museum

The Museum will be closed until further notice.

While we don't have any confirmed cases connected to The Museum, we believe that we must do all that we can to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our guests and staff, which at this time calls for us to minimize gatherings while maintaining the cleanest environment possible. We look forward to soon announcing when we'll be able to welcome visitors to The Museum and opening our 2020 Special Exhibit: Lights, Color, Fashion. Follow along on social media as we share content from the exhibits, talks with the curators, and more.

COVID-19 UPDATE

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is continuously monitoring the COVID-19 situation. We are in communication with our partners, state and local officials, and health authorities as we collectively assess all developments related to COVID-19. We will communicate any updates as they happen here.

Learn About Woodstock and the 1960s

The Museum at Bethel Woods is an integral part of the campus and the inspiration for our programming, telling the story of the ’60s and the making of the 1969 Woodstock festival. It embodies the movements and ideals of a generation that remain relevant today: peace, connection to the environment, civility, and kindness.

The Museum, which opened to the public in June 2008, is housed in a beautiful LEED-certified green building, set back from the top of the Woodstock festival hillside. Within the building, in addition to the Main Exhibit Gallery, Museum Shop, and Muse Café (with indoor and outdoor seating), there is a spacious Event Gallery where intimate concerts and other events are held. On the lower level are the Special Exhibit Gallery, Corridor Gallery, and public restrooms, as well as the Museum’s administrative offices.

The Museum Experience

Through our award-winning Main Exhibit, varied and engaging special exhibitions, growing collection of artifacts and reference materials, museum programs for children, youth, and adults, and the preserved historic site, the Museum immerses visitors in the story of the societal evolution of the 1960s, connecting visitors to the roots of today’s freedom of expression and the resurgent human spirit that defined the politics, music, art, and societal issues of that remarkable and challenging decade.

people exploring that exhibits at the Museum at Bethel Woods

Museum Sneak-Peek

Your journey through the Museum begins as the nuclear age wanes and the world stands at the brink of incredible transformation. Wind through exhibits that subtly shift with the geopolitical and cultural transformations of the decade that saw Martin Luther King, Jr. rise and fall, the Vietnam War unfold, the Summer of Love bloom, and Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. This immersive multimedia experience will take you on a journey through time with artifacts, films, music, and more. We also offer regularly scheduled tours with trained volunteers and docent.

visitors at Bethel Woods Museum looking at exhibits

Community Involvement

In addition to preserving and interpreting an era, the Museum is actively involved in our community—through education, economic development, and historic preservation—to encourage social responsibility among our visitors and supporters and to advocate for issues that make Sullivan County, and the world at large, a better place. To borrow from 1960s ideology, everyone has the power to change the world.

boy listening to an interactive exhibit at Bethel Woods Museum

Sensory-Friendly Museum Days

A special day, each month, dedicated to creating a fun, enjoyable, and explorative museum experience in an inclusive environment for visitors of all ages and abilities. Discover the sensory-friendly museum dates here.

Museum FAQs

Are student groups welcome during the school year?

The Museum's Education department offers programs aligned with the NY State curriculum which help students make the connection between the museum content and their lives today. For more information please contact us at education@BethelWoodsCenter.org. Registration can be done here.
Can I take pictures at The Museum at Bethel Woods?

Photography is allowed in the museum for personal, non-commercial use. (Policy may vary for some special exhibits). Tripods and other supports, flash and other lighting, allowed ONLY with prior written permission from museum management. For media and commercial use, please contact Bethel Woods Public Relations at mediainquiries@bethelwoodscenter.org
Can I visit the Museum and go to a Pavilion Stage concert on the same day?

Yes, you can visit The Museum and attend a Pavilion Stage concert on the same day. Due to popular demand, museum visitation during a Pavilion Stage concert day is high. The Museum at Bethel Woods offers discounted admission when purchased with a concert ticket as well as when purchased the day of with a valid concert ticket. Discounted admission is valid the day of a concert through noon the following day.
How can I donate an artifact?

If you have an item to donate to The Museum’s permanent collection, please contact Robin Green at rgreen@bethelwoodscenter.org. If you can attach a photo of your item, that would be appreciated. Please DO NOT bring your item to the Museum without first contacting us.
I would like to bring a group to The Museum and for a concert: Do you have a group sales department?

We invite you to bring your group of 20 or more to experience the power of live performance or to visit The Museum at Bethel Woods. To learn more, please click here.
May I rent the Event Gallery in The Museum?

Yes, and you may also rent other locations on our site. For details please email info@bethelwoodscenter.org
What is The Museum at Bethel Woods?

The Museum at Bethel Woods explores the unique experience of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair, its significance as a culminating event of a decade of radical cultural transformation, and the legacies of the Sixties and Woodstock today. Through personal stories and profiles, immersive musical and multi-media exhibit displays and experiences, engaging programs, and educational events, The Museum encourages inter-generational dialogue about important ideas and issues relevant to today. It also helps to preserve the historic site on which the Woodstock festival took place.