Fenimore Art Museum

Fenimore Art Museum sits on the shore of Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, on property once owned by the American novelist James Fenimore Cooper. The setting is as much a draw as the art, with the lake just outside the windows and the village of Cooperstown a short drive away.

Inside, the museum holds what it calls one of the country’s most comprehensive collections of American folk and fine art, along with the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art. There is also twentieth-century art, nineteenth-century photography, decorative arts and a collection of objects that belonged to Cooper and his family.

What to Know

• Objects that once belonged to James Fenimore Cooper and his family are on view.
• The Thaw Collection of American Indian Art is a highlight of the museum.
• Fenimore Cafe serves a light lunch, with wine or craft beer on the garden terrace overlooking Otsego Lake.
• Motorcoach groups are welcome.
• Cooperstown is also home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, so the museum fits easily into a longer village weekend.