Welcome!
Regular Sunday Museum Hours Concluded October 25th — Join Us for Fall Outings, Special Lectures & Holiday Events!
Thank You for your continued support!
The museum is located at 1003 River Road, Selkirk.
Election Day Bake Sale
Stop by our annual Election Day Bake Sale to pick up delicious homemade treats while supporting the Bethlehem Historical Association! Proceeds directly support our educational programs, exhibit conservation, and historic building preservation.
Upcoming Speaker Series
Bethlehem and the Revolution: Veteran Stories
Presenter: Susan Leath
Date & Time: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Location: Bethlehem Public Library
Join BHA Historian Susan Leath for an engaging presentation examining Bethlehem’s experience during the American Revolution through the personal accounts, military service, and local legacies of town veterans.
Although the Town of Bethlehem was not formally established until 1793 following the Revolutionary War, the area was home to many families and soldiers who played active roles in the struggle for American independence. In this engaging presentation, learn about Bethlehem’s wartime experience through the personal accounts, military pension records, land bounty rights, and family legacies of local Revolutionary War veterans.
About the Presenter: Susan E. Leath is a local historian, author, and long-time leader within the Bethlehem Historical Association, currently serving as BHA Treasurer and Exhibits Chair. A former Town of Bethlehem Historian, Susan has spent years researching and documenting the town’s rich social, cultural, and agricultural heritage. She curates major museum displays at the Cedar Hill Schoolhouse Museum and writes regularly about local historical topics on her blog, Bethlehem NY History
Space is limited. Click here to register.
November Out and About Excursions
Please visit our ‘Out and About’ page for more information on Out and About excursions scheduled for November.
Exhibits Update
Our new exhibit Remembering Revolution: Bethlehem 1776*1976*2026 looks back from our country’s 250th anniversary year to explore the stories of Bethlehem’s Revolutionary War Veterans and local celebrations of the U.S. Bicentennial Year.
More Exhibits
Fun and Frolic: Sport, Recreation, Competition and Community
Be sure to visit the museum to take in our new Fun and Frolic exhibit. Over the years Bethlehem
residents have enjoyed all kinds of sport and recreational activities. The exhibit highlights just a
few including sledding, skating, golf, baseball and bowling.
Also, be sure to visit our many exhibits on display:
Dear Maria…Voices from the Mid-Nineteenth Century
Three Farms Dairy
Bethlehem’s One Room Schools
Rivers, Roads and Rails
Dr. Babcock’s Apothecary Cabinet
Native American Connections – the Mohican People
And other items of interest to Bethlehem history.
Call for Objects: Upcoming Hudson River Exhibit (“Big Wall”)
Our Exhibits Team is hard at work preparing a major new exhibit on the Hudson River, set to open on the museum’s “Big Wall” in early 2027. We are seeking historic artifacts or detailed replica models to illustrate local river life, including:
Ship & Boat Models: Day liners, schooners, river sloops, or half-hull wall models.
Early Aviation: A c.1908 bi-wing airplane model (illustrating Glenn Curtiss’s historic Hudson River flight).
River Wildlife: A mounted Hudson River fish (such as a sturgeon or striped bass).
If you have items or family artifacts you would be willing to lend or donate, please contact Exhibits Chair Susan Leath at 518-209-5855 or SusanLeath2011@gmail.com
Now Live!
The Bethlehem Oral History Project website is online
A great opportunity to explore our town’s rich history and learn more about the neighbors who helped shape Bethlehem. This project is a joint effort between the Historian’s office, the BHA and the Bethlehem Public Library.
Membership Renewal 2026-2027
Renew online with Zeffy!
Scan the QR Code below to renew online or Click Here:
Renew your 2026-27 membership today!
$20 Individual
$30 Family
Above and beyond donations always appreciated!
Please Note: When paying, Zeffy will suggest a Donation for their Services. You can click “other” and change this to $0 or any comfortable amount. We do encourage a donation to Zeffy since Zeffy does not charge us fees and we pay NO costs for their service.
Offering Artifacts & Items to the Museum Collection
Do you have local historical objects, family heirlooms, vintage photographs, or documents related to Bethlehem’s past that you would like to offer to the museum? We have created a dedicated email address specifically to handle inquiries and intake for physical donations to our collection.
If you have items you would like to offer or discuss with our Museum Collections team, please reach out directly to donations@bethlehemhistorical.org.
(Note: For financial contributions, sponsorships, or membership renewals, please continue using our online Zeffy portal or mailing a check).