About

The Cayuga Museum of History and Art

The Cayuga Museum of History and Art (commonly called the Cayuga Museum) was founded in 1936. The Cayuga Museum operates through three buildings- the Willard-Case mansion where guests can view rotating and permanent displays of local art and the history of Cayuga County, the Case Research Lab with a permanent exhibit of the workings of Theodore Case’s 20th century laboratory, and the Carriage House Theater, a renovated 1850s carriage house which now operates as a multi-arts space.

Explore this page to learn more about these three historic spaces!

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Overview

 

In 1936, Theodore Case and his wife, Gertrude, gave their estate at 203 Genesee Street to Professor Walter Long for use as a museum. The original plan for the Museum was to serve as a civic center for the cultural groups of the city of Auburn.  Activities were broad based and fell into four categories: Art, History, Music, and Children’s programs.

Today, the Cayuga Museum presents changing exhibitions, public programs, and serves researchers on three floors of the historic Willard-Case Mansion. We care for thousands of artifacts, archives and photographs from Cayuga County and the Finger Lakes region as well as the complete archives and collections of the Case Research Lab, where Theodore Case invented the first commercially successful system of sound on film.

 

History of the Mansion

For 100 Years this Space Was a Home! Learn More About the History of the Willard-Case Mansion

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Exhibits

Learn More About What You Can See When You Visit!

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Visit Us

Learn More About How and When You Can Explore the Museum In-Person!

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The Case Research Laboratory

The Birthplace of Sound Film! Here in an Auburn backyard, the Movietone sound-on-film system was invented in the 1920s. Learn more about the space where it all happened!

The Carriage House Theater

The site where some of the first sound films ever were created, the stage is now used for live music, museum programs, community events, and much more. Learn about this space and how you can rent it for your next event!