from the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame

Goshen, NY — On Saturday, Sept. 25, the Harness Racing Museum will participate in the sixth annual Museum Day, presented by Toyota on behalf of the redesigned 2011 Avalon. The Harness Racing Museum will join participating museums and cultural institutions nationwide to open their doors free of charge to all visitors who download the Museum Day Ticket from www.Smithsonian.com. A journey to celebrate our world’s dynamic heritage and cultural life, participating Museum Day venues emulate the free admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities.

Museum Day 2010 is poised to be the largest to date, outdoing last year’s record-breaking event. Over 300,000 museum-goers and 1,300 venues in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico participated in Museum Day 2009. Last year, two million visitors logged on to www.smithsonian.com/museumday to learn more about the program.

The Harness Racing Museum, located at 240 Main Street, Goshen, is open from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. daily. Visitors discover America’s first sport and meet today’s stars surrounded by interactive exhibits and “child-friendly” hands-on activities! They enjoy old masters, original Currier & Ives lithographs, Tiffany and Fabergé trophies, a unique and exquisite Hall of Fame, a toy exhibit and children’s corner, three fun theaters, the exhilarating and world’s only 3-D harness racing simulator and a quality-driven gift shop!

Special presentations now on exhibit include “Richard Stone Reeves, A Retrospective,” “The Art of Allen F. Brewer, Jr.,” and “Sherman Raveson, equine artist.” A new interactive exhibit “Buy A Champion” is receiving rave reviews and introduces the art of purchasing a Standardbred horse. Additional presentations are “The Story of Harness Racing by Currier & Ives” — 32 original 19th century lithographs — and “A Drive to Win” — the heart and soul of harness racing. Additional information can be found at www.harnessmuseum.com.

To celebrate Museum Day 2010, a special family workshop will take place on Sept. 25 from 10:30 a.m.–12:00 Noon. Children ages 3-11 will create a cuddly and soft horse mini-pillow that’s just right for hugs. Crafted from felt, participants can let their imaginations design their own mini-pillow that can take a ride in their backpacks or rest in their rooms. Each one is guaranteed to be a one-of-a-kind equine.

There will also be horse-themed games, a guided tour of the museum and a ride on the Museum’s 3-D Harness Racing Simulator included with this workshop.

Admission to the Harness Racing Museum’s Family Craft Workshop, which includes all activities, is $5.00 for one child and one adult. Reservations (845.294.6330) are strongly encouraged.

This year, Toyota will enhance the Museum Day experience both in Smithsonian magazine and online, with elements such as the “Featured Five,” a listing that encourages visitors to learn about and visit participating museums and venues. Additionally, for each visitor who inquires about the new Toyota Avalon online, Toyota will donate $1 — up to $10,000 total — to museum programming nationwide.

The Museum Day Ticket is available to download at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Visitors who present the official pass will gain free admission for two people to participating museums and cultural venues. One ticket is permitted per household, per e-mail address. Listings and links to participating museums’ and sponsors’ sites can be found at www.smithsonian.com/museumday.