National Tourist Destination Celebrating the Music and Culture of the 1960s Opens to the Public

National Tourist Destination Celebrating the Music and Culture of the 1960s Opens to the Public

The Museum at Bethel Woods Celebrates the Legacy of the 1960s and the Woodstock Music & Art Fair

BETHEL, N.Y., June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Museum at Bethel Woods opened its doors today at the site of the historic 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair. An integral part of the non-profit Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the award-winning Museum tells the story of the Sixties and Woodstock, through a state-of-the art interactive experience.

Located just 90 miles from Manhattan amid the rolling farmlands of Sullivan County, New York, The Museum truly brings the 1960s to life and presents the key ideals of the era -- community, diversity, civil and individual rights, activism and peace -- all of which have helped shape our society and continue to have a current and lasting importance today.

Developed by cable pioneer and Sullivan County native Alan Gerry, Chairman of the Gerry Foundation, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a non-profit, state-of-the-art performing arts center and tourist destination. The vision for Bethel Woods honors and preserves a historic place and pivotal moment in our nation's history while establishing a cornerstone for economic development in the region.

The Museum explores the 1960s, a tumultuous decade that shaped modern America, and interprets the historic events that culminated in a three-day festival in August of 1969 featuring legendary performances by renowned musicians including Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

"In 1969, one of the seminal events in our nation's history occurred right in our backyard, and today, nearly 40 years later, thousands of people still come from all over the world to visit the site of the Woodstock festival," said Alan Gerry, Chairman of the Gerry Foundation. "Now, with The Museum at Bethel Woods, those visitors will have more to do, more to learn and more to experience. The opening of The Museum, in addition to the arts center's performances and the annual Harvest Festival, will serve to preserve this historic site and strengthen our position as an important catalyst for economic growth in Sullivan County."

Through state-of-the-art, immersive multi-media exhibits, engaging programs, personal stories, profiles and educational events, The Museum encourages inter-generational dialogue about important ideas and issues relevant to today, such as tolerance, community and diversity. The Main Exhibition Gallery includes more than 300 photographic murals, 164 artifacts, 70 video testimonials, and 20 different films. More than 2,000 music, film and photographic elements are included.

The Main Exhibition Gallery features:

-- "The Sixties Gallery" - Visitors explore the critical drivers of the
era, later expressed during the 1969 Woodstock festival: Baby Boomer
Emergence, Idealism, Civil Rights, War & Peace, Personal Freedom,
Questioning Authority, Protest and Activism.

-- "The Woodstock Music and Art Fair Gallery" - The sights, sounds,
people, and music of the Woodstock festival unfold in dramatic ways;
highlights include: a psychedelically painted Woodstock bus; the
Festival Experience, an award-winning, 11-minute, surround-sound film,
and an interactive map of the festival grounds. This gallery is also
home to a state-of-the-art 132-seat high-definition, surround-sound
theater where the film Woodstock: The Music is presented.

-- "The Impact of Woodstock and the Sixties Gallery" - The last gallery
demonstrates the ways in which the 1960s and Woodstock continue to
resonate today. The lasting themes explored include diversity,
personal freedom, the green movement, feminism, questioning authority,
and popular music. The gallery also features an interactive kiosk
where visitors can share their own experiences and browse those of
others who have recorded their thoughts.

"The decade of the 1960s was a dynamic era in this country, and The Museum captures that vitality for visitors of all ages," said Michael Egan, CEO, Museum Development Group and Senior Director, The Museum at Bethel Woods. "The Museum is an essential resource to understanding how this seminal era impacted and shaped an entire generation. It immerses the visitor in the sights and sounds of the 1960s, with all the state-of-the-art technology that modern museum-goers expect."

Bethel Woods assembled a world-class team to bring the spirit of Woodstock to life, including esteemed architect Westlake Reed Leskosky, and the award-winning designer Gallagher & Associates, the creative force behind the Smithsonian and National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Museum also boasts a special exhibits gallery for rotating exhibits (opening in Spring 2009), classroom space, a Museum Shop, Museum Bistro, 1,000-seat outdoor Terrace Stage, home to the "Arts Under The Stars" series, and a spectacular nine-sided Event Gallery which will host "Music In The Museum."

Set amidst 2,000 bucolic acres, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is entering its third exciting season on the Pavilion stage with performers as diverse as the New York Philharmonic, Ringo Starr and Maroon 5. A cultural landmark and tourist destination, Bethel Woods' mission is to present compelling programs that educate, entertain and engage audiences of all ages, and to improve the quality of life and the vitality of the region.

From Memorial Day through Labor Day, The Museum will be open seven days a week from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. From Labor Day to Memorial Day, The Museum will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Museum will be closed from early January to mid-March and on major holidays. The Museum will open year-round for school groups, group tours, and special private events with advance reservations. Adult tickets (18 and up) cost $13.00, Seniors (65 and up) cost $11.00, Youths (8 to 17) cost $9.00, and Children (under 8 with an adult) cost $4.00. Due to the immersive nature of the exhibit, the number of museum visitors at one time is limited. To avoid disappointment, the purchase of tickets in advance is strongly encouraged especially on performance days. Tickets may be purchased at the Bethel Woods box office, at www.BethelWoodsCenter.org or by phone through Ticketmaster at (845) 454-3388. Museum admission may also be added on to your purchase of any Bethel Woods concert ticket.

For more information on The Museum at Bethel Woods or Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, please visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.

Source: The Museum at Bethel Woods

CONTACT: Bennett Kleinberg, +1-212-576-2700, x234,
bkleinberg@goodmanmedia.com, or Sabrina Strauss, +1-212-576-2700, x236,
sstrauss@goodmanmedia.com, both of Goodman Media International for The Museum
at Bethel Woods

Web site:

http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/

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