Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum, Peru

About Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum

Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum teaches visitors about rural and farm life in the Champlain Valley and Adirondacks before the 1950s through exhibits, artifacts, and demonstrations. The museum grounds feature historic buildings, including a chicken coop moved from a family farm in 1962. Visitors interact with barn animals central to the experience: miniature donkeys Sally and Jigger and Haflinger horses Willy and Chili, which teach about farm work and compassion. Information stations throughout the exhibits offer audio descriptions, allowing visitors to hear stories about the artifacts without reading. The museum grew from founder Leeward Babbie's decades-long collection of antiquities reflecting how families lived and worked in the region. Many visitors reminisce about their own family memories while viewing the pieces. The museum is located in Peru, New York, and charges admission.