Safe Haven — Attraction in City of Oswego

The Safe Haven Museum is a thoughtful and engaging museum in Oswego, NY. The museum tells the story of how nearly 1000 European refugees of WW2 came to Oswego, NY to escape the Holocaust. Through videos, audio recordings, pictures, and storyboard panels the museum does an excellent job describing what happened here. The refugees came to Oswego because President Franklin D Roosevelt issued an order granting temporary residency to them. When they arrived in Oswego some of the refugees were frightened by the wire fence that greeted them, because it reminded them of the concentration camps they had recently escaped from in Europe. However, they would remain here for the duration of the war and were well treated by the people that lived in Oswego. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited the site in 1945. This site was chosen because there was a decommissioned Army base located in Oswego. The refugees were housed in clean barracks on the former base. Many of them would work in Oswego during the war. After WW2 ended many of the refugees chose to stay in the US. One of the refugees, Walter Greenberg would go on to win 2 academy awards for special effects in movies. Another named Rolf Manfred went on to design the Minute Man Missile. This museum may often be overlooked but it tells a very important story in American History. A visit here describes the story of one of America’s many great acts during WW2. It is a moving and meaningful experience to visit...

Very well executed telling of a unique part of WWII history. The overlay of personal stories and historical events is helpful in making the refugees voices come alive. The curator was very well versed in the historical narrative, and local geography, while remaining sympathetic and engaged in the personal impact and emotion, which is difficult to balance many times. I want to call this museum a "gem" but that is too simplistic an understatement for the collections and displays here which handle the powerful mixture of uplifting, challenging, distressing, saddening, and thought provoking events, stories, and surrounding context that brought the refugees to...

My experience with my daughter and 3 of my grandchildren was not very good. The volunteer was not at all helpful. He didn't even ask us to sign in or offer us a pen. Just took our money and went back to the office. We were on our own from there. He did not turn on any of the t.v. screens or music and I had to finally go ask him to turn on the video in the little theatre section. I feel this is unacceptable when you pay to get the entire experience. There should also be a few benches to sit on since it all walking and reading. So sad there are no artifacts from the refugees. Most of everything there you could Google on...