Audio Tour

Welcome to the Slate Valley Museum's audio tour.

Ways to Enjoy the Audio Tour:


Using Your Personal Cell Phone

The audio tour is accessible via your own personal cellphone using the museum's free guest wi-fi network. Simply connect to the network (password is available on-site), then scan the QR code that is located on the Audio Tour labels throughout the museum. Each QR code brings you to this webpage, where you can select the tracts that you want to hear during your visit.


Using A Museum Tablet

A limited number of tablets are available to be borrowed from the museum front desk during your visit. They are available on a first come, first served basis. The museum supplies disposable, wired earbuds to use during the tour.


Can't visit the museum? Listen to the tour from the comfort of home!


Track 1. Welcome & Introduction to the Audio Tour


Please begin your tour here. 

Track 2: Geology


Learn about the geologic forces that shaped the Slate Valley Region and led to the creation of our rich slate deposits.

Tracks 3a - 3c: New York-Vermont Slate Valley Geographic History


Listen to the tracks below to learn more about three distinct periods of history in the Slate Valley.

  • Track 3a: The Slate Valley's early years, 1845-1889.
  • Track 3b: The Slate Valley's middle years, 1889-1912.
  • Track 3c: The Slate Valley's later years, 1912 through today.

Tracks 3d-3g: Towns in the New York/Vermont Slate Valley


Learn more about some of the specific towns and communities that have made up the Slate Valley Region. **Please note that additional tracts about more areas will be added over time.**

Tracks 4: Heavy Lifting Exhibition


Listen to the tracks below to explore more of the stories depicted in the Heavy Lifting exhibition.


Central Objects on Display

  • Track 4a: Dump Truck
  • Track 4b: Forklift
  • Track 4c: Owens Carriage Wheel

Track 4d: Photographs


Track 4e: Labor relations and a day-in-the-life of a quarry pit worker.

Track 5: The Claire O'Brien Room

Tracks 6a-6e: A Barn Find: From Storing Hay to Storing History


Featuring guest speaker and exhibition curator Matthew Lynch.


Listen to the tracks below to navigate the exhibition and to learn more about the New World Dutch Barn that you stand in right now.

  • Track 6a: The History of New World Dutch Barns
  • Track 6b: The History of the Slate Valley Museum Barn
  • Track 6c: Design and Functions of New World Dutch Barns
  • Track 6d: The History of the Slate Valley Museum Opening
  • Track 6e: Slate Valley Museum Timeline

Track 7: The Blacksmith Shop

Track 8: The Doctor's Buggy 

Track 9: The Quarry Shanty

Track 10: Slate Products

Tracks 11a-11e: The Dream & The Reality Exhibition, Exploring the History of Immigration in the Slate Valley

  • Track 11a: Welsh Immigrants
  • Track 11b: Eastern European Immigrants, Featuring Guest Speaker Paul Labas, Lifelong Slater & Current Mayor of the Village of Granville (2025)
  • Track 11c: Irish Immigrants
  • Track 11d: Italian Immigrants
  • Track 11e: Jewish Immigrants

Track 12: Neil Rappaport, Photography 

Track 13: Conclusion, Thank You & Survey


Thank you for listening to our audio tour. 


We'd love to hear feedback on your experience. Please complete our brief (1-2 minute) survey here to let us know what you thought of the tour!


Thank you for your time!