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Current Exhibit:

Hard at Work: Safety and Gear at the Steel Plants

It is impossible for members of the younger generations to know what it was like to work in the steel industry.  In general, the factory system has fallen out of favor in comparison with the service industry, and thus there are many younger people in Western New York who do not have any conception of what work was like at the steel plants.  Though it may seem to be a small thing, many people under the age of 35 have never thought to question what steelworkers would have worn in their work.  This exhibit will attempt to not only showcase our textile and safety gear collection, and highlight the many different outfits worn by different departments within a steel plant.

Co-curated by Deirdre Reynolds and Kelsey Reed

Exhibit on view until April 1, 2018

Upcoming Exhibit Opening:

Steel Through the Lens: Exploring Life at the Plant

There is nothing so engaging as a photograph for representation of what life is like.  For many people, steel making had reached the end of its glory days when they were young, and more still have never seen a working steel plant, let alone experienced what working there would have been like.  Luckily, the steel plants in Western New York were documented many times over: by professional photographers, newspapers, and former workers, to name a few.  The Steel Plant Museum has a large collection of photographic prints and art pieces which are rarely seen by the public.  This exhibit will bring those pieces to the forefront to showcase what life looked like at a steel plant.

Exhibit Opens April 6, 2018