Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum

At the north end of Sodus Point, the Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum overlooks Lake Ontario from a landscaped bluff. The 1871 limestone lighthouse and attached keeper’s residence now hold exhibits about the people, vessels, and industries connected with Great Sodus Bay.

The museum makes a natural anchor for a day in Sodus Point. Leave time to walk through the gardens, look out toward the lake, and continue into the village for the beach, pier, or a meal near the bay.

Explore the Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum

The Sodus Bay Historical Society operates the lighthouse as a maritime museum, preserving artifacts and stories associated with the bay. Exhibits place the building within the larger history of navigation, commerce, recreation, and community life along this stretch of Lake Ontario.

The present lighthouse was completed in 1871, replacing an earlier tower built on the property in 1825. Its square tower and keeper’s residence were constructed with limestone from Kingston, Ontario. When the older structure was demolished, its stone was reused along the shoreline to help protect the bluff from erosion.

The light was discontinued in 1901 after the outer pier light became the bay’s primary navigational aid. The fourth-order Fresnel lens was later returned to the tower, and the Sodus Bay Historical Society opened the building as a museum in 1985.

Walk Through the Gardens

The museum grounds include volunteer-maintained gardens, lawn, benches, and open views of Lake Ontario. The bluff-top setting offers a strong sense of the lighthouse’s relationship to the lake. Conditions near the shoreline can be windy and cooler than inland temperatures, so bring an extra layer.

Attend an Event on the Lighthouse Lawn

The Sodus Bay Historical Society uses the grounds for concerts, history programs, a 5K, an artisan festival, and other community events. The 2026 calendar includes a summer concert series and Echoes of Sodus Bay Heritage Weekend. Outdoor programs may affect parking and regular museum access, so check the official events calendar before planning your visit.

Plan Your Visit

Hours and Admission

The museum operates on a seasonal schedule, with its broadest hours from late May through summer and reduced weekend hours in fall. Private tours may be arranged year-round by appointment. Because opening dates and hours can change, confirm the current schedule on the Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum website before leaving home.

Current admission is $10 for adults and $2.50 for students in grades K–12. Preschool children, Sodus Bay Historical Society members, and Blue Star and Gold Star families are admitted free. Group rates are available for private tours of 12 or more people. Verify prices when planning your visit.

Location

Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum
7606 North Ontario Street
Sodus Point, NY 14555
sodusbaylighthouse.org

Make a Day of It in Sodus Point

Cruise Sodus Bay Aboard the Rose Lummis

See the bay from the water aboard the Rose Lummis, a restored 1953 riverboat operated by Save Our Sodus. Seasonal 90-minute and two-hour offerings include sightseeing, wildlife and ecology programs, and evening cruises. Tours leave from Oak Park Marina in North Rose, on the east side of Sodus Bay.

Reserve in advance and review the specific cruise description, as not every trip is narrated. Departures are weather-dependent and require a minimum of ten passengers. The vessel has one restroom but is not currently wheelchair accessible; contact Save Our Sodus before booking if you have questions about boarding or accommodations.

Visit Cracker Box Palace at Alasa Farms

Cracker Box Palace at Alasa Farms in North Rose provides sanctuary for horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, rabbits, and other farm animals recovering from neglect, illness, or abuse. The nonprofit occupies a 627-acre historic farm with marked trails through fields and woods to Second Creek, which flows into Sodus Bay.

The property also preserves layers of Wayne County history. Shakers and Fourierists established communities on the land during the 1800s, and two buildings survive from the Shaker period. The entire site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The farmstead and trails are open daily from dawn to dusk, while the barns are generally open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guided tours, animal admissions, and adoptions are unavailable on Sundays and Mondays. Check current conditions and hours before visiting, and consider supporting the sanctuary through a donation or volunteer work.

Spend Time at Sodus Point Beach Park

Sodus Point Beach Park offers a sandy place to swim, walk along the Lake Ontario shoreline, or settle in for a picnic. The Wayne County park includes parking, a bathhouse, restrooms, picnic areas, and access to the channel pier. It is located at 7598 First Street, a short drive from the lighthouse museum.

Swimming is supervised only during the posted summer schedule. Before entering the water, check the current lifeguard hours, beach conditions, and water-quality notices with the village or bathhouse. Lake Ontario can also be windy and cooler than nearby inland areas, even on a warm day.

Continue Along the Lake Ontario Shore

Continue through Sodus Point to see the active outer lighthouse at the end of the pier or walk along the waterfront. Chimney Bluffs State Park is a short drive east, where glacial drumlins have been carved into steep spires along Lake Ontario. Trail and shoreline conditions there change with erosion, weather, and lake levels, so check the park’s current alerts before adding it to your day.

Treat these ideas as a starting point. The museum can be a focused history stop, part of an afternoon in Sodus Point, or the first stop on a longer Lake Ontario shoreline drive.

Have you visited the Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum?

I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.