Rothschild Petersen Patent Model Museum

The Rothschild Patent Model Museum collection is currently located in a custom-designed facility in Cazenovia, New York. Alan Rothschild - an inventor himself - has constructed an impressive facility to display hundreds of the models, along with a workshop/laboratory where the remaining models are stored, studied and cared for. Models are viewable by appointment only. With such limited space, Rothschild can display only a fraction of his entire collection. Most of these precious artifacts are in temporary storage and many remain in their original packing materials, untouched by human hands for many decades. But a collection of such national historic importance commands a permanent and public location. Alan Rothschild and his Museum board directors intend to establish a national Patent Model Museum in collaboration with appropriate partners. The plan is to preserve the models, keeping the collection intact, giving the public a chance to view and learn from these important pieces of nation's history. Until then, this treasure waits for America to experience and enjoy their history of invention.

"The way I see it, these patent models have been on a journey since 1925," says Rothschild. "I hope to end that journey by finding a permanent home for them, where present and future generations can enjoy and learn from them. The models tell the moving story of a young nation at its turning point." As an important part of America's heritage, the Rothschild Patent Model Museum requires a fitting environment to display the artifacts in the collection. America's history of science and technology all began with these patent models - they are the physical legacy of American ingenuity. With a self-sustaining, permanent national home for the Museum, America's renewed interest in invention and ingenuity will be realized.