Tractor driving lessons is one of several hands-on activities offered at the Farm Museum at Myers Park in McKinney. (Courtesy photo)

What comes to mind when you hear the term, “museum?” Is it pristine white walls, or being hushed in the hall? What about priceless artifacts that shouldn’t be touched? Well, when it comes to the Farm Museum in McKinney you can think again, because this museum centers on hands-on learning! From driving a tractor to making fresh cheese, the Farm Museum gives its visitors a chance to learn all about history, not merely by looking but by doing. Perhaps best of all though is how this unique museum is giving area families a chance to make wonderful new memories, all while preserving tools and traditions from the past.

For over a hundred years Collin County was filled with family farms, which produced wheat, wool, corn and cotton. Onions and bois d’arc were also prominent crops. And now, though the land and livelihood of many of its residents have seen drastic changes over the decades, the Farm Museum is helping to preserve the county’s rich agricultural heritage, not through stuffy exhibits meant to teach a kid for a day, but through meaningful and memorable interactions they can carry with them throughout life.

The museum is located within Myers Park and Event Center, and it consists of over 8,000 square feet of collections and restoration exhibits. There are also other artifacts located throughout the park, including the Blacksmith Shop, the Granary and the Confinement House. The fact that the museum is located within Myers Park seems fitting too, since the park itself has undergone quite the evolution over the years.

By Jennifer M. Aguilar • Special Contributor • [email protected]

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