Steeped in iconography

Museum at Bethel Woods is open for business

By FRITZ MAYER

BETHEL, NY — For many people, no museum, movie or book could ever sufficiently capture the energy and feeling of change that charged the air at the original Woodstock Festival. But the Museum at Bethel Woods comes closer than just about anything else.

While those who visit the 6,728-square-foot main exhibit gallery may be interested in arguably the most famous concert in the history of the world, the museum also covers the entirety of the tumultuous decade of the ’60s.

There are lots of pictures and murals reflecting the era, as well as interactive productions that highlight the music of the times. There are also artifacts, such as the electric piano used in a performance at the concert by the group Sha Na Na.

But most compelling perhaps are the 20 films, ranging in length from a couple of minutes to more than 20, that can be viewed.

A film called “The Bus,” and displayed on the interior windshield of a bus painted with psychedelic colors and patterns, tells the story of the many cross-country journeys that were made so that people could be part of the scene.

Another film, “Local Observers,” shows the experience of local residents such as lawmaker Leni Binder, who upon hearing of the need for food at the site, set about to make many sandwiches to help feed the 500,000 people who ultimately showed up on Yasgur’s farm that weekend in August 1969.

A third film called “The Festival Experience” is beamed out from six projectors on to four screens, with some of the footage being displayed overhead to recreate the feeling of being there live under the stars.

The most impressive movie is a 21-minute tribute called “Woodstock: The Music,” which is played on the half hour in the 132-seat museum theater. The film tells the story of the concert from the point of view of the artists.

Some of the scenes have been seen many times before, such as Jimi Hendrix’s iconic performance of the “Star Spangled Banner.” But some of the footage has never, or rarely, been seen by the public before, and all of it brings back the spirit of the event. Whether it’s the young and unwrinkled face of Carlos Santana soaring in a performance of “Soul Sacrifice,” or the young and unwrinkled face of Joe Cocker writhing through a rendition of “A Little Help From My Friends,” the film is powerful.

At the end of a screening, several among the 20 or so journalists in the room asked, “Can we see it again?”

In 1969, the concert was not universally applauded. Many, at the time, thought it was an assault on civility and deemed it three days of drugs among a half-million hippies.

That attitude continues today in some quarters. In October 2007, the U.S. Senate blocked a $1 million earmark that was intended to help fund the museum. At the time, Arizona Senator John Kyl said, “It seems to me that we do have to ask questions like whether it’s the will of this body to fund an earmark for a museum celebrating a weekend-long party that occurred 38 years ago.”

Maybe the Senate wasn’t interested, but nearly 40 years after it happened, the Woodstock mystique remains an attraction to fans around the globe. At the press preview, which was held on May 28, more than 100 reporters turned out, with journalists from as far away as Germany and Japan.

Richie Havens, who improvised the song “Freedom” while on stage at the festival, said that after looking out over the sea of humanity that had turned up in the field, he thought, “We’ve done something that can never be erased from the history of the world.”

Go to www.bethelwoodscenter.org/museum/ for more information.