Named after James Fenimore Cooper, the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York, is also the Headquarters of the New York State Historical Society. The organization was founded in 1899 by New Yorkers who were initially interested in promoting greater knowledge of the early history of their state. The mission of the Fenimore Art Museum, “Preserving, Engaging, Educating,” states that they are “dedicated to welcoming and connecting people to our sacred cultural heritage through exhibition and programs that provoke, delight and inspire.”