ALBANY INSTITUTE OF HISTORY & ART ANNOUNCES

AUGUST THIRD THURSDAY PROGRAM

ALBANY, NY— Stay in town – or come downtown – for evening gallery hours, wonderful finds in the Museum Shop, and special programs during the Albany Institute of History & Art’s monthly Third Thursday Program. 

The August Third Thursday program will be held on August 16 at 6:00 pm where John L. Busch will present his lecture, From Steamboats to Steamships – How Fulton’s Folly Infected a Sloop Captain, and Set the Stage for a Global Revolution.  Busch’s lecture is in relation to the Albany Institute’s current exhibition, FULL STEAM AHEAD: Robert Fulton and the Age of Steamboats.

FULL STEAM AHEAD commemorates Robert Fulton’s maiden voyage in 1807 and celebrates the legacy of 19^th century Hudson River steamboats. This exhibition will focus on Fulton’s work on steam transportation, and his efforts to establish the first viable commercial steamboat service on American waterways. The installation includes drawings paintings, prints, models, and other objects pulled from the museums’ collection and new research. FULL STEAM AHEAD will be on display through December 2007.

The August Third Thursday Program will take place from 5:30-7:30PM and is FREE to the public. The gallery talk by John Busch will begin at 6:00PM sharp.  Reservations for the program are not required but are requested and can be made by calling 518-463-5502 ext. 469.

The Albany Institute of History & Art is located at 125 Washington Avenue in downtown Albany, one block from the New York State Capitol.  For more information on this program, please visit www.albanyinstitute.org or call 518-463-4478. 

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Founded in 1791, the Albany Institute of History & Art (AIHA) is a 501(c) 3 cultural and educational institution dedicated to public service.  As a museum, its mission is to collect, preserve and interpret the art, history and culture of Albany and the upper Hudson Valley region from the 17th century to the present.  AIHA acquires collections, conducts research, produces publications, and offers a wide range of exhibitions, educational and public programs that appeal to diverse audiences ranging from pre-K to senior citizens.  The museum is open year round, Wednesday-Sunday. Admission is free to members and children under 6, $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students and $4 for children ages 6-12.  The Albany Institute of History & Art is accredited by the American Association of Museums and chartered by the New York State Department of Education.