About

Learn More About The Albany Institute

Founded in 1791, the Albany Institute of History & Art is New York’s oldest museum. Its collections document the Hudson Valley as a crossroads of culture, influencing the art and history of the region, the state, and the nation. With more than 35,000 objects in the collection and one million documents in the research library, it is an important resource for the region, giving our community a sense of the part the Hudson Valley played in the American story, and our own place in history. Permanent exhibitions include one of the largest collections of Hudson River School paintings, a history of Ancient Egypt (and Albany's connection to it!), and other fine art, ceramics, and furniture, along with temporary exhibitions that change 3 times a year.

Land Acknowledgement

It is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are learning, speaking and gathering on the ancestral homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok or Mohican people, who are the indigenous peoples of this land. Despite tremendous hardship in being forced from here, today their community resides in Wisconsin and is known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all.

We would like to invite all self-identifying Indigenous peoples to access our current exhibitions without charge.

Collections of National Significance

The Institute’s museum and library holdings form the best collections in the United States documenting the life and culture of the Upper Hudson Valley region from the late seventeenth century to the present day. Although the Albany Institute is best known for its significant Hudson River school paintings, the broad scope of its collections includes fine arts, furnishings, personal objects, documents, manuscripts, photographs, and personal papers used by people of all ages, social classes, economic conditions, and cultural groups. Long-term exhibitions include: “Ancient Egypt,” “Nineteenth-Century American Sculpture: Erastus Dow Palmer, Launt Thompson, Charles Calverley,” and “Traders and Culture: Early Albany and the Formation of American Identity.”

Educational Outreach

Education programs serve 10,000 students, teachers, adult learners, and families every year. The museum education department’s mission is to connect our community to our collections and exhibitions through lifelong learning opportunities that serve toddlers to older adults. We develop programs for school children and their teachers that provide formal learning experiences that support their curricula. And a full range of informal, public programs for our community helps people of all ages connect to arts and culture and to each other. Every program we offer has been tested and piloted before being fully implemented. Education programs are organized into three areas of learning: schools and teachers programs, public programs, and community and collaborative programs. 

Museum Shop

The museum shop is open during regular museum hours and offers a selection of items that reflects current exhibitions, items from the collections, and the work of local artists and craftspeople. To learn more about our shop, call 518-463-4478, ext. 455.

Admission Fees

Members:
Free
Adults:
$12
Seniors (62+):
$10
Students:
$10 (must present ID)
Children 6–12:
$8
Children under 6:
Free

Admission Discounts (with ID/card)

AAA:
$2 off
Healthcare worker:
$2 off
Veteran:
$2 off
Museums for All:
Free admission for SNAP EBT and WIC cardholders (up to 4 people per card)

Gallery Hours

Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
Closed
Wednesday:
10AM–5PM
Thursday:
10AM–5PM
Friday:
10AM–5PM
Saturday:
10AM–5PM
Sunday:
Noon–5PM

Museum Shop Hours

Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
Closed
Wednesday:
10AM–5PM
Thursday:
10AM–5PM
Friday:
10AM–5PM
Saturday:
10AM–5PM
Sunday:
Noon–5PM

Library Hours

The Research Library is currently open by appointment only. Please contact Archivist/Librarian Hannah Cox at coxh@albanyinstitute.org or call (518) 463-4478 ext. 415 for more information.