Programs

10:00am–5:00pm The Albany Institute of History & Art is open this Martin Luther King Jr. Day and visitors of all ages are invited to Family Free Day! Themed around our current exhibition—From the Hudson to the Nile: Dows Dunham and the Archaeology of Egypt and Sudan—join us for activities inspired by what's on view, including hands-on artmaking, gallery tours, live performances, and more.  

3:00pm–4:30pm Join us for a relaxing evening of observational drawing in the galleries! This week, we will explore the fundamentals of landscape using our Hudson River School collection as a guide. Learn the foundations of composition and form from the masters of landscape. Sketch in the Galleries is a weekly series held Wednesdays from 3–4:30PM at the Albany Institute from January 21–February 18, 2026. Free with admission. All supplies are provided, and all abilities are welcome. No pre-registration required.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

3:00pm–4:30pm Join us for a relaxing evening of observational drawing in the galleries! This week, we will explore the human form using the sculptures in the Sculpture Court as a guide. Learn the fundamentals of drawing the figure in the round. Sketch in the Galleries is a weekly series held Wednesdays from 3–4:30PM at the Albany Institute from January 21–February 18, 2026. Free with admission. All supplies are provided, and all abilities are welcome. No pre-registration required.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

3:00pm–4:30pm Join us for a relaxing evening of observational drawing in the galleries! This week, we will explore abstraction through the work of American Modernist Blanche Lazzell. Come experiment with shape, line, and composition at the Institute. Sketch in the Galleries is a weekly series held Wednesdays from 3–4:30PM at the Albany Institute from January 21–February 18, 2026. Free with admission. All supplies are provided, and all abilities are welcome. No pre-registration required.

5:00pm In honor of its 35th anniversary, Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company is making 35 visits to sites around the Capital Region inviting audiences to have an up-close and personal experience with dance. Performing on a large mat of interlocking squares around which the audience gathers, the dancers perform works from the company’s repertoire of over 90 dances along with new ones specifically created for this series. There’s no admission charge, no lighting, no frills…but lots of movement invention, excitement and fun for all ages! Each of the 35 performances will feature a slightly different program — no two will be exactly the same! Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company will perform at 5PM and 6PM as part of February First Friday. For more information about Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company's 35th anniversary season, visit sinopolidances.org.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

3:00pm–4:30pm Join us for a relaxing evening of observational drawing in the galleries! This week, we will be drawing from From the Hudson to the Nile: Dows Dunham and the Archaeology of Egypt and Sudan. Inspired by Dows Dunham’s observational watercolors, we will explore archeological illustration. Sketch in the Galleries is a weekly series held Wednesdays from 3–4:30PM at the Albany Institute from January 21–February 18, 2026. Free with admission. All supplies are provided, and all abilities are welcome. No pre-registration required.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

3:00pm–4:30pm Join us for a relaxing evening of observational drawing in the galleries! In our final week of the program, choose from any of the galleries to observe and draw from! Create a study of a 19th century landscape painting or combine various elements across the galleries to create your own interpretation! Sketch in the Galleries is a weekly series held Wednesdays from 3–4:30PM at the Albany Institute from January 21–February 18, 2026. Free with admission. All supplies are provided, and all abilities are welcome. No pre-registration required.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

11:00am–11:45am Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

11:00am–11:45am Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

11:00am–11:45am Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

11:00am–11:45am Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

2:00pm–3:00pm Enrich your experience of our current exhibitions through an insightful docent-led tour of the galleries. Docent tours are an excellent way to learn more about the artworks and objects on display, in addition to the stories they tell. Interaction and questions are encouraged and visitors of all ages are welcome. The tour is free with museum admission, no registration required. Please meet in the museum atrium main level near the admission desk before the tour begins.

6:30pm–8:00pm Multi-Session WorkshopRegistration is for all four sessions of the workshop: April 7, April 14, April 21, and April 28 | 6–8:30PM Learn the ancient and awesome art of wet felting while creating your own unique woolly flowers during this four-part workshop. Using superfine merino wool roving, hot water, olive oil soap, and your own two hands, you can transform unspun into sculptable fabric. You will learn how to wet felt, how to create a variety of floral forms—from poppies to zinnias, roses, and more—along with how to form leaves and stems with wire armature to create elaborate and lovely floral fiber art! All materials will be provided. Pre-registration is required (link forthcoming): $160 members, $175 non-members. 

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

6:00pm–8:30pm Multi-Session WorkshopRegistration is for all four sessions of the workshop: April 7, April 14, April 21, and April 28 | 6–8:30PM Learn the ancient and awesome art of wet felting while creating your own unique woolly flowers during this four-part workshop. Using superfine merino wool roving, hot water, olive oil soap, and your own two hands, you can transform unspun into sculptable fabric. You will learn how to wet felt, how to create a variety of floral forms—from poppies to zinnias, roses, and more—along with how to form leaves and stems with wire armature to create elaborate and lovely floral fiber art! All materials will be provided. Pre-registration is required (link forthcoming): $160 members, $175 non-members. 

6:00pm–8:30pm Multi-Session WorkshopRegistration is for all four sessions of the workshop: April 7, April 14, April 21, and April 28 | 6–8:30PM Learn the ancient and awesome art of wet felting while creating your own unique woolly flowers during this four-part workshop. Using superfine merino wool roving, hot water, olive oil soap, and your own two hands, you can transform unspun into sculptable fabric. You will learn how to wet felt, how to create a variety of floral forms—from poppies to zinnias, roses, and more—along with how to form leaves and stems with wire armature to create elaborate and lovely floral fiber art! All materials will be provided. Pre-registration is required (link forthcoming): $160 members, $175 non-members. 

6:00pm–8:30pm Multi-Session WorkshopRegistration is for all four sessions of the workshop: April 7, April 14, April 21, and April 28 | 6–8:30PM Learn the ancient and awesome art of wet felting while creating your own unique woolly flowers during this four-part workshop. Using superfine merino wool roving, hot water, olive oil soap, and your own two hands, you can transform unspun into sculptable fabric. You will learn how to wet felt, how to create a variety of floral forms—from poppies to zinnias, roses, and more—along with how to form leaves and stems with wire armature to create elaborate and lovely floral fiber art! All materials will be provided. Pre-registration is required (link forthcoming): $160 members, $175 non-members. 

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.

10:30am–12:00pm Please join us for Meet Me at the Institute, a program designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Held on select Mondays February–December 2026, sessions occur when the museum is closed to the public—minimizing distractions and providing a relaxing environment. Sessions are led by trained educators who facilitate open-ended discussions about the Albany Institute's exhibitions and collections. The program is developed based on Meet Me at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project. Meet Me at the Institute is free; advanced registration is required. Contact Natalie Oliver, Education Associate, at 518-463-4478 ext. 405 to register and for more information.