Albany Institute of History and Art (125 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12210)
The Declaration Comes to Albany - A Community Reading
Free and open to the public.
When the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, the news did not reach Albany immediately. The document arrived nearly two weeks later, on July 17, and on July 19, 1776, it was publicly read for the first time before a "large concourse" of residents, Continental troops, and militia at City Hall, where it was "received with applause and satisfaction." Nearly 250 years later, join the Albany Institute of History & Art as we commemorate this historic moment with a community reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Albany elected officials and community leaders will each read a portion of the Declaration, honoring the public reading that first introduced the Declaration to the people of Albany.
The program will take place outdoors on the museum front lawn; it will be moved indoors in the case of inclement weather. Following the reading, enjoy light refreshments.
This free public program is presented as part of the Albany Institute's America 250 initiative. As part of this nationwide commemoration, the museum will present Albany, c. 1776, an exhibition opening October 31, 2026, that illustrates Albany’s role during the Revolutionary era.
