Scheduled Performances and Tours
Docent Tours
10AM and 2PM | Meet at the Admission Desk (Floor 1)
Join docents at 10AM or 2PM for a guided tour of AIHA's current and permanent exhibitions. 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.
Live Music Performance with Marimba El Quetzal and Alejandra
11–11:30AM | Atrium (Floor 1)
Live Dance Performance with Luz and Herencia Cultural
11AM
Live Music Performance by Mateo y Maria Son Jarocho
3–4PM | Atrium (Floor 1)
Drop-in Activities Throughout the Day
Pinatas and Papel Picado with Isabel Velsco
10AM–2PM | Key Cultural Center (Floor 3)
Cartonería is a traditional Mexican folk craft and technique involving the creation of three-dimensional sculptures using papier-mâche. Typically it involves layers of paper and paste, sometimes reinforced with wire or cardboard for structure. This craft is deeply rooted in Mexican culture and is especially prominent during festivals. These papier-mâché figures are central to altars (ofrendas) and decorations, representing remembrance, celebration, and the blending of life and death in Mexican culture. Isabel Velasco is a third generation Cartoneria artist, living in Poughkeepsie since the year 2002. Isabel is an active member in the large Mexican and Oaxacan community of Poughkeepsie. She has given cartoneria, catrina, pinata, papel picado and mask making workshops in schools, libraries and community centers. Her Catrinas and Calaveras are part of the yearly Day of the Dead celebrations of the Poughkeepsie Mexican community.
Scavenger Hunt
11AM–4PM | Galleries (Floor 2)
Can you find all the hidden objects and patterns throughout Inspired Landscapes: Women of the Hudson River School? Take on this self-guided scavenger hunt and claim your prize in the sculpture atrium!
Button Making
11AM–4PM | Galleries (Floor 2)
Create your own buttons inspired by Inspired Landscapes: Women of the Hudson River School.
Huipil Making with Susana Martinez
11:30AM–12:30PM | Classroom (Floor 1)
The huipil is the most common traditional garment worn by indigenous women from central Mexico to Central America. It is a loose-fitting tunic, generally made from three rectangular pieces or lienzos which are then joined with stitching, ribbons, or fabric strips, with an opening for the head and, if the sides are sewn, openings for the arms. Traditional huipils, especially ceremonial ones, are usually made with fabric woven on a backstrap loom and are decorated with designs woven into the fabric, embroidery, lace, and more. Backstrap looms are present in several pre Hispanic cultures and often considered as sacred gifts bestowed by gods. In the Triqui belief system there are deities and patrons of weavers. Susana Martinez is a Triqui Huipil weaver living in Albany with her family since 2019. She was born in the Mixteca Region of Oaxaca, Mexico and is a Triqui speaker. The Triqui are an indigenous people of the western mountainous region of the state of Oaxaca. Susana began to weave at the age of 10. She learned from her mother, grandmother and other Triqui women in the community. Weaving and huipil making is a social activity as women gather and weave together in groups of family and friends. Susana has been weaving her whole life and has made many huipiles for her family and other community members both in Oaxaca and now in the Capital Region. Susana actively participates in the Triqui community social celebrations such as weddings and birthdays. She weaves several times a week at her home in Albany using the traditional pre-Hispanic Telar de Cintura or backstrap loom.
Masks and Costume Making with Renee
2AM–3PM | Classroom (Floor 1)
Community Partners
Visit the tables of our community partners throughout the museum and learn more about their work: New York Folklore, the Mesoamerican Institute, and Herencia Cultural.