Upcoming Events

3:00pm–5:00pm Free with admission.* Young Artists Lab is a weekly drop-in program for children and teenagers to express their creativity through inquiry and artmaking. Each week, participants will be given a critical thinking prompt and a variety of materials and tools to create artwork based upon the exhibitions on view. This program is led by local teens and emphasizes open-ended creativity. *Young Artists Lab is an initiative of the Albany Institute of History & Art's Free Summer Admission Program: children 12 and under plus one accompanying adult caretaker received free museum admission from July 1 to August 31, 2026. Generously supported by the Carl E. Touhey Foundation and Opalka Family Philanthropies, with additional support from Wallace Altes, Eileen Howe Bird, Mary Ellen and Anders Tomson, and Capital Bank.

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.

12:00pm–4:00pm Art for All is free with museum admission every Saturday from 12–4PM. All ages are welcome to participate. Enjoy your visit to the museum and explore your artistic side with a hands-on project inspired by the museum's exhibitions and collections. Make an Egyptian broad collar! Also known as a “wesekh”, it is a type of jewelry historically worn by Egyptians and usually made from multiple rows of beads. They were usually worn by high status individuals like Pharaohs. For this activity, participants will unleash their inner Pharaoh by creating their own broad collars using a paper plate, paint, and yarn. Then, they can wear them while they explore the broad collars and similar artifacts on display in our Egypt gallery!  

12:00pm–5:00pm Please note: This event takes place at Quackenbush Square in Downtown Albany This immersive all ages, free outdoor art festival has interactive activities, music, live art-making, pop-up gallery, a kids art corner, photo opps, artisan vendor market, and much more on Saturday, July 18!   Enjoy lively tunes by DJ Intell Hayesfield Kids Art Corner with Artist Mentor Tracy Loring & much more! Stop by the Albany Institute of History & Art's table for free passes and learn more about the museum's exhibitions, collections, and events! For more information, visit https://albanycentergallery.org/SummerArtFest2026.

12:00pm 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. Image: Albany City Hall, 1740.

2:00pm–3:00pm The docent tour on Sunday, July 19 is cancelled, we apologize for the inconvenience. Please join us for the next scheduled docent tour on Sunday, July 26.

2:00pm–4:00pm Free with museum admission. As A Life in Bloom: The Floral Paintings of Julia McEntee Dillon enters its final days on view, join exhibition collaborator Sanford ("Sandy") Levy in the galleries for an informal opportunity to learn more about the artist, her remarkable floral paintings, and the organization of the exhibition behind the scenes. A longtime art and antiquities dealer, collector, researcher, and author specializing in American art, Levy helped bring this exhibition to life and will be available throughout the afternoon to answer questions and share insights about Julia McEntee Dillon's life and work. Drop in anytime between 2–4PM. This informal gallery experience is free with museum admission.

12:00pm–3:00pm Free with museum admission.* Inspired by the photo of Frederic Church’s studio, create your own studio using collage materials and contact paper. Don’t forget to draw in your own painting! Art Cart offers interactive and up-close experiences with artifacts and hands-on art creation inspired by objects in our collections, all guided by an educator. *Art Cart is an initiative of the Albany Institute of History & Art's Free Summer Admission Program: children 12 and under plus one accompanying adult caretaker received free museum admission from July 1 to August 31, 2026. Generously supported by the Carl E. Touhey Foundation and Opalka Family Philanthropies, with additional support from Wallace Altes, Eileen Howe Bird, Mary Ellen and Anders Tomson, and Capital Bank.