Exhibitions

Albany, c. 1776

October 31, 2026–May 2, 2027

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As part of this nationwide commemoration, the Albany Institute of History & Art will present Albany, c. 1776, an exhibition opening October 31, 2026, that illustrates Albany’s role during the Revolutionary era.

The Albany Institute is nearly as old as the nation itself. The museum traces its origins to the first scientific organization in New York State, the Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, Arts, and Manufactures, founded in 1791. Its first president was Robert R. Livingston, who just fifteen years earlier had served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence.

Drawing upon objects and rare documents from the museum’s collection, Albany, c. 1776 will explore Albany’s role in the American Revolution and illuminate what life was like in Upstate New York as Philip Schuyler and his Patriot allies fought for “the cause of American Liberty.” The exhibition will also offer insights into Loyalists in this region who supported the British Crown.

On view October 31, 2026, through May 2027, Albany, c. 1776 will serve as a rich resource for school and public programs, inviting audiences of all ages to explore the people, objects, and ideas that shaped the origins of the United States.

Support Albany, c. 1776

Your contribution to this exhibition will support a project that will serve our local community, visitors and school groups, and will have enduring value for scholars and researchers for generations to come.

Support Albany, c. 1776

 

The 2026 commemoration of America 250 offers the perfect opportunity to showcase the richness and significance of the Albany Institute’s collection, and why museum collections matter. One of the strengths of the Albany Institute's collection is the eighteenth century—from the earliest days of the Revolutionary era to the dawn of a new nation. AIHA collections are used not just for Albany Institute exhibitions and projects, but by researchers from all corners of the globe, who turn to museum curatorial staff for images, research assistance, and resource guidance.

The Albany Institute’s collections and curatorial expertise are indispensable resources for institutions and individual scholars creating exhibitions, scholarly publications, general interest biographies and histories about prominent eighteenth century regional figures including Citizen Genet, Philip Schuyler, Robert R. Livingston, Sir William Johnson, and Richard Varick.

  • In 2026, the Albany Institute is providing images of eighteen century objects from the collection to institutions including the Museum of the City of New York, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, Ellis Island, The French magazine “L’Histoire,” Clermont State Historic Site, and the British Archaeological Report.
  • The Albany Institute’s Schuyler Sisters exhibition (2019) was an early inspiration and resource for author Amanda Vaill, whose book, Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters, won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for biography.
  • The forthcoming book, Political Appetites: The Power of Food in Revolutionary America, includes many images drawn from the AIHA collection, including a punch bowl decorated with an image of George Washington, and will be in the upcoming WMHT TV documentary, “Revolutionary Food.”
  • AIHA is the only source in the world for images of Edme Genet, the first person to translate the Declaration of Independence into French. An AIHA image of Genet will be included in a scholarly publication accompanying the exhibition “The French and the Birth of the United States” at the Musée du Nouveau Monde in LaRochelle, France.

Images from top: Hannah Maley Cuyler (born 1769), unidentified artist, c. 1790, oil on canvas. Albany Institute of History & Art Purchase, 1944.61
George Washington Punch Bowl, unidentified maker, England, c.1784, transfer-printed earthenware. Albany Institute of History & Art, Bequest of James Ten Eyck, 1911.5.115

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