Programs

Family Programs
School Programs
Tours

All Programs

Upcoming Events

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.

12:00pm–3:00pm Free with museum admission.* Inspired by Erastus Dow Palmer’s sculptures, create your own “marble” sculpture using Model Magic! 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.

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.

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!  

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.

12:00pm–3:00pm Free with museum admission.* Inspired by Erastus Dow Palmer’s sculptures, create your own “marble” sculpture using Model Magic! 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.

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.

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 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.

3:00pm–5:00pm Free with admission.* Young Artist’s 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.

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!  

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.

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.

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.

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.

Calling all young artists ages six through twelve! Join us at the Albany Institute for fun, hands-on activities led by our museum educators. Prepare to learn new things, experiment with new ideas and connect with new people. Throughout summer breaks, we will explore the galleries at the Albany Institute and create our own works of art inspired by the exhibitions and collection. Artful Mornings are designed for children ages 9–12 and 6–8.

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.

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.

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.

12:00pm–3:00pm Free with museum admission.* 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.

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.

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.

12:00pm–3:00pm Free with museum admission.* 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.

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.

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.

12:00pm–3:00pm Free with museum admission.* 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.

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.

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.

12:00pm–3:00pm 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.

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.

2:00pm Combining geographical accuracy with romantic vision, 19th-century landscape painters Susie Barstow, Julie Hart Beers, and Eliza Greatorex captured on canvas and paper the beauty and awe they experienced in the American landscape. Painting in the style of the Hudson River School, they favored sites that were well-known destinations for travelers, hikers, and tourists, and exhibited their work in academic venues alongside male colleagues. These acute businesswomen maintained their own financial assets and held careers as professional artists, yet until recently, have largely been omitted from the art historical canon. Dr. Nancy Siegel’s lecture examines the lives and careers of Barstow, Beers, and Greatorex while celebrating recent gifts and acquisitions of their work to the AIHA which complement its prestigious Hudson River School collection.

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.

6:30pm–8:00pm Free with museum admission; a reception follow the lecture. David Smith (1906–1965) welded together images that are impossible to forget. He thought deeply about sculpture and change, sculpture and memory, sculpture and play, and art and society, imagining sculpture as its own material field in which, as much as with painting, viewers could always see more, find more, learn more. Smith's astonishing sculpture stream helped to define the transformational potential of sculpture. Focusing on Australia and Hudson River Landscape, the most canonical of the 1951 drawings in space, Smith biographer Michael Brenson explores Smith’s transformational energy and imagination. By connecting them to Smith’s belief in the magical image, Brenson reveals why Smith’s sculpture remains inexhaustible sixty years after his death. The Dennis Anderson Memorial Lecture is generously supported by Steven Mann. Additional support provided by Tammis Groft.  

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.