In addition to the homes and hometowns of artists, writers and performers that you can explore as part of the Arts & Culture Path Through History, great artistic achievements are on display at historic cultural museums and sites across the Empire State.
For over 100 years, the Hyde Collection in Glens Falls has presented art in a historic Italiante Renaissance villa, and now combines Adirondack heritage with a permanent collection of European old and modern masters. The Albany Institute of Art was founded in 1791 during the presidency of George Washington -- making it older than the Louvre, the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art -- and its exhibits include an extensive collection of Hudson River School paintings.
Buffalo's Albright-Knox Art Gallery is over 150 years old with a collection of modern and contemporary art, and the Darwin Martin House Complex is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's greatest tour-able masterpieces. Boscobel Restoration, a 19th-centry Federal-style museum overlooking Hudson River and West Point, contains the nation's leading collection of furniture and decorative arts made by premier New York cabinetmakers.
The Rockwell Museum in Corning houses the largest collection of Western and Native American art east of the Mississippi. The Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown features American folk art and American Indian art, as well as important holdings in American decorative arts. The museum at the Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute in Utica is in a restored 1850 Italiante mansion redesigned in 1960 by Philip Johnson and includes works by Dali, Mondrian, O'Keefe, Picasso, Pollock and Tiffany.
The Byrdcliffe Art Colony in Woodstock is on the National Historic Register of Places with 30 picturesque buildings on 250 wooded acres, and is America's oldest continuing arts and crafts colony. Nearby, at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the highlight of the 1960's countercultural movement - the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival - is remembered and interpreted at the very site where the event took place.
El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem explores New York's long connection with the Spanish-speaking world with its focus on Latin America and Caribbean art.
The Adirondack History Center displays and interprets more than 6,000 artifacts, documents and art representing two centuries of Essex County life. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, special... more
Founded in 1791, the Albany Institute of History & Art is New York’s oldest museum. Its collections document the Hudson Valley as a crossroads of culture, influencing the art and history or the... more
Located in a historic Colonial Revival style building, the museum is a treasure trove of rich and varied collections, from Native American artifacts and medieval manuscripts to 18th and 19th century... more
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, Allegany is the largest in the NYS Parks system. One of the greatest 4-season recreational assets in Western New York, it features paved bikeways, and trails... more
Operational World War II aircraft fly from a landmark hangar that was once part of Republic Aviation. Vintage army vehicles bring visitors along the fight line and up to historic control tower as... more
Learn about the achievements and contributions of Italian-Americans through cultural programs, activities and exhibits. Celebrate and explore Italian heritage, history and culture.... more
Within a 50 mile radius of Cattaraugus, approximately 150 different cutlery companies existed during a 200 year period. The American Museum of Cutlery brings this history to life with photographs,... more
The American Museum of Natural History is historic itself as a scientific and cultural institution. Created in 1869 with the support of notables like Theodore Roosevelt, J. Pierpont Morgan and then... more
Clara Barton, established the first American Red Cross in Dansville, NY in 1881. This chapter house functions as both an office and a museum exploring the history of the American Red Cross and the... more
New York`s Amish Trail allows visitors to experience the traditional living culture of this Old Order Amish Community through its farm and handcrafted products for sale at a variety of small shops.... more
Located on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Clayton, the Antique Boat Museum is home to the largest collection of antique and classic boats on display in North America, over 300 unique and... more
A journey aboard the Arcade & Attica Railroad in Arcade begins even before guests board the train. As they enter the historic station, visitors are surrounded by the history of railroading in... more