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.
Originally built as an inn in the early 19th century, the 1812 Homestead Farm and Museum is an engaging educational resource and living history museum. Located on a 130-acre property, the museum and... more
The 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse is a National center of reform in United States history. Throughout history it has served as a meeting place for Seneca Indians, African Americans and women.... more
The Wickwire residence, built by Chester Wickwire and presently known as The 1890 House Museum, is a local cultural symbol of the prosperity that resulted from the Industrial Revolution in CNY. The... more
The Lake Placid Olympic Museum brings to life the Olympic memories and achievements from 1932 and 1980, including the American hockey team`s Miracle on Ice over the Soviets, and Sonja Henie and Eric... more
Located at the site of the former World Trade Center, the memorial honors the lives of those who were lost during the attack on September 11, 2001. The landscaped plaza features two enormous... more
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
The Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, located in historic Quackenbush Square, features exhibits, an orientation film and tours which provide an overview of the history of Albany. Guided and... 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 Conservatoin 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