The New York State Museum today announced the opening of a new long-term exhibition on the Museum’s 4^th floor featuring a newly restored 1960s A&W Restaurant “Papa Burger” statue, an original Hoffman’s Playland ticket booth, and models of Coney Island attractions. On exhibition near the Museum’s historic Carousel, these new artifacts create a nostalgic area for visitors of all ages to enjoy and learn from while visiting the State Museum.

“We’re proud to add these new objects to the Museum’s fourth floor where families and children already gather to enjoy the historic Carousel,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “A new generation of visitors can now enjoy these iconic objects that represent family-friendly attractions from New York’s past.”

“Papa Burger, the Hoffman’s Playland ticket booth, and the Coney Island models are great additions to the Museum’s fourth floor,” said Beth Berlin, Acting Commissioner of the State Education Department. “We’re confident these new additions will become a favorite among the hundreds of thousands of people of all ages who visit the State Museum every year.”

The 9-foot-tall Papa Burger statue entered the State Museum’s collection in 1998 as an “unknown fiberglass figure of a man holding a mug and a hamburger” from the Syracuse or Rochester area. Research soon revealed that he is “Papa Burger,” an iconic mascot figure for the A&W root beer chain of restaurants dating back to the 1960s. In the 1960s, Papa Burger joined other members of his family – including Mama Burger, Teen Burger and Baby Burger – outside A&W restaurant buildings. In 1974, a bear replaced the Burger family and the figures became obsolete. Original iconic roadside sculptures are rare, as most have disappeared due to their large size or have been repurposed and are often unrecognizable.

Over the past few years, Museum staff restored Papa Burger to his original colors and details. The restoration project included removing layers of paint to reach the statue’s original coat and researching paints to match Papa Burger’s original colors. Many repairs were made as well, including reconstruction of an internal support system to allow him to stand up. Photos are available on the Museum website showing Papa Burger through his various phases of restoration, from how he originally appeared when he entered the Museum’s collections to how he looks today.

In addition to Papa Burger, an original ticket booth from Hoffman’s Playland located in Latham, New York, is on exhibit. Hoffman’s Playland was a family-owned business that opened in 1953 when Bill Hoffman purchased a carousel and this ticket booth and placed them on his father’s property in Latham. He soon added more rides, and through his hard work Hoffman’s attracted legions of visitors. When Bill’s son, Dave, took ownership of the park, he added even more rides and made Hoffman’s Playland one of the Capital Region’s favorite fun family-friendly places. When Hoffman’s Playland closed in 2014, Dave and his wife, Ruth, donated this vintage portable ticket booth to the State Museum.

Models of two attractions from Coney Island – the Parachute Jump and the Ferris Wheel – are also on display. Originally built for the1939 World’s Fair in Flushing, New York, the Parachute Jump was moved to Coney Island’s Steeplechase Park in 1941. The park closed in 1964 and the Parachute Jump is the only original structure that remains from Steeplechase Park. Steeplechase Park also boasted the first Ferris Wheel on Coney Island, erected in 1894. The original ride had twelve cars that held eighteen passenger each; the model on exhibit was abbreviated by the artists to feature eight cars.

Photos are available for download on the State Museum’s website.

The New York State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The first issue of the New York History journal has been published under a new collaboration between the New York State Museum and Cornell University Press. Published twice a year, the scholarly journal presents articles regarding New York State history as well as reviews of books, exhibitions, and media projects with a New York focus.

Now published by Cornell University Press working in coordination with an editorial team at the New York State Museum, New York History journal seeks to unify the diverse field of New York State history and meet the needs of a growing historical community that includes scholars, public historians, museum professionals, local government historians, and those seeking an in-depth look at the Empire State’s history.

“New York State has a rich and diverse history that is shared by cultural institutions, historians, and educators across the state,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “New York History journal will serve as an important resource to learn about our state’s past to help us make better decisions about our future.”

“The State Museum has a long history of sharing the state’s past with the people of New York and the New York History journal will add to those efforts,” said Interim State Education Commissioner Beth Berlin. “We’re proud to collaborate with Cornell University Press and publish this journal with the best content the field of New York State history has to offer.”

Co-editors of the journal include New York State Museum Chief Curator of History Dr. Jennifer Lemak, New York State Historian Devin Lander, New York State Museum Senior Historian Aaron Noble, and Senior Lecturer in the History Department at University of Maryland Dr. Robert Chiles. The Editorial Board actively solicits articles, essays, reports from the field and case studies to be featured in the journal. Submission guidelines are available on the State Museum website.

“New York History journal provides a great opportunity to bring together the diverse New York State history community,” said co-editors Dr. Jennifer Lemak and Devin Lander. “The State Museum is honored to lead the journal’s Editorial Board and work with Cornell University Press and historians across the state.”

“The New York State Museum-led Editorial Board has done a wonderful job continuing the excellent editorial work of Professors Thomas Beale, Susan Goodier, and Danny Noorlander of SUNY Oneonta,” said Michael J. McGandy, Senior Editor at Cornell University Press. “As the journal embraces the perspectives of public historians and museum curators, they have struck the right balance between scholarship and outreach.”

The summer 2019 issue features articles by historians across the state including:

• “The Sing Sing Revolt: The Incarceration Crisis and Criminal Justice Liberalism in the 1980s” by Lee Bernstein, professor of history at SUNY New Paltz
• “The Power of Women: Matilda Joslyn Gage and the New York Women’s Vote of 1880” by Sue Boland, local historian for the Matilda Joslyn gage Center for Social Justice Dialogue
• “Suffrage’s Second Act: Women in the NYS Legislature, 1919-1930” by Laurie Kozakiewicz, lecturer in history at the University at Albany
• “The Lost Poems of Jacob Steendam” by D.L. Noorlander, assistant professor of history at SUNY Oneonta
• “A Model Tenement in “The City of Homes”: George Eastman and the Challenge of Housing Reform in Rochester, New York” by Nancy J. Rosenbloom, professor of history at Canisius College
• “Consumption in the Adirondacks: Print Culture and the Curative Climate” by Mark Sturges, assistant professor of English at St. Lawrence University

Recurring feature articles in the journal include:

• Artifact NY – a feature about an object or document important to New York State history.
• Teach NY – a feature intended for history teachers at either the middle or high school level or university professors. Content includes lessons plans, utilizing primary source materials in a classroom setting, or using multimedia or new technology to teach history.
• Community NY – a feature that highlights state history at the local, community and project-based levels.

Individual and institution print subscriptions to New York History are available as well as individual electronic subscriptions. Subscriptions can be ordered online or by contacting Cornell University Press at nyhjournal@cornell.edu.

New York History, founded in 1919 as The Quarterly Journal of the New York State Historical Association, is the foremost scholarly journal addressing the state’s past. The New York State Historical Association, now known as Fenimore Art Museum, created and supported the journal. Since 2012 the journal has been published as a digital-only publication. In 2018 it was announced that Cornell University Press would manage and publish the journal in print and digital format working alongside an editorial team at the New York State Museum.

The New York State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

New York State Museum historians and scientists will share their knowledge and research in a series of lunchtime talks this fall and winter. “Brain Food for the Curious” will be held on select Tuesdays in October through March, from 12:10 – 12:40 p.m., in the Huxley Theater. Each program includes a 20-minute talk with a State Museum historian or scientist followed by a question-and-answer period. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch.

Following is a schedule of “Brain Food for the Curious” talks for the 2019 – 2020 season:

Museums & Criminal Justice: Finding Common Ground
Tuesday, October 15

Criminal justice reform has been called one of the most significant civil rights issues of the modern era. Museums and historic collections are increasingly being called upon to explain the history of mass incarceration in the United States, and museum galleries can serve as venues for dialogue and discussion about some of the most pressing concerns in today’s society. Join Senior Historian of Political and Military History Aaron Noble to explore recent examples of how museums have engaged diverse audiences in these complicated narratives and look at how New York State Museum collections can foster similar discussions across the state.

What is Tonalism? 
Tuesday, October 22

The New York State Museum will host the exhibition, Tonalism: Pathway from the Hudson River School to Modern Art from February 15 – June 14, 2020. Senior Curator of Art and Culture Karen Quinn will explain what tonalism is and why this turn-of-the-twentieth-century style was all the rage and then fell out of favor.

Creative Women’s Collective Collection
Tuesday, November 5

“Craftivism”—using artistic skills and forms to spread an activist message—has had a resurgence in recent years, especially around feminist issues. Craftivism, in part, has roots in the artistic collectives of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, which produced posters, t-shirts, and other materials to support various causes. This talk by Senior Historian and Curator of Social History Ashley Hopkins-Benton will focus on a collection of material produced by the Creative Women’s Collective in New York City in the 1980s and its ties to modern women’s movement materials.

Champions in a Changing World: New York Mets, Jets, and Knicks in 1969
Tuesday, November 19

Fifty years ago this year, Tom Seaver, Joe Namath, and Willis Reed delivered one of the most iconic years in New York sports history. The 1969 New York Mets, Jets, and Knicks triumphed on the field and court, winning championships in a fast-changing world. Join New York State Museum Sports History Curator Stephen Loughman as he explores this significant year in New York sports history.

Submerged Landscapes of New York
Tuesday, December 3 

Beneath the waters of New York State lie hundreds of shipwrecks, but did you know there are also submerged landscapes, places that were once dry land? Some of these places were drowned intentionally, including several villages in the Catskill Mountains that were destroyed to create reservoirs to meet New York City’s water needs. Other more ancient landscapes have been drowned by rising sea levels. Join archaeologist Dr. Daria Merwin for a look at some of the state’s submerged landscapes and learn about the potential for underwater archaeology at these sites.

Earth's Earliest Life
Tuesday, December 17 

The simplest lifeforms on Earth today are bacteria, and it is likely that Earth’s first living organisms were similar. But how do we recognize something as small and simple as a bacterium in the fossil record? This talk by State Paleontologist Dr. Lisa Amati will present evidence about when and where the first life evolved on Earth and how we identify it.

15th- and 16th-Century Iroquoian Agriculture        
Tuesday, January 7 

Native American farmers developed agronomic practices throughout the Western Hemisphere suited to local climatic conditions and the degree of reliance on agricultural production for subsistence. Dr. John Hart will discuss Iroquoian agricultural practices in New York and southern Ontario and how those practices maintained soil fertility and crop productivity for decades, producing enough food for village populations in the hundreds to thousands of people.

Glacial Fingerprints: How Glaciation Left Its Mark in New York State
Tuesday, January 21 

With the increasing use of high-resolution LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing technology, subtle topographic details of the most recent glaciation have never been more visible to researchers. Join geologist and Museum Curator of Quaternary Landscape Materials Andrew Kozlowski as he explains how this new technology works and displays glacial landforms that occupy New York State’s landscape.

New DNA Technology Reveals the Evolutionary History of Birds
Tuesday, February 4 

Are penguins closely related to ducks? Are flamingos just goofy-looking herons, or are they something completely different? When did songbirds evolve? Curators of bird-specimen collections study the evolutionary relationships of birds using the fossil record and modern DNA-sequencing technologies. As these technologies have improved so has our understanding of the history of birdlife on Earth. Dr. Jeremy Kirchman, the State Museum’s curator of birds, will explain how a new revolution in DNA laboratory methods has changed what we know about bird evolution.

The Courtland Street Burying Ground, Lake George, N.Y.
Tuesday, February 18

When smallpox broke out among the troops in northern New York in the spring of 1776, a general hospital was established at Fort George on the southern end of Lake George. Thousands were admitted and many died. Their place of burial was unknown until 2019, when human remains discovered during construction were identified from the Revolutionary War. A major salvage effort of the heavily disturbed site was launched and Museum bioarchaeologists began the complex task of reconstructing human remains. Curator of bioarchaeology Lisa Anderson will share the history and progress of the ongoing research.

These Rock Layers in New York are the Same Age as These in Morocco
Tuesday, March 3 

Dr. Charles Ver Straeten will explain how correlation, or recognizing same-age rocks from place to place, is one of the elemental tasks of a sedimentary geologist. Correlating rocks is done by finding the same features or patterns at different places, such as the same unique fossils, unique layers, or patterns of sedimentation in rocks.

You Are What You Eat: How Chemistry Informs About Ancient Ecosystems
Tuesday, March 17 

The fossils of ancient individuals contain clues to how they lived. Dr. Robert S. Feranec, curator of Pleistocene vertebrate paleontology, will discuss how he uses different chemicals in fossilized teeth and bones to understand how and where ancient animals lived, and how that may have changed over time.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The New York State Museum, State Library, and State Archives will celebrate New York State History Month in November with a variety of free public programs for children, families and adults.

"As we celebrate New York State History Month, we thank historians and educators help us understand our past," said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “I urge both adults and children to visit the extraordinary cultural institutions, museums, libraries, archives and historic sites across New York not only during New York State History Month, but every day.”

“The State Museum, State Library and State Archives tell the story of New York’s history every day through artifacts, documents and photographs,” said Interim State Education Commissioner Beth Berlin. “During New York State History Month we highlight the importance of learning about our history and highlight the local historians and cultural institutions across the state who keep New York’s history alive.”

“I continue to be amazed at the vastness of New York’s history,” said New York State Historian Devin Lander. “History Month provides an opportunity to highlight this history and the vital work of historians across New York State.”

The following is a schedule of free programs in November related to New York State history at the Cultural Education Center, located at 222 Madison Avenue, Albany:

Brain Food for the Curious: Creative Women’s Collective Collection
Tuesday, November 5 | 12:10 – 12:40 pm
Craftivism—using artistic skills and forms to spread an activist message—has had a resurgence in recent years, especially around feminist issues. Craftivism, in part, has roots in the artistic collectives of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, which produced posters, t-shirts, and other materials to support various causes. This talk by Senior Historian and Curator of Social History Ashley Hopkins-Benton will focus on a collection of material produced by the Creative Women’s Collective in New York City in the 1980s and its ties to modern women’s movement materials.
 

Genealogy Online with Ancestry Library
Thursday, November 7 | 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Learn how to access Census records, genealogy and history book, maps and other resources included in this database, as well as, the resources on Ancestry NYS page which are freely available to all New Yorkers. Seating is limited and registration is required.
 

Walking Tour of the Local History and Genealogy Resources at the New York State Library
Saturday, November 9 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Join us for a tour highlighting published genealogies, local histories, church records, Daughters of the American Revolution records, United States and New York State Census records, newspapers on microfilm, city directories and more. The tour is limited to 15 individuals and registration is required.
 

Lunch Bite Gallery Tour: The Historic Woodstock Art Colony: The Arthur A. Anderson Collection
Wednesday, November 13 | 12:00 – 12:30 pm  
Come discover Woodstock’s importance as an art colony long before the famous music festival in 1969. The remarkable range of work produced there has been the focus of collector Arthur Anderson for three decades, resulting in the largest comprehensive collection of its type—some 1,500 objects by 170 artists—all of which he recently donated to the New York State Museum.
 

Bringing It Back Home – New York State Archives Magazine Speaker Series
Wednesday, November 13 | 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Get a sneak peek inside New York Genealogical and Biographical Society’s forthcoming research guide to the New York State Archives. Written by Jane E. Wilcox, this publication is geared towards genealogists and family historians who want to explore the vast collections of the New York State Archives. Jane will share some of her favorite discoveries in the stacks, anecdotes that will leave you chuckling, and challenges encountered along the way. Registration encouraged.

Lunchtime Book Talk: Erie Canal Boats, Stagecoaches, and Wagons: Traveling and Living in New York State in 1826
Thursday, November 14 | 12:10 – 12:40 pm
Bring your lunch and enjoy a short, informative, entertaining talk by Paul Schneider, author of Everything Worthy of Observation: The 1826 New York State Travel Journal of Alexander Stewart Scott. On September 25, 1826, a young Canadian traveler by the name of Alexander Stewart Scott arrived in Albany, New York. Keeping a daily travel journal, he jotted down the incidents of his extended trip across the state. Paul Schneider, who transcribed and edited Scott’s unique journal, will discuss the world this young traveler encountered and some of the remarkable historical coincidences linking this story to the present.

Happy Birthday to the Bronx Zoo
Saturday, November 16 | 2:00 – 4:00 pm
This year the Bronx Zoo is turning 120 years old. Visitors will learn more about the zoo’s history and create birthday cards. The cards will be sent to and archived in the collection of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the organization that founded and opened the zoo in 1899.

Woodstock at 50: The Festival, the Film, the Legacy
Sunday, November 17 | 1:00 – 4:30 pm
The New York State Museum will screen the critically acclaimed 1970 documentary, Woodstock, about the legendary three-day 1969 music festival in Bethel, New York.
 

Brain Food for the Curious: Champions in a Changing World: New York Mets, Jets, and Knicks in 1969
Tuesday, November 19 | 12:10 – 12:40 pm
Fifty years ago, Tom Seaver, Joe Namath, and Willis Reed delivered one of the most iconic years in New York sports history. The 1969 New York Mets, Jets, and Knicks triumphed on the field and court, winning championships in a fast-changing world. Join New York State Museum Sports History Curator Stephen Loughman as he explores this significant year in New York sports history.
 

Researching New York Conference Public Event: Edward Berenson presents his book, The Accusation: Blood Libel in an American Town
Thursday, November 21 | 7:30 pm
Scholar Edward Berenson presents his new book, The Accusation: Blood Libel in an American Town (2019), a chilling investigation of an incident of antisemitism in the upstate town of Massena, New York in 1928. This program is a featured public event of the University at Albany History Department’s annual Researching New York Conference.
 

The First Grand Slam
Saturday, November 23 | 1:00 pm
The first grand slam in Major League Baseball history was hit on September 10, 1881, in a game between two long-defunct teams: Troy and Worcester. So how did the home game that was supposed to be in Troy end up being mislabeled as Albany and actually end up in what's now the city of Rensselaer?  Speaker Matt Malette will discuss how he proved that the first grand slam in Major League Baseball history was hit in Rensselaer, NY.  

Happy Birthday Sesame Street
Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Join the New York State Museum and WMHT to celebrate the colorful characters, entertaining videos, and magical music of Sesame Street. Visit the Sesame Street exhibit to see the famous set, create your own character mask, and more.
 

In addition, the State Museum’s Office of State History website offers an online portal of information about historical research, news, grant opportunities and events happening around New York State. The website is an online resource for historians throughout the state to learn about the work of fellow historians and identify opportunities for increased coordination and collaboration. The website offers a New York State History Month promotion kit to encourage cultural institutions and historians statewide to plan and promote public programs in their community. Cultural institutions are encouraged to submit their History Month events and programs for listing on the Office of State History website. The Office of State History also produces a podcast, “A New York Minute in History,” in collaboration with WAMC/Northeast Public Radio and Don Wildman of Mysteries at the Museum on the Travel Channel.

The first issue of New York History journal was published in September 2019 under a new collaboration between the New York State Museum and Cornell University Press. Published twice a year, the scholarly journal presents articles regarding New York State history as well as reviews of books, exhibitions, and media projects with a New York focus. Co-editors of the journal include New York State Museum Chief Curator of History Dr. Jennifer Lemak, New York State Historian Devin Lander, New York State Museum Senior Historian Aaron Noble, and Senior Lecturer in the History Department at University of Maryland Dr. Robert Chiles. The Editorial Board actively solicits articles, essays, reports from the field and case studies to be featured in the journal. Submission guidelines are available on the State Museum website.

The New York State Archives preserves and makes accessible over 250 million records of New York’s State and colonial governments dating from 1630 to the present. The State Archives provides free access to photographs, artifacts, documents, manuscripts and other materials that tell the story of New York’s history via its Digital Collections on the Archives website.

The New York State Library’s collections include over 20 million items that support State government work and the research needs of the public. The State Library’s Manuscripts and Special Collections unit consists of rare books, maps, photographs, posters and manuscripts that document the history of New York from the 17^th century to the present. The Library’s Local History and Genealogy Section contains printed materials and records on individual families and is used by researchers, genealogists and historians.

In 1997, the New York State Legislature established November as New York State History Month with the goal “to celebrate the history of New York state and recognize the contributions of state and local historians.” New York State History Month represents the opportunity for historians, museums and cultural institutions to highlight importance of New York State’s history through public programs, exhibitions and other learning opportunities.

The State Museum, State Library and State Archives are programs of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Office of Cultural Education website.

Visitors can shop at more than two dozen made-in-New York food and beverage vendors at the New York State Museum’s Taste NY Holiday Market on Sunday, December 8 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Vendors will offer samples and sales of chocolates; cheese; apple and maple products; hand-crafted beer, wine, spirits and cider; and other edible gifts. All participating vendors produce their products in New York State. There will also be a cooking demonstration, educational activities and a chocolate fountain station courtesy of We Do Fondue and Price Chopper/Market 32. For more information, including a list of vendors, visit the Museum’s website. 

Following is a schedule of demonstrations and educational activities at the event:

• Culinary Historian Lavada Nahon – Nahon will showcase colonial cooking depicting 17th, 18th, and 19th century culinary skills. A display table with reproduction cooking and dining equipage, recipe books, and simple kitchen tools will allow visitors to learn about the development of New York State’s rich culinary legacy.
   
• Second Regiment of the Albany County Militia’s Colonial Foodways – Participate in demonstrations of colonial activities that depict 18th century cooking and beer making practices.
   
• Chocolate Historian Paul Supley – Supley will teach the process of making 18th century drinking chocolate! Learn about the use of chocolate in New York State during the colonial period with photographs, historical artifacts, and reproductions. A chocolate demonstration will explain the history behind the beverage and its connection with New York’s history.
   

The annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Fireworks Festival at the Empire State Plaza will also be held on December 8.

Taste NY is an initiative that highlights the quality, diversity, and economic impact of New York’s food and beverage industry. Taste NY provides an opportunity for New York growers and producers to receive increased exposure of their products to consumers, restaurateurs, retailers, wholesalers, and distributors.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

Representatives from over a dozen New York State historic sites and cultural organizations will provide educational hands-on activities, unique artifacts to explore and information about upcoming events during the annual “New York State’s Great Places and Spaces” program on Saturday, January 11 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the New York State Museum.

Participating organizations include: Adirondack Experience; Capital District Civil War Round Table; Crailo State Historic Site; Empire State Aerosciences Museum; Empire State Plaza Visitor Center; Johnson Hall State Historic Site; New Windsor Cantonment & Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Sites; Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum; Schenectady County Historical Society; Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site; Shaker Heritage Society; The Hyde Collection; The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame; The Olana Partnership; Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The New York State Museum and the Seneca Nation today announced that a pipe tomahawk originally given to the respected Seneca leader and diplomat Cornplanter by President George Washington has been officially returned to the Seneca Nation. The announcement took place at the Nation’s Onöhsagwe:de’ Cultural Center, where the pipe tomahawk has been on loan since March 2019.

The 18^th-century pipe tomahawk was gifted to Cornplanter by President Washington at one of several meetings between United States and Iroquois Confederacy leaders in the years 1792 – 1794. The Cornplanter pipe tomahawk entered the New York State Museum’s collection in 1851 from Seneca diplomat Ely Parker. Sometime between 1947 and 1950 the object went missing from the Museum and for nearly 70 years was in the hands of private collectors. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the pipe tomahawk was returned to the State Museum in June 2018. The pipe tomahawk was on display at the New York State Museum from July through December 2018.

“In Seneca history, Cornplanter stands among our greatest and most respected leaders,” said Seneca Nation President Rickey L. Armstrong, Sr. “George Washington originally presented this pipe tomahawk to Cornplanter as a sign of respect, friendship and recognition of our sovereignty. Now, this piece of our great leader’s remarkable legacy can finally – and forever – remain on Seneca land where it belongs.”

“It is our humble honor to return this iconic object to the people of the Seneca Nation,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “We are pleased to know that Cornplanter’s pipe tomahawk will continue to be displayed publicly at the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum.”

“The return of Cornplanter’s pipe tomahawk signifies a new chapter of strong collaboration between the New York State Museum and the Seneca Nation,” said Interim State Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe. “We’re proud to return this incredible object to the Seneca Nation and know it will continue to be an educational opportunity for people of all ages and background to research and learn from."

“Cornplanter’s pipe tomahawk is an extraordinarily important object that speaks of Native American, New York, and American history and culture,” said Mark Schaming, Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education and Director of the State Museum. “It is due to this shared history that it is our great honor to return the tomahawk to the people of the Seneca Nation. We make this return in representation of mutual trust, partnership and fruitful years ahead, as was intended by our forebears.”

The tomahawk will be on permanent display at the Onöhsagwe:de’ Cultural Center, which opened in 2018 on the Seneca Nation’s Allegany Territory. Measuring 33,000 square feet, the center is inspired by Native oral history and designed to guide and immerse visitors throughout with a variety of exhibits, collections, artifacts, educational programs and special events. The center is open seven days a week. For information, call 716-945-1760 or visit Seneca-Iroquois National Museum.

The New York State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The New York State Museum will host two geology and paleontology-themed programs in February: The Rock and Fossil Fun Fair on February 15 and 16 and the Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale on February 22 and 23.

The Rock and Fossil Fun Fair will be held on Saturday, February 15 and Sunday, February 16 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Children can mine for minerals, forage for fossils, experiment with a river replica and participate in more than 10 hands-on geology and paleontology activities. Visitors are encouraged to bring their rocks and fossils from home for identification from Museum scientists. This program is free admission; donations are appreciated.  

The 26^th Annual James Campbell Memorial Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale will be held on Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23 from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. More than 30 vendors from throughout the region will display and sell gems, minerals, fossils and jewelry. Admission is $5 (cash only); children ages 12 and under are free. This event is co-sponsored by the Capital District Mineral Club and the New York Academy of Mineralogy. All proceeds benefit the Museum’s mineral-acquisition fund.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

President Abraham Lincoln’s handwritten draft of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation will be on exhibit at the New York State Museum from February 11 through March 1, 2020. President Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War on September 22, 1862 ordering that in 100 days the federal government would deem all slaves free in states still rebelling against the Union. The iconic document, in the collections of the New York State Library since 1865, has been recently re-encased in a state-of-the-art, custom-designed encasement.

The exhibition is dedicated in honor of the late Regent Judith Johnson. The Board of Regents and the State Education Department commemorate Regent Johnson’s life and her unrelenting advocacy for educational equity and excellence for all children by dedicating this exhibition in her honor.

“The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, written by President Lincoln in 1862, is a treasured document in the New York State Library’s collections,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “This historic document presents a learning opportunity for adults and children to reflect on our nation’s past and celebrate the progress we have made and continue to work toward. We’re honored to dedicate this exhibition to the late Regent Judith Johnson and celebrate the countless lives she impacted with her compassion and knowledge and her vision that all students deserve equal opportunity to succeed in life.”

“The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation is truly a national treasure,” said Interim State Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe. “More than 150 years after President Lincoln drafted this iconic document, we are proud to exhibit it and commemorate this pivotal, transformative moment in our nation’s history. It also reminds us that America is still a work in progress as we continue to work towards freedom and equality. The document’s new encasement will ensure that President Lincoln’s handwritten draft will continue to be preserved for generations to come.”

On September 22, 1862, following the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam, President Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, ordering that in 100 days the federal government would deem all slaves free in those states still rebelling against the Union.

The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation is one of two surviving Proclamation documents in Lincoln’s own hand. Lincoln probably glued in sections of the printed Congressional Confiscation Act (laws passed in 1861 and 1862 with the intention of freeing enslaved people still held by Confederate forces) to save time—the fingerprint visible on the first page of the document could be his own. Although Lincoln’s handwritten final Emancipation Proclamation burned in the Chicago fire in 1871, the Preliminary Proclamation survived the State Capitol fire of 1911 and has been preserved by the State Library.

Photos and a transcript of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation are available on the State Library’s website.

The New York State Museum will open Tonalism: Pathway from the Hudson River School to Modern Art, an exhibition exploring a late 19th century movement in painting with deep connections to New York State, on February 15.  On display through June 14, 2020, the exhibition features over 60 artworks – including paintings, prints, and photographs – from institutions across the state as well as private collections.

“We’re proud to present this new art exhibition at the State Museum,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “Art often conveys emotion and the Tonalism exhibition explores how artists created landscapes that evoke feeling and mood. Students and teachers will enjoy learning about this artistic style and exploring how it set the foundation for future art movements.”

“Art exhibitions are a great opportunity for visitors of all ages to learn not only about art but also about history and culture,” said Interim State Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe. “The Tonalism exhibition at the State Museum invites visitors to see incredible artwork from cultural institutions and private collectors across the state, including some artwork that has rarely been exhibited in public.”

Emerging in the years after the Civil War, Tonalism appealed to audiences seeking respite from the devastation of war, the political turmoil of Reconstruction, and the rise of industrialization and urbanization. In the broadest sense, Tonalism can be understood as an approach to representation that relied less on faithfulness to visual reality than on creating an evocative mood, often through memory. Tonalist artists achieved a prevailing sense of quiet by depicting subjects at either end of the day, in soft light and with a delicate range of colors – thus, “tonal”. Landscapes dominated, but figurative works were not excluded. Overall, Tonalism encouraged contemplation.

Tonalism: Pathway from the Hudson River School to Modern Art is organized by the New York State Museum and the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art. The group of artists included in the exhibition is a representation of those who practiced Tonalism. The artists range from Frederick Kost on Long Island, to those working in Woodstock, including Birge Harrison, Eva Watson-Schütze, and Bolton Brown, to Alexander Helwig Wyant in Arkville and Keene Valley, to Walter Launt Palmer and others who had ties to Albany. The goal is to cast a wide net and consider Tonalism as a broader concept than heretofore presented.

The public is invited to attend a reception for the exhibition on Saturday, April 4 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. The reception will begin with light refreshments at 1:00 p.m., followed by an exhibition tour led by senior historian and curator Karen Quinn at 2:00 p.m.

Photos of artwork from the exhibition are available on the Museum’s website.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The New York State Museum will open The Historic Woodstock Art Colony: The Arthur A. Anderson Collection on November 10. On display through December 31, 2019, the exhibition features over 100 artworks – including paintings, lithographs, sculpture and works on paper – from the major collection of artwork of the historic Woodstock Art Colony that collector Arthur A. Anderson donated to the State Museum in 2017. This exhibition introduces to the public for the first time just a sample of the highlights of this extraordinary collection, which represents a body of work that together shaped art and culture in New York and forms a history of national and international significance.

Long before the famous music festival in 1969, Woodstock, New York, was home to what is considered America’s first intentionally created, year-round arts colony—founded in 1902 and still thriving over 100 years later. Collecting the remarkable range of work produced there was Anderson’s focus for three decades, resulting in the largest comprehensive assemblage of its type. The artists represented in it reflect the diversity of those who came to Woodstock, including Birge Harrison, Konrad Cramer, George Bellows, Eugene Speicher, Peggy Bacon, Rolph Scarlett and Yasuo Kuniyoshi, among many others. Anderson donated his entire collection—some 1,500 objects by almost 200 artists—to the State Museum.

“This exhibition presents an extraordinary opportunity for State Museum visitors to see a variety of artwork that highlights an important chapter of New York’s art history,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “We’re grateful to Arthur Anderson for donating the collection to the Museum, which allows this remarkable collection of artwork to be seen, appreciated and researched by students and adults for generations to come.”

“Thanks to Arthur Anderson, the State Museum has a collection of historic artwork that represents the culture, history and artistic direction of talented Woodstock artists,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “The exhibition invites children and adults to view these unique and inspirational artworks and explore how these artists were at the center of artistic development in New York in the 20^th century.”

“We are deeply grateful to Arthur Anderson for his generosity and foresight in donating this exceptional collection to the State Museum,” said Mark Schaming, Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education and State Museum Director. “The exhibition showcases spectacular artworks by some of New York and America’s influential artists of the 20^th century. We are pleased to share this collection with New Yorkers and explore Woodstock’s history as an innovate center of artistic development in New York.”

“Ever since I began spending quality time in the Hudson Valley, I have been enamored with the historic Woodstock Art Colony,” said donor Arthur Anderson. “Over the course of three decades, my collection grew to 1,500 works by 200 artists, with an emphasis on George Bellows and his Woodstock circle. After considering various permanent homes for the collection, it became clear to me that the best place was the New York State Museum. The collection’s new home at the State Museum helps re-introduce the Historic Woodstock Art Colony into the American art canon. It also, I hope, motivates others to donate their treasures for public appreciation and education that express the culture and history of New York State.”

The public is invited to attend an opening reception for the exhibition on Saturday, November 10 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. The reception will begin with light refreshments at 1:00 p.m., followed by an exhibition tour led by senior historian and curator Karen Quinn at 2:00 p.m. Donor Arthur Anderson will attend the reception.

The Woodstock story begins in 1902, when Byrdcliffe was established as a year-round artists’ colony focusing on the Arts and Crafts movement. The utopian community drew furniture craftsmen, painters, printmakers, photographers, ceramicists, and other artisans to an environment that emphasized individual work over mass production. In 1906, the Art Students League of New York, one of the country’s most important and progressive art schools, moved its summer school to Woodstock, bringing some 200 students a season to the area. The Woodstock Artists Association was founded in 1919 by artists of differing mindsets but unified in their quest for a centralized exhibition space.

Throughout the 20th century, and now into the 21st century, Woodstock attracted and continues to attract a range of artists working in a variety of media and approaches ranging from realism to abstraction – something that sets Woodstock apart from other art colonies that flourished for a limited time and were centered on a single style.

Photos of select artworks included in the exhibition are available on the Museum’s website.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

Visitors can shop at 30 “made in New York” food and beverage vendors at the New York State Museum’s Taste NY Holiday Market on Sunday, December 2 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Vendors will offer samples and sales of chocolates; cheese; maple products; hand-crafted beer, wine, spirits and cider; and other edible gifts. All participating vendors produce their products in New York State. There will also be cooking demonstrations, educational activities and a chocolate fountain station courtesy of We Do Fondue and Price Chopper/Market 32. For more information, including a list of vendors, visit the Museum’s website. 

Following is a schedule of demonstrations and educational activities at the event:
 

• Lavada Nahon – Culinary Historian (11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.): Enjoy learning about the diverse foodways of New Netherland and early New York. Explore how the lives and cultures of the Dutch mixed with those of the English, enslaved Africans, French, Germans, Jews and others to create a vibrant foundation found nowhere else in colonial America.
   
• Second Regiment of the Albany County Militia – Colonial Foodways (11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.): Explore 18^th century food in both the military and the home front. Enjoy everything from beer to bread and learn how our founding mothers and fathers ate during the American Revolution.
   
• Paul Supley – Chocolate Historian (11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.): Enjoy historic foodways at their sweetest with culinary historian Paul Supley of Van Wyckes Chocolate House. Van Wyckes Chocolate House explores the importance of chocolate in the 18th century through hands-on engagement. Discover the historical uses of chocolate as a medicine, a breakfast food and a pleasurable treat. Explore the material culture behind the making of chocolate and take the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Supley the different ways 18^th century New Yorkers enjoyed one of our favorite guilty pleasures.
   
• Cooking Demo with Chef Michael Lapi (1:00 – 2:00 p.m.): Focusing on fresh ingredients from local farms in the Mohawk Valley, Chef Lapi will cook up a recipe perfect for holiday entertaining.

The annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Fireworks Festival at the Empire State Plaza will also be held on December 2.

Taste NY is an initiative that highlights the quality, diversity, and economic impact of New York’s food and beverage industry. Taste NY provides an opportunity for New York growers and producers to receive increased exposure of their products to consumers, restaurateurs, retailers, wholesalers, and distributors.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

Representatives from over a dozen New York State historic sites and cultural organizations will provide educational hands-on activities, unique artifacts to explore and information about upcoming events during the annual “New York State’s Great Places and Spaces” program on Saturday, January 12 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the New York State Museum.

A guided tour of The Historic Woodstock Art Colony: The Arthur A. Anderson Collection will be held at 1:00 p.m., followed by a Hudson Valley art project inspired by the exhibition. A guided tour of Enterprising Waters: New York’s Erie Canal will be held at 3:00 p.m.

Participating organizations include: Capital District Civil War Round Table; Crailo State Historic Site; Friends of the Pine Bush Community, Inc; Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway; John Brown Farm State Historic Site; Johnson Hall State Historic Site; The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame; New Windsor Cantonment and Knox’s Headquarters State Historic Site; Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum; Saratoga National Historic Park; Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site; Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site; Shaker Heritage Society; New York State Archives; New York State Library; and the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The New York State Museum will host two geology and paleontology-themed programs in February: The Rock and Fossil Fun Fair on February 16 and 17 and the Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale on February 23 and 24.

The Rock and Fossil Fun Fair will be held on Saturday, February 16 and Sunday, February 17, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Children can mine for minerals, forage for fossils, experiment with a river replica and participate in more than 10 hands-on geology and paleontology activities. Visitors are encouraged to bring their rocks and fossils from home for identification from Museum scientists. This program is free admission; donations are appreciated.  

The 26^th Annual James Campbell Memorial Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale will be held on Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. More than 30 vendors from throughout the region will display and sell gems, minerals, fossils and jewelry. Admission is $5 (cash only); children ages 12 and under are free. This event is co-sponsored by the Capital District Mineral Club and the New York Academy of Mineralogy. All proceeds benefit the Museum’s mineral acquisition fund.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The New York State Museum will open a poster exhibition on February 5, Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow, detailing the national story of the struggle for black equality after the end of slavery and through the Jim Crow era. In recognition of Black History Month, this poster exhibition created by the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library will be on view in the State Museum’s main lobby through April 28. In addition, artifacts from the State Museum’s African American history collection will also be on display from February 5 through March 3.

Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow explores the struggle for full citizenship and racial equality that unfolded in the decades after the Civil War. While Black Americans gained new liberties after the Civil War and the end of slavery, by the early 1900s these liberties had been sabotaged by a repressive racial system known as Jim Crow. The exhibition features eight posters with images of artifacts and documents that chronicle the long strides forward, bruising setbacks, and heroic struggle for equality that took place during these years.

“As we commemorate Black History Month, we remember and honor the achievements, sacrifices and struggles of African Americans throughout our nation's history," said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. "Although some progress has been made, intolerance and discrimination still persist in our society. One of the goals of our My Brother's Keeper initiative is to create culturally diverse and engaging environments that foster respect and trust. Let us work collaboratively to build equity not only in our educational system but in society as well."

“When we remember and learn from the past, we can make our future better and brighter,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “This exhibition at the State Museum prompts us to learn about a chapter in our nation’s past between the Civil War and World War II when African Americans’ rights were not respected. As we learn from this exhibition, we salute and honor the African Americans of the past and present who lead us forward and demonstrate the true meaning of progress and equality.”

“Although slavery was abolished soon after the end of the War, African American men, women and children’s liberties were challenged by the Jim Crow era,” said Regent Roger Tilles, Co-Chair of the Board of Regents Cultural Education Committee. “With this exhibition at the New York State Museum, visitors will learn about the challenges African Americans faced following the Civil War and the struggle for equality that continues to today.

“During Black History Month, we reflect and honor African Americans’ achievements and contributions, despite injustices of the past and present,” said Regent Judith Johnson, Co-Chair of the Board of Regents Cultural Education Committee. “Cultural organizations throughout the state host programs and exhibitions that share the history and stories of African Americans not just during Black History Month but every month of the year. I encourage students to study the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout our country’s history and celebrate diversity – the very thing that makes our country and society strong.”

Classroom materials and an educator guide for the Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow exhibition, developed by the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library, are available for teachers. The curriculum materials include primary and secondary resources, classroom activities and discussion questions.

Images from the exhibition, including artifacts from the State Museum’s collection, are available on the Museum’s website.

The Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow poster exhibition is based on a larger exhibition currently on view at the New-York Historical Society through March 3, 2019. Lead support provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Major support provided by the Ford Foundation, Crystal McCrary and Raymond J. McGuire, and Agnes Gund.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

The New York State Museum has launched an online resource for educators about New York’s Dutch history, including an educational guide, photos of historic artifacts and artwork, and video interviews with content experts. Funded through a generous grant from the Dutch Culture USA program administered by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York, the educational guide provides five lessons that introduce students to Fort Orange (present-day Albany, NY) and the world of New Netherland, the first Dutch colony in North America.

The educational guide’s lesson topics include: Native American daily life before Dutch arrival, trade and global commerce, archaeology, and economical and political tensions. In these lessons, students use digital images of archaeological collections, archival material and artwork to learn about Fort Orange and New Netherland in the 17^th century and develop skills for analyzing and interpreting primary sources.

“This educational resource is a treasure trove of primary source material, photos and videos, and engaging lessons for teachers to use to educate children about what New York State was like in the 17^th century,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “We’re proud to provide this to educators across the state and hope students and teachers alike discover and learn about New York State’s Dutch history.”

“Studying New Netherland is essential to students’ understanding of the history and development of New York State,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “Now teachers can use the wealth of information and research available at the New York State Museum, Library and Archives in the classroom and make this important chapter of our history come alive for New York’s students.”

“This educational guide continues our work in sharing the story of New York’s colonial past and how the Dutch’s influence and impact in the 17^th century continues through today,” said Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education and State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “The State Museum, Library and Archives’ holdings of artifacts and documents related to New York’s Dutch history are unrivaled and allow us to provide this extraordinary educational resource.”

“We highly commend the Fort Orange educational guide, a platform provided by the New York State Museum,” said The Netherlands Cultural Attaché to the United States, Joost Taverne. “This educational resource makes the Dutch history of New York easily accessible for all teachers and students. The Dutch legacy of diversity, trade and tolerance is still present in New York State today and will help students understand what makes New York so unique in the history of the USA.”

In the coming year, video interviews with experts will be added to the lessons, including interviews with: Dr. Charles Gehring, Director of the New Netherland Research Center; Dr. Janny Venema, Associate Director of the New Netherland Research Center; Dr. Michael Lucas, Curator of Historical Archaeology at the State Museum; Dr. Paul Huey and the late Joseph McEvoy, retired archaeologists from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and artist Len Tantillo. Additional support for the educational guide was provided by the New York State Archives Partnership Trust.

Fort Orange was the first permanent Dutch settlement in New Netherland, built as a trading post by the West India Company in 1624 at the present-day location of Albany, making the city the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States, north of Virginia. Fort Orange was located at the nexus of the lucrative beaver-pelt trade. Between 1624 and 1664, the fort’s role in the development of New Netherland evolved from a point of contact and trade between Native Americans and Europeans, to an enclosure with dwellings and private enterprises, and finally an abandoned space consumed by the development of Albany.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.

“Women of Science” on Saturday, March 9, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. This free program invites visitors of all ages to meet Museum scientists and learn more about their work, current research projects and museum collections.

Throughout the day visitors can meet over a dozen scientists, engage in hands-on educational activities, complete an activity booklet, and attend short talks and “Ask a Scientist” panels. A schedule of talks is listed below:

• 11:00 a.m. - “Ask the Scientist” for Families
  What does a typical day in the life of a museum scientist look like? Please bring your questions and join Dr. Daria Merwin, archaeologist, to learn about the opportunities and challenges of becoming a scientist.
   
• 11:45 a.m.- The Science of Fossils: What to Do When You Find Them
  Fossils can be used to determine how creatures lived, how they changed over time, and what they were like when they were alive. Join state paleontologist Dr. Lisa Amati and learn how to study animal and plant fossils.
   
• 12:30 p.m. - Diversity Gradients, Birds and Parasites
  State Museum Ornithology Fellow Naima Starkloff talks about the diversity patterns of malaria-causing parasites in a group of birds in North America.
   
• 1:15 p.m. - A Day in the Life of an Entomologist/Evolutionary Biologist
  Dr. Julie Urban, Research Associate Professor at Pennsylvania State University, will discuss the field and lab components of the research she conducts with planthopper insects.
   
• 2:00 p.m. - Not All Anthropologists are Archaeologists! The Adventures of a Cultural Anthropologist at the State Museum
  Anthropology is the study of human beings, our past and our present. So what does it look like to study human beings today doing everyday human being things? Join Dr. Gwen Saul, cultural anthropologist, for an introduction to cultural anthropology and the contemporary Native art collection at the State Museum.
   
• 2:30 p.m. - “Ask the Scientist” Panel Discussion featuring all participating scientists
  Visitors of all ages are invited to meet State Museum scientists and ask them what it’s like to be a scientist.

Participating scientists include: Dr. Christina Reith, Dr. Daria Merwin, Kristin O’Connell, Susan Winchell-Sweeney, Jessica Vavresek and Sarita Morse from Archaeology; Lisa Anderson, Andrea Lain, Jessica Campbell, and Julie Weatherwax from Bioarchaeology; Naima Starkloff from Ornithology, Diana Hurlbut from Botany; Dr. Gwendolyn Saul from Cultural Anthropology; Dr. Denise Mayer from Malacology; Kathleen Bonk from Geology; Dr. Lisa Amati from Invertebrate Paleontology; Jessica Watson from Zooarchaeology; and Dr. Julie Urban from Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Entomology (former research doctoral student at the State Museum).

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.