Press

ALBANY, N.Y. – State historic sites and cultural institutions will provide fun hands-on activities and educational artifacts to explore during “New York State’s Great Places and Spaces” event Saturday, January 14 at the New York State Museum.

The free event, which is part of the Museum’s January Family Fun Day, will be held from noon to 4 p.m. in several first floor galleries including Adirondack Wilderness, Birds of New York, Native Peoples of New York and South Hall.

Visitors will be able to play the Hudson River Valley Trading Game on a 32-foot long game board; try a flight simulator; explore reproduction 17th-century Dutch artifacts from New Netherland; participate in logging/lumberjack activities; learn about medicinal herbs used by the Shaker community and see an 18th-century, fully equipped “soldier” from General Washington’s Continental Army.

There also will be a hands-on Exploration Station near the longhouse in the Native Peoples gallery from 12-1 p.m. and from 2-4 p.m. State Museum staff also will conduct tours of the State Museum’s “From the Collections” exhibition at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.

Event participants include the State Museum, State Library, the Albany Institute of History and Art, the Albany City Gallery, Historic Cherry Hill, the Hudson River Heritage Organization, the Hyde Collection, Living Walls, the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site, the Rensselaer County Historical Society/Hart-Cluett House, the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage, Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, Clermont State Historic Site, the Shaker Museum, Albany County Historical Society/Ten Broeck Mansion, Historic Cherry Hill, Crailo State Historic Site, Johnson Hall Historic Site, the Underground Railroad History Project, Salem Art Works, the Adirondack Museum, the Empire State Aerosciences Museum and representatives of the area Mohican Indian community.

Founded in 1836, the New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas

and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.