Programs

Join us for the gallery opening of Outcasts: Mary Banning’s World of Mushrooms, an exhibition that showcases 28 of Banning's exquisite watercolors and original descriptions from her unpublished manuscript The Fungi of Maryland. These beautiful works, once lost to history, have been brought back to life in this one-of-a-kind exhibit.

Experience a dramatic reading of The Mushroom Letters by former New York State Museum Curator of Mycology, Dr. John Haines, animating Banning’s passionate pursuit of mycology and the challenges she overcame.

Enjoy food and drinks available for purchase from Collar City Mushrooms and Brooklyn Cider House and discover a world of mushrooms like never before!

Enjoy a day of hands-on learning at the New York State Museum on April 10 for Homeschool Day! Join scientists and educators for talks and activities about animal diversity and rich history in New York. Local community partners will be on hand to provide learning resources and contribute to understanding our local history. 

Step back in time and join us for a fascinating 30-minute gallery tour of the Cohoes Mastodon, one of the New York State Museum’s most treasured fossils, led by NYSM Director of Research and Collections and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, Dr. Robert Feranec. Discovered in 1866 during the construction of Harmony Mill No. 3 near Cohoes Falls, this impressive creature stood about eight-and-one-half feet high and weighed between 8,000 and 10,000 pounds.

During the tour, you'll learn about the mastodon’s life 13,000 years ago, uncover the research behind its unique skeletal features, and explore the distinguishing traits that set mastodons apart from mammoths. Discover the remarkable story of survival, injury, and the ancient world through this iconic relic of our planet’s history!