Museums and historical societies with collections within New York State are required to charter as a private education corporation with The New York State Board of Regents. The Board of Regents also incorporates friends groups and other cultural agencies through a Regents certificate of incorporation. Both the charter and the certificate have the same status as a certificate of incorporation granted through the Department of State; they are just another way of incorporation.
You can find information on how to incorporate your cultural entity and the regulations surrounding it with the New York State Museum’s Chartering Program Office, http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/chartering, or you can contact Lauren Lyons, Museum Chartering Coordinator at 518-486-3843 and charters@nysed.gov.
