Museums & Galleries

Please note: The following list of area organizations dedicated to exhibiting art and/or historical materials is just the tip of the iceberg. In addition are numerous smaller spaces—both nonprofit and for-profit—that add to the rich diversity of the area’s visual-arts scene. Please refer to Metroland’s Museums & Galleries listings in the weekly “Night & Day” section of the paper for up-to-date information on all museum and gallery exhibits.

Joe Putrock

Albany Institute of History & Art 125 Washington Ave., Albany, 463-4478. Recently expanded, the state’s oldest museum continues to be dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting and promoting interest in the history, art and culture of Albany and the Upper Hudson Valley region. Closed Mon-Tue. Admission fee.

Albany International Airport Gallery Third level, Albany International Airport, Colonie. 242-2243. Fabulous exhibitions showing regional, contemporary art, site-specific installations, area museum collections and travelling national exhibits of regional interest, all in a space flooded by light. Open daily. Free.

Albany Heritage Area Visitor’s Center and Henry Hudson Planetarium 25 Quackenbush Square, Albany, 434-0405. The Visitors’ Center is open daily (free). The Henry Hudson Planetarium offers star shows on Saturdays (admission fee).

The Arts Center of the Capital Region 265 River St., Troy, 273-0552. The center’s gallery features contemporary art from the region and beyond, plus a folk art exhibit space on the second floor. This is also the place to get involved in the arts hands-on through a multitude of courses offered throughout the year. Open daily. Free.

Atrium Gallery Fine Arts Building, Union College, Schenectady, 388-6714. Faculty and student shows are featured, plus exhibits by visiting artists and others of regional, national and international repute. Open daily. Free.

Bennington Museum 75 Main St., Bennington, Vt., (802) 447-1571. Featuring works of regional interest, including an ongoing exhibit of paintings by Grandma Moses. Open daily. Admission fee.

The Berkshire Museum 39 South St., Pittsfield, Mass., (413) 443-7171. Permanent installations as well as exhibits from regional artists and seasonal shows. Open daily.

Changing Spaces 306 Hudson Ave., Albany, 433-1537. Funky little gallery reminiscent of something you might find in New York City. Monthly exhibits of modern mixed media, poetry readings, microtheater, music, independent film and more. Open Wed-Sat 2-9 PM, and by appointment.

Children’s Museum at Saratoga 69 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs, 584-5540. With its large exhibition space, this interactive museum for kids and their families features hands-on exhibits, workshops and special events. Closed Mon. Admission fee.

College of Saint Rose Art Gallery Picotte Hall, 324 State St., Albany, 485-3900. Regularly mounts shows by artists of regional, national and international acclaim, as well as student and faculty shows. Closed Sat. Free.

Dietel Gallery Emma Willard School, 285 Pawling Ave., Troy, 833-1344. This gallery, housed on the campus of an elite girls’ school, mounts regional exhibits on a regular basis. Open daily. Free.

Firlefanz Gallery 292 Lark St., Albany, 436-9498. The newest gallery on Lark Street, this gallery features regional artists and specializes in ceramics. Wed-Sat noon-7 PM. Free.

Fulton Street Gallery 408 Fulton St., Troy, 274-8464. Features changing exhibits by local and regional artists. Wed-Sat noon-5 PM, Fri noon-7 PM. Free.

Hudson Valley Community College LRC Gallery, 80 Vandenburgh Ave., Troy, 629-4822. Exhibits of works by students and regional artists. Closed Sun. Free.

Hyde Collection 161 Warren St., Glens Falls, 792-1761. The permanent collections here include historic art and artifacts from the United States and beyond. Special touring exhibits often are featured. www.hydeartmuseum.org. Closed Mon. Free.

Iroquois Indian Museum Caverns Road, Howes Cave, 296-8949. Presents the enduring spirit of the Iroquois in the fine and performance arts, and through anthropological and ethnographic exhibits. Located on a 45-acre nature park; includes a children’s museum. Closed Mon. Admission fee.

The Junior Museum 105 Eighth Street, Troy, 235-2120. Planetarium shows, live animal shows and a myriad of children’s activities and workshops. Closed Mon-Tue. Admission fee for nonmembers.

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, Mass., (413) 664-4481. An impressive compound located in a renovated 27-building former mill complex. Called Mass MoCA for short, this institution boasts world-class exhibitions, performances and funky events. Closed on Tue. Admission fee.

National Museum of Dance 99 S. Broadway (Route 9), Saratoga Springs, 584-2225. The only museum in the country devoted exclusively to professional dance. In addition to changing exhibits, it features a permanent exhibit on American dancemakers who’ve been inducted into the Museum’s Dance Hall of Fame. Tue-Sat. Closed Nov. through May. Admission fee.

New York State Museum Empire State Plaza, Albany, 474-5877. Features permanent exhibits relating to New York history, a variety of changing exhibits and the Discovery Place for kids. Open daily. Free for most exhibits, donations suggested.

Norman Rockwell Museum Route 183, Stockbridge, Mass., (413) 298-4100. A museum devoted to exhibiting the works of its namesake. Also features other special exhibits. www.nrm.org. Open daily. Admission fee.

Opalka Gallery The Sage Colleges of Albany, 140 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 292-1778. Shows by regional, national and international artists are regularly featured. Closed Sat. Free.

Rensselaer County Historical Society 57 Second St., Troy, 272-7232. One of New York state’s premier historic house museums. RCHS collects and preserves the history of Rensselaer County. Closed Sun-Mon. Admission fee.

Saratoga County Arts Council Arts Gallery 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 584-4132. Exhibits of works by regional artists. Closed Sun. Free.

Schenectady Museum Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, 382-7890. Ongoing exhibits include the astronomical planetarium, Thomas Edison’s Schenectady heritage, hands-on activities and technology exhibits. Also regularly exhibits works by regional artists. Closed Mon. Admission fee.

Schick Art Gallery Saisselin Art Building, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, 580-5000 ext. 5049. Faculty and students exhibit their works here, as well as artists from the area and beyond. Open daily. Free.

Shaker Museum and Library 88 Shaker Museum Road, Old Chatham, 794-9100. Features a premier Shaker collection in the rolling farmland of Columbia County; look for workshops and festivals, too. Closed Tue. Admission fee.

Shelnutt Gallery Rensselaer Union, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 15th Street and Sage Avenue, Troy, 276-6505. This college gallery exhibits regional, national and international artists as well as the art of students and faculty. Open daily. Free.

Spencertown Academy Route 203, Spencertown, 392-3693. An art gallery and a craft gallery for exhibits, classroom for classes and workshops as well as a performance space. Closed Mon-Tue. Admission to galleries is free.

Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute 225 South St., Williamstown, Mass. (413) 458-9545. Features collections of French Impressionist, Italian Renaissance, English, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish and American 19th-century painters; sculpture; 19th-century American porcelain, silver and furniture and national traveling exhibits. Closed Mon. November-June admission is free.

Troy RiverSpark Visitors’ Center 251 River St., Troy, 270-8667. Features a polished, informative slide presentation on the Hudson-Mohawk industrial gateway, plus a permanent exhibit on the area’s historical contributions to industry in the United States. Closed Sun-Mon. Free.

University Art Museum Fine Arts Building, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, 442-4035. Works by regional, national and international artists presented in theme exhibitions. Faculty and student works are showcased in annual exhibits. www.albany.edu/museum. Closed Mon-Tue. Free.

Williams College Museum of Art Main Street (Route 2), Williamstown, Mass., (413) 597-3180. This college art gallery typically features an impressive array of historic and contemporary exhibits by artists of regional, national and international import in its many exhibition spaces. Closed Mon. Free.

World Awareness Children’s Museum 229 Glen St., Glens Falls, 793-2773. Part of the 50-country International Youth Art Exchange, this museum boasts changing exhibitions of children’s art from around the world, interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and reference materials. Featuring educator-led tours for small groups. Fall-winter, closed Mon. Admission fee.

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