Photo courtesy of Albany County CVB
Free things to do in Albany
Photo by Mike Groll / The Associated Press.
The New York State Museum, established in 1836, is the oldest and largest state museum in the country. It is a center of art, science, and history dedicated to exploring the human and natural history of the state. It is opened Tuesdays through Sundays. Each year it attracts half a million visitors. The Museum's collections include over 15 million specimens and artifacts. In this 2013 file photo, Tom Capstraw, left, and Zach Warner, both of Albany, look at President George Washington's Farewell Address, written in Washington's own hand, that was on display at the New York State Museum. Learn more about the museum.
Albany Institute of History and Art
This is one of the oldest museums in America. It features the best collections documenting life and culture of the Upper Hudson Valley region, including significant paintings from the Hudson River school, from the late seventeenth century to the present day. Normally, there's an admission fee for non-members. But from 5 to 8 p.m., on the first Friday of every month, admission is free. Learn more about the museum.
Photo provided by Crossgates Mall marketing department
Crossgates Mall, built by mall developer Robert Congel and his Pyramid Cos., gets 20 million customer visits a year. The mall has more than 180 retail shops on 1.7 million square feet of leasible space. Crossgates Mall opened in 1984.
Albany Pine Bush Preserve
The Albany Pine Bush Preserve, located at 195 New Karner Road, on the northwest corner of Albany, is a 3,000-acre inland pine barrens habitat similar to coastal pine barrens found in New Jersey, Cape Cod and Long Island. There are less than 20 examples of this habitat in the world. The preserve, controlled by the protected by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, is home to more than 1,500 plant and animal species, including the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly. Visitors can hike, bike, ski and ride horses there on 18 miles of trails. For more information, visit the pine bush's website.
Photo provided by City of Cohoes
Eleven miles north of Albany is a spectacular 70-foot waterfall, Cohoes Falls, located on the Mohawk River in Cohoes, N.Y. The falls can be seen from Cohoes Falls Overlook Park, located at School and Cataract streets in Cohoes, or from Falls View Park, a new park that opened in 2008 on North Mohawk Street. Falls View Park is open during daylight hours from May through October.
Corning Tower Observation Deck
The observation deck at the top of the 42-story Corning Towers provides breathtaking views of Albany, the Hudson River, the foothills of the Adirondacks, the Catskills, and the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. The building, which is named after long-time Albany Mayor Erastus Corning II, is the tallest building in New York state outside of New York City.
Photo by Paul Buckowski / Albany Times-Union
New York's Executive Mansion
Originally built in 1856, the Executive Mansion has housed New York's governors and their families, serving as the official residence. It is located at 138 Eagle St. in Albany. One-hour tours are given on Thursdays from September through June. Reservations are required and must be made at least two weeks in advance. To schedule a tour, call the Curatorial/Tour Services Office at 518-474-2418.
Photo by freealbanyblogspot.com
Buckingham Lake Park
Buckingham Lake Park, run by the city of Albany, is a pretty park on Berkshire Boulevard at Colonial Avenue. This kid-friendly park has a nice playground and a pond. Visitors can bike or walk on a 3/4 mile trail that circles Buckingham Pond. In the winter, when the pond freezes, there is ice skating there.
Shaker Heritage Society of Albany
Ann Standerin and her followers established the first Shaker religious community in 1776 on 700 acres in what is now called Watervliet, near Albany. At its peak in the 1850s, there were about 230 shakers living in communal homes there. But by the early 20th century, the Shaker community near Albany was having difficulty attracting new members and maintaining its properties. Today, nine Shaker buildings exist at the site, including an 1848 Meeting House. The Shaker Heritage Society welcomes visitors for self-guided tours. Admission is free, but a $5 donation is appreciated. For more information, visit the society's website.
Photo by Hudson River Valley Greenway
Corning Preserve
Corning Preserve is a 15-acre landscaped waterfront park along the Hudson River in downtown Albany. The preserve includes Jennings Landing, a favorite waterfront destination for festivals and entertainment, as well as a launch for boats and kayaks, a playground, many picnic areas and a restaurant for dining. Hikers and bikers can enjoy traveling on Corning Trail. Access Corning Preserve by car from Quay Street or on foot via a pedestrian bridge from Maiden Lane that goes over Interstate 787.
Park Playhouse
Park Playhouse has been offering free summer professional theater productions since 1989 in Albany's Washington Park. There's amphitheater seating for 1,500. The stage is located at the Lakehouse in the park. To get to the theater, enter the park at New Scotland Avenue and Madison Avenue. For more information, visit the playhouse's website.
Photo by Mike Groll / The Associated Press
Every Mother's Day weekend, Albany holds the annual Albany Tulip Festival in Washington Park, where visitors are surrounded by more than 140,000 tulips. The festival features tours through the park from the Albany city gardener, a traditional Dutch ceremony of scrubbing the streets clean, an arts and crafts festival, the crowning of a Tulip Queen, food and live musical entertainment. For more information, visit the event's website.
Washington Park
Washington Park is a pretty 90-acre park owned by the city of Albany that includes a lake stocked with fish, about 300 trees, paths and monuments. The photo above shows the King Memorial in Washington Park. The memorial, designed by John Massey Rhind and unveiled in 1893, depicts Moses standing upon the rock in Horeb from a scene from The Bible. The monument was erected in memory of American banker Rufus King.
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