Where past, present and future meet
One student's account of his trip to Albany's Institute of History & Art museum
Rob Caracciolo
Issue date: 4/2/04 Section: Historic Albany
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Often overlooked as the capital of New York State, Albany should be recognized as a city with a rich history and a myriad of attractions, even to the average college student.
Being both a student and competitive runner for UAlbany, I must look to other avenues for entertainment. So heeding my own advice I decided to educate myself and enrich my overall experience while living at the State's Capital.
The Journey Begins
On one particular sunny Sunday afternoon I decided to jump in my car for a day of exploring the "real" downtown Albany. I didn't drive far before something caught my eye. Heading east out of our campus' exit on Washington Avenue for about 10 minutes I came across something that caught my eye.
That something was the Albany Institute of History and Art Museum. It was founded in 1791, and it's one of the oldest museums in the United States. It's located on 125 Washington Avenue, which is just a short 10-minute drive from the UAlbany campus. If you do not have a car, the local bus system is both efficient and available with flexible hours through that rout.
The Museum's Structure
The outside of the museum is somewhat a contrast between modern and old fashion. The center of the building, which houses the main entrance, is a tall glass building. To its left and right sides are two regular looking brick buildings. From the sidewalk there's a small archway opening with the words: Albany Institute of History and Art carved across the lower portion. The outside lawn features three high banners with the museum's name and different exhibit pictures on them. All this serves as a way to both catch the eye and attract new and eager explorers to come and enjoy the museums different displays.
At the front desk of the museum you're greeted by one of the many enthusiastic workers. The fees are modest -even for a college student- as they offer student discounts. The prices range from "Free" to a max of $7 for non-student adults. The museum has three spacious floors that are covered with different types of exhibits.
The Exhibits
The exhibits range from "Celebrating Motorcycle History" (which is also the newest one), to Lustrous: "A Centennial Celebration of Art Glass Designed by Frederick Carder". Overall the museum has something for everyone to enjoy regardless of age or prior knowledge of the exhibits. Each exhibit is accompanied by an information piece that is typically framed near it.
While at the museum my favorite exhibit was the Egyptian one, which is located on the third floor. Like many, as a kid I was fascinated by the Mummies from the movies, and once again I couldn't help myself and just had to see if they had any. Without fail they had mummies. The body of two Egyptians as well as what was originally believed to be a cat were mummified.
The story -as I found out while there- with the mummified "cat", was explained by the info box next to the display. It explains that in 2002 Dr. Douglas Cohu, a veterinarian and director of animal research at Albany Medical College performed a CT scan to reveal that the cat was actually a mummified dog. According to Cohu, "Apparently it was common practice to fake animal mummifications, an immature dog could be use, or a few bones or even mud!"
These are all displayed in a medium size room with a big banner titled: "Ancient Egypt". This banner has a brief introduction to what you're about to see, as well as information on those responsible for the organization of the exhibits.
A medium size information board sits next to the mummies. It offers useful information such as when they were brought over to Albany and by whom. Samuel Brown who was then a trustee of the Museum brought over these particular mummies in 1909. As with every display the museum houses, at the end of each informational board reads a small disclaimer asking the viewer not to touch the exhibits.
The mummy one reads, "These ancient Egyptian mummies are the remains of two people that lived nearly 3,000 years ago. Please treat them with respect."
Reflective
Overall I enjoyed my experience at the museum. I would and have since recommended it to my friends and teammates. If the prospects of going alone and exploring solo (as I did) are daunting, the museum also offers tour groups with both professional museum educators and trained volunteers.
The museum continuously houses new and different exhibits along with its regulars. A quick visit to its information desk on the first floor, or a visit to its website, and you can be up to date on their upcoming events. There are numerous events planned ahead for the month of April. Some include, Gallery talks about "Harley-Davidson Mystique: The Bike or the Rider" which will feature, Bob "Prospector" Boellner.
I found the museum to be an intricate part of downtown Albany. It has been a part of the neighborhood since before there was a neighborhood, and will most likely continue to be there long after the local pubs, nightclubs, and sports bars are gone.