We have been trying to explore some museums in the area, and recently visited the Albany Institute of History & Art.

The Institute is easy to find at 125 Washington Ave, in downtown Albany.

There is a small parking lot, as well as street parking. There is also the large Elk Street Parking lot just below, which appears to be free on weekends (but always check before parking!).

There is a small admission fee; we paid $10 per adult. There are also free museum passes at our local library.

This history and art museum is on the smaller side, but has a variety of exhibits to explore. Many of the exhibits change, while others are permanent.

We started at the “200 Years of Outerwear” exhibit, which had a variety of clothing from the past. Most of it was colder weather clothing, and much of it was local – from these toboggan outfits, to gear used in the Lake Placid Olympics.

In the center foyer going to the next level of the art institute, we viewed some statues and carvings.

I enjoyed the Hudson River School Journeys art exhibit. There was a large collection of watercolors and drawing by William Hart and Julie Hart Beers, and I enjoyed the style of art as well as that it showcased many local areas such as the Hudson Valley.

Another exhibit was the Albany Tulip Festival. I have only been to the festival once briefly, and it was interesting to learn about the history behind it.

There was another exhibit on local history, and then the ancient Egypt exhibit. It was an interesting mix of different arts and cultures.

One of the long, ongoing displays is that of a Egyptian history and the mummy exhibit. The 3,000 year old mummy, Ankhefenmut, was a priest and sculptor in the Temple of Mut.

There is a museum gift shop, with many different pieces of art and souvenirs.

Overall, I enjoyed the museum and my favorite parts were learning more about local history. This is a smaller museum, but it is nice that they change the exhibits as well.

Visit the Albany Institute of History & Art at https://www.albanyinstitute.org/

Check out our other Things to Do in the Capital Region.