Palace Theatre
Greetings to you as 2012 winds to a close. This has been an exciting fall as two major exhibitions marked the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. On September 19, the Board of Regents of the NYS Education Department, the State Museum, State Library, and State Archives, launched a statewide tour of an American treasure-the only surviving draft of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, written in Abraham Lincoln's own hand. This groundbreaking exhibition, titled The First Step to Freedom, reached thousands of New Yorkers as it traveled to nine cities, ending up with capacity crowds in Albany. If you missed the exhibition you can see it in the museum's online version- or download the ibook.
Just a few days later, the Museum's exhibition, An Irrepressible Conflict: The Empire State in the Civil War, opened after two years of development. Comprising 200 objects and documents from across the state, the exhibition explores New York's massive role in the Civil War. An Irrepressible Conflict will be here until September 2013, so plan to see it on your next visit to the Museum.
Now that the weather is turning colder, the Museum is a perfect place to visit with your friends and family. In addition to world class exhibitions, our public program and visitor services staffs work hard to plan a great variety of interesting and fun events. Right after the Thanksgiving, join us for a family friendly weekend of Life in Civil War Times on November 24 and 25. On Sunday, December 2, the Museum's 7th annual Chocolate Expo and Gift Market is a delicious way to kick off your holiday shopping. After the holidays, plan to join us for our popular vacation programs from December 26-29.
One last story for the cold. Recently, radiocarbon dates have been obtained on the Museum's mammoth and mastodon skeletons. The dates provide important new information on the colonization of New York by these large mammals after the retreat of the glacier and demonstrate that they lived in New York at the same time.
Wishing a joyful holiday season and a happy New Year. I hope to see you at the Museum soon.
Explore Related Categories
