News
November 20, 2018Albany Museum to Host Festive, Fun, and Free Thanksgiving Weekend
The Albany Institute of History & Art will be decorated and ready to welcome locals and out-of-area guests to the museum for “Home for the Holidays” this Thanksgiving weekend. The popular free admission weekend is one of the kick-off holiday events in the Capital Region. Once again, it will be packed with festive decorations and fun activities that will appeal to the entire family. Sponsors for the weekend include Omni Development Corporation, Inc., Times Union, and Capital Wine.
“Home for the Holidays is a wonderful tradition,” says the museum’s Executive Director Tammis Groft. “Families come dressed up and ready to take their holiday photos in front of our decorated mantels and trees and then they have fun making crafts together or exploring our exhibitions. Some like to start their holiday shopping with the specialty gifts in our Museum Shop or indulge in some hot cocoa and cookies in our Museum Cafe. Plus, we’re hosting Santa again this year and he is very popular!”
Groft continues, “We are so excited to offer this opportunity for people to spend time with friends and family.”
Residents of the Capital Region fondly remember the Albany Institute’s Festival of Trees and often ask about it. This year, in honor of the Festival of Trees, some of the decorated trees will be displayed in the galleries and be on view through the end of the year, extending the opportunity for visitors to enjoy seeing them. These trees were decorated both by museum staff and volunteers as well as community organizations such as Capital Wine, The Costumer, Halfmoon Button Club, Historic Cherry Hill, Junior League of Albany, and more. After the Home for the Holidays free admission weekend, access to the decorated trees is included with museum admission.
Back by popular demand, the Albany Institute will once again exhibit the miniature dioramas of Joan Steiner, an award-winning illustrator and creator of the Look-Alikes® series of books. Steiner’s meticulously crafted scenes were created from everyday objects and edible treats and photographed for her books, Look-Alikes®, Look-Alikes® Jr., Look-Alikes® Christmas, and Look-Alikes® Around the World. Translated into sixteen languages, these four books have sold over a million copies worldwide. Her first book Look-Alikes® was named one of Time Magazine’s best children’s books and one of the New York Times Book Review’s Notable Children’s Books of 1998. Steiner created her three-dimensional dioramas in her Hudson, New York studio not far from her home in Claverack. The dioramas will be set up throughout the museum and visitors will have fun finding them and studying their astonishing details.
Special activity schedule (please check www.albanyinstitute.org for updates):
• Take your photograph with Santa (12-4 p.m. Friday—Sunday)
• Discover decorated trees and mantlepieces
• Admire a special exhibition of miniature dioramas by Joan Steiner, an award-winning illustrator and creator of the Look-Alikes® books
• Make crafts
• Shop for handmade items and one-of-a-kind gifts in our Museum Shop
• Savor exquisite treats from the Museum Cafe
• Explore our current exhibitions, including Thomas Cole’s Paper Trail; A Menagerie of Whimsey: The Art of William B. Schade; Birds and Beasts: The Scary, Magical, and Adorable Animals of the Albany Institute; The Hudson River School: Landscape Paintings from the Albany Institute;
• Get tickets for great raffle baskets and win wonderful items
The Albany Institute would like to thank this year’s Home for the Holidays sponsors, including Omni Development Corporation, Inc., Times Union, and Capital Wine.
For more information about the Home for the Holidays Free Thanksgiving weekend, please visit the museum’s website: www.albanyinstitute.org.
