I must say, this museum was an extremely pleasurable experience! From the minute we walked in the doors, the workers were sweet and welcoming. They gave us all the information we needed to navigate the museum: a little map and a description pamphlet and sent us on our way!The museum was not crowded, although this could be more to do with COVID-19, but either way I found this to be excellent. It allowed us to make our way through the museum at our own pace, without feeling a social pressure that we were clogging up foot traffic.Unfortunately, the cafe was closed at the time in which we went so I cannot speak to the quality of food that they serve. However, the gift shop was open -- although I opted not to purchase anything. The items in there were cool, but expensive (although that is pretty much the status quo at any museum).Also, if youre like us and the museum was your first stop on a little excursion in downtown Albany, this museum does not allow backpacks. Having said that, the gentleman at the front desk informed us that they had bins for me to put my backpack in (and to take my camera out). On our way out, he remembered me and had the bin with my bag ready to go!I really liked this museum, I would definitely recommend it (especially for the price -- even moreso with the student discount)

Was a great museum. Art work and artifacts. Excellent staff. Small but a lot to see. Best of all its one of the few places still open during covid-19.

This place was cool with a lot to see. Just make sure you come early enough to see everything because not only do they stop letting people in at closing time but everyone inside will also have to go. I think 1 1/2 hours or more to see everything if you want to take the time to appreciate it all. They will let you in with less than an hour before closing time and you must leave at closing. Make sure you wear a mask. Even if no one is near you.

Phenomenal venue of art. The Ruby Silvious exhibit was awe inspiring. We enjoyed the Hudson River School paintings very much.

This place is one of the most unsung wonderful places in the city of Albany. Its so well laid out. Very handicap friendly parking and display access. 3 floors of beautiful art work and the history behind many of the pieces is detailed and well written. The Jewel of this summer at the institute is the display of the Hudson River school artists. Painting after wonderful painting presented with an instructive guide provided by the museum, that tells you exactly what each picture is of and who its by. I found this incredibly helpful. There Egyptian area was surprising. Its nice to know that one doesnt have to go to New York to see an incredible and detailed display on ancient Egyptian culture.Come early and plan to spend several hours here. There is a gift shop,of course and a snack bar that has limited beverages and Rich deserts. But a little thin on healthy snacks and food items. There are displays after interesting displays and one day doesnt seem like enough time to spend at such a rich and enlightening space.

My favorite museum in the Capital Region. The Hudson River School collection is excellent and the rotating exhibits are always of interest. Good job!

Only one floor was open when I went recently, as exhibitions were being swapped out in the other, but there was still plenty to see (and the admission price was halved due to there being the one less floor) anyhow.The flow of the place lends itself well to easy meandering, the staff is very friendly and helpful and the exhibits themselves are well-curated.And at only $10/person for adults, it’d be worth coming a few times a year.

Met today with chief curator Doug McCombs. Very knowledgeable and responsive to my research needs.

What a lovely museum. The staff is very friendly. You can complete the whole thing in one to two hours so plan other activities in the area if its a long drive for you.

What a variety of beautiful art and artifacts on display! Helpful and informative staff members are willing to explain and answer any questions. Perfect place to spend a quiet me time afternoon!

Beautiful well run museum with fascinating shows both permanent and traveling.

I was expecting this to be a great museum, I didnt realize how great it would be. I was blown away by the Hudson River School gallery, totally awestruck. My kids loved the dioramas. Mr wife liked the art made from reused materials, like acorns and pistachio shells and tea bags. Very cool, strongly recommended.

Great smaller museum. Weve been to many events: First Friday free (night hours), Schuyler Sisters (best exhibit yet), local Victorian wedding dresses exhibit, Hudson River School exhibit, permanent mummies and ancient Egyptian and many others. Lots of kid activities accompany each visit. Snack bar great. We love this museum.

They have done an admirable job with the new extension. Tourist friendly elevators gift shop and cafe. The exhibition of the Hudson River School artists is outstanding and the installation of the works sensitive with some wonderful gems to be discovered like Thomas Cole’s Youngest sister Sarah an artist and engraver in her own right.

Well maintained by the park service with convenient parking.

Spectacular and nice manageable size for an afternoon. Great little gift shop and cafe as well!

Amazing Affordable cool Air Conditioned venue w amazing art and helpful story line. Acoustic follow along online and yummy snack bar w sweets and small light fare ! Affordable too.

While quite small, the quality of exhibits was quite high, especially considering the size of Albany. The Louvre it is not, but well worth a trip! The docent at Reception was very knowledgeable about the exhibits and super nice. Bonus, they have their own parking lot around back so you dont have to fight the dreaded downtown Albany parking situation!

Greatly enjoyed the exhibit on the Schuyler sisters, which just closed, even with tour groups everywhere. Also looked forward to exhibit on Dutch traders and culture in Albanys earliest days, but it was only one room. Note to museum staff: we found the unnecessarily tiny print and the lighting that seemed to always throw our shadows across the signage a major distraction. Can you accommodate those of us who no longer have great eyesight next time?

Very nice visit! There is an excelent coffee shop inside

Its a nice little at museum with an odd mix of colonial and revolutionary era artifacts, Hudson River school paintings, and Egyptian mummies. Prices reasonably for what you get to see, and the staff are friendly. You cant bring beverages in but theyll hold them at the front. They also have a coatrack if you need one. No pictures allowed inside.

Whether its a new exhibit or one of the permanent collections, there is always something new to discover! The kind gentleman at the front desk is very helpful and patient, willing to answer questions. Every visit is a delightful experience!

Never met a better museum crew. Even the consession manager was fired up and knowledgeable about exhibits. A wonderful experience for both my grandson and myself.

Interesting display of artifacts, expressionism and joy.

Beautiful little city museum. Emphasis on regional artists and interests. The galleries and presentation are beautiful. The staff were so welcoming. Glad that I visited.

Excellent collection of Hudson River School works with well curated changing exhibitions.A must if you are visiting Albany.

I love this place! It’s big enough to keep you interested for hours but not a huge place. They rotate several of the exhibits regularly which is nice. Personally, I really enjoy learning about Albany history so those exhibits are really cool to me. Staff is always super nice. I’ll definitely be back. In fact it’s one of the places I bring people who visit me from out of town.

There is a nice variety of artifacts. The staff is friendly and helpful. The Cafe is nice with good food.

Really enjoyed the collections and the spaces are really modern to me which was hip, but I am no art buff- I usually get a bit bored and overwhelmed at museums but this was perfect for me to digest and was a pleasure to peruse. One word to wrap this review up? MUMMIES.

Lived in the area all my life and had never been here, what a mistake! Great exhibits and a gift store that Im still thinking about

Beautiful, local, historical art pieces as well as an ancient Egyptian exhibit. Definitely read the map and make your way down to the first floor. The marble sculptures are exquisite and the exhibit in the back room was what I was really looking forward to seeing. Well worth a few hours of meandering.

To be fair there were several parts of the institute that were closed to switch shows.

Super neat! Mummies, teabag art and landscapes of the Hudson Valley region were soo soo cool! The Cafe was SUPER well priced, like super super good, and the admission for college kids was well worth the 3 hrs we spent there. Loved it.

My favorites: “Shape and Shadow” exhibit (Larry Kagan), followed by the Egyptian artifacts, nature paintings (Hudson River School), and parlor stoves (part of a temporary exhibit on cast iron stoves of the Capital Region).After feasting with your eyes, step in to the museum café to drink and a bite. The café is a destination itself: a bright, clean, quiet café inside one of Albany’s beloved museums.

Fair. Free pass from library. Free State museum in Madison at Empire Plaza much better for filling time in Albany. Just OK. Nothing really special.

Great exhibit about Schuyler family. The art exhibits were interesting also. The museum is a manageable size.

I came here a few times as a child. I found it pretty boring to visit, except for the mummy exhibits, which were somewhat interesting. Its amazing to see how a dead body can be preserved for so many thousands of years.

Many transitional exhibits that should be checked out before your visit to make sure you have interest. Some staples like there Mummy exhibit which is interesting to learn how it was a acquired and analyzed with local imaging technologies. Overall a nice well managed museum.

A great venue to absorb interesting artifacts and to spend time with a friend

Nice place, quiet and good exhibitions.

Snobby. Its mostly the art of- and preserving the sour soul of- Albanys rich. Not much of real humanity here.

Nice variety of exhibits. Current in-depth exhibit of Schade was very informative and comprehensive

We had a great time admiring the artwork on display. We loved the Ancient Egyptian exhibit.

Loved exploring shadow art.

Incredible paintings. Great docents and employees. Knowledgeable about the Institute and the city, also very friendly.

A really nice museum with a focus on art and local history. They also have an Egyptian section with a mummy. There is a small parking lot in the back and elevators. The staff is very friendly and helpful.

Beautiful

A perfect regional art museum.The Schuyler Sister exhibtion included a lot of interesting local history.

We arrived to very friendly staff, including Terry who gave is a tour of the gift shop samples. Schuyler sisters exhibit timely and interesting.

Really cool place to bring family on a rainy day

Manageable size and scope. Great special exhibitions

Very interesting. Nice displays.

Such a great little place. A huge variety of exhibits to enjoy. They also have a great interactive kids corner. There is a cafe that is really reasonably priced in the facilities too. A great places to spend an afternoon. Also a really fantastic gift shop

Cozy..not a huge collection.but what they have is worth the concentration

Great museum. Nice little history and art

Had a great visit. The displays are laid out wonderfully. There is so much to see if you appreciate art. If you are a fan of history, the mummy section is fascinating.

We went to an after work Saratoga Opera promotion. The performance was held on the 2nd floor in a beautiful gallery. Unfortunately the acoustics werent designed for music, but the performances were wonderful anyway. Thanks to both organizations for promoting the arts!

A wonderful afternoon with the family.

Pays full price to see half the artwork, because it was closed off in preparation for a weekend gala... There really should have been a sign, or just dont even open at all for the day.Give advance warning. Serious.Whats was available to see, is amazing and interesting stuff. But its literally maybe 30% of the exhibits.

It had some interesting exhibits, but not quite what we expected.

Decent collection and Egyptian section is good

Marvelous museum. Great exhibit about the Schuyler sisters

What a beautiful place. Something for the whole family to enjoy

Walk down american history with this museum

Always love the exhibits and special events here. Staff is welcoming and friendly. They do have some kid friendly activities as well!

Friendly staff and great Hudson collection!

Single outside sculpture of a cycle attracts you for much more inside

Always interesting. Friendly staff. While the exhibitions can be small it can be more relaxing that the sometimes daunting exhibits at larger museums. An Albany treasure!

Great museum that I didnt know existed! Lots of changing and interesting exhibits as well as permanent exhibits. Friendly staff, great gift shop and coffee shop.

Went here for the archives. People were very helpful and it was really amazing the things they had there.

I loved the art exhibit and the various cast iron stoves.

Went on a whim and was surprised at what I found. While it is a rather small museum the quality of the pieces there are quite astounding. The admission price was reasonable, $10 an adult, and parking was free. They have a quaint little cafe that has some delicious desserts. Be sure to try the 7 layer bar. All in all I had a great time.

I passed two blissful hours engaging over one hundred paintings, mostly major paintings, of the Hudson River School. What a signature achievement for the Albany Institute, which the museum chose to exhibit salon style with numbers keyed to a book. Although flipping through the book made a minor burden, I sat on a bench and read the book entirely before touring the paintings. I delighted when reading and the experience of standing before the work meshed, and I feel I understand this movement far better than ever.A few paintings were on loan for major exhibitions, such as the Gifford exhibition. It helps only a little when one has just a print of the original to engage. What if a reproduction was painted?We must applaud the choice to exhibit Abbys American Girl paintings on the same floor as the superb show of eighteenth century gowns recently curated. Abbys mother worked as a seamstress. In a final American Girl painting, Abby pictured standing reverently by Abraham Lincolns casket worked well exhibited near a collection of Lincoln items, including an engraving.In an ultimate moment of serendipity, a portrait of Thomas Cole, dressed as a dandy because his paintings were selling, introduced the collection of Cole and his Hudson River peers. The Cole portrait was included in a show of portraiture that one encountered on the way to the Hudson River show, a pleasant introduction.A lovely building constructed of glass panels connects two mansions, a great architectural solution to making two buildings one. However, I got a little lost trying to reach the third floor shows and my conversations showed that I was not alone. We all wound up in the Rice Building area before we asked for help!

Great variety in their exhibits. Mummies to landscape art to modern metalworks.

Nice exhibit. The best collection of Hudson Valley artists I have seen.

I love going to museums because it gives you a chance to reflect on some of the artifacts

I really enjoyed this museum, its not too big so you can see everything in a few hours and not feel the need to rush through.

Great collection of the Hudson River school painting!

Small but FULL of breathtaking art and historical exhibits. Especially recommend the Hudson River School exhibit currently on display and the mummy! There is also a kids room where they can play and interact with different artistic & historical items.

Very nice exhibits. Esp. Thomas cole Era landscape paintings. Lecture on feather hats. Cafe food great quality selection. Lots of teas.

Many very interesting exhibits and artwork. I was impressed; if youre not from Albany such as ourselves, the Institute is worth visiting at least annually. Final note, we ate in the small on site bistro. Well priced and excellent food.

Great museum with a wonderful collection. Helpful staff.

Excellent collection of Hudson River School works, friendly staff, cool building, great special exhibits.

Good exhibits, lots of parking on a Sunday

Went before seeing Hamilton for some historic references

This museum is a national treasure. Many east coast museums feature Hudson river art collections. This one is amongst the finest. Dont miss this. Its a good excuse to travel to Albany!

The Egyptian exhibit was cool!

Exquisite displays. Only wish it was bigger.

10/10, would go again!

The exhibits change every so often but some are permanent. The staff is well educated and entertaining. They offer free entry on Thursdays from 5-8! Worth stopping in!

A nice afternoon

A jewel of the city. Fantastic curation. All the exhibits are great. Free family days are a plus. Don’t forget the mummies.

On the small side but this place has great exhibits.

Bueatiful inside.

It had a great deal of paintings that spoke well of our state and region.

This is a very small museum, but its worth the visit. Since Albany had been the state capital for such a long time they have quite a few artifacts. The staff of very knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions you have. The museum is two buildings that have been looked together, one older and one modern. Its worthwhile to go up or down the staircase in the older building. The busts and sculptures are best viewed from all angles.

Great historic art museum with a must-see collection of Hudson River School paintings

Wonderful museum at a reasonable price.

Such great work... Friendly and clean

Did a family visit and enjoyed everything but having the majority of statues turned around so you could only view the backs of the busts.Think it was one of the strangest ideas I have witnessed in a museum. Think someone should be overruled or replaced. They clearly have lost it.