Arts, Culture and Entertainment
When you live in the Capital Region, you’ll be close to some of the finest art collections anywhere. The Empire State Plaza is reputed to have the largest contemporary public art display in the country. The New York State Museum has both historic and nature displays and features traveling exhibits from major museums. The recently-renovated Albany Institute of History and Art is the oldest museum in the country. In addition to these Albany-based museums, there are many prominent collections, including the Hyde Collection in Glens Falls.
And then there’s the music. Within a 60 mile radius, the Capital Region proudly boasts of three symphony orchestras—in Albany, Schenectady and Glens Falls—and noteworthy venues including the acoustically renowned Troy Music Hall, Proctor’s Theater in Schenectady, the Palace Theater and the Capital Repertory Theater in Albany. Of course, come summer, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is the summer place to be to enjoy an evening at the New York City Ballet or listening to a concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Mainstream and contemporary music acts frequently visit both SPAC and the Times Union Center in Albany.
History buffs can take heart as well. Throughout the Capital Region, an area with a 300+ year history, you can explore numerous historic sites and houses. The landscape itself, with the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers flowing through it, tells a tale of past adventures and the settlement of America.
Photo credits: Banner image, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Stock Studios Photography . Top Right: Saratoga Race Course Image Courtesy of Empire State Development. Bottom right: New York City Ballet at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, courtesy of Stock Studios Photography. Left: Saratoga Battlefield image courtesy of Empire State Development.
