Gala evening kicks off a full weekend of fun events that celebrate the increasingly important cultural practices of preservation and conservation. Check our events calendar later in the spring for more information on family-friendly events taking place at the museum that weekend!
In a typical year, the Albany Institute welcomes over 30,000 visitors. Through rotating exhibitions, lectures, and community events, we bring the outside world to Albany’s doorstep. Our educational programs reach thousands of students across the Capital Region. Donations at Gala help make all of this possible, helping foster cultural connections and enhancing the quality of life for those who lives in or visit the upper Hudson Valley.
Our honoree, the Fort Orange Garden Club, is celebrating its centennial season. Since 1923, they have been dedicated to the beautification, conservation, and preservation of the American landscape through their educational and legislative activities. Throughout the years, the Club has assisted with plantings at the Albany Institute of History & Art, researched and created flower and herb gardens at Schuyler Mansion, Ten Broeck Mansion, and the Pruyn House, and planted raised beds at nursing homes as part of their horticultural therapy program. The Club has also planted dozens of trees in public use areas like Academy Park, and planted the Metasequoia (or dawn redwoods) at Historic Cherry Hill and Ten Broeck Mansion. Projects undertaken by the Fort Orange Garden Club have benefited individuals and institutions throughout the Capital Region and New York State.