Press Releases

ALBANY, NY- On Sunday, March 23, Kara Cooney, Associate Professor at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at ACLA, will present a lecture in conjunction with the GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies exhibition. Cooney will describe how elite men and women of Egypt's 21st Dynasty, wishing to be buried in style, often usurped the coffins of people buried in earlier dynasties, turned out their former inhabitants, and altered, repainted, and re-styled the coffin. She has found a 21st Dynasty re-use rate as high as 70%, with some coffins seeming to have multiple owners. Cooney will address the question of community coffins and describe how ancient Egyptian craftsmen began specializing in renovating and re-modifying this essential possession for a happy after lie. This lecture will take place at the Albany Institute at 2PM and is free with museum admission.

ALBANY, NY- On Thursday, February 27, 2014, the Albany Institute of History & Art will host a special gallery talk with some of the artists featured in the exhibition BIG + BOLG: Contemporary Paintings, Collage, and Sculpture from the Albany Institute's Collection. Artists such as Marcia Clark, Abraham Ferraro, David Miller, Chester Rose, Thomas Sarrantonio, Susan Stuart, and Leigh Wen will share their insights and discuss the role of contemporary art at the Albany Institute of History & Art. The program starts at 6PM. This event is free and open to the public as part of the Institute's Evening at the Institute initiative where the museum is open for free from 5PM-8PM on Thursday nights. 

ALBANY, NY- Children ages 6 to 12 are invited to spend their week off from school on a Big + Bold art exploration adventure at the Albany Institute of History & Art. This three-day Vacation Art Break will spark creativity and excitement in participants and expose them to contemporary art and artists. The program runs from Tuesday, February 18 through Thursday, February 20 from 9AM-Noon.

ALBANY, NY- A special program celebrating the 50th anniversary of the arrival of The Beatles in New York will take place on Friday, February 7 at 7PM at the Albany Institute of History & Art. It is produced by the Empire State Performing Arts Center and is free and open to the public.

ALBANY, NY- On Sunday, January 26, 2014, Lanny Bell, Associate Professor Emeriturs of Egyptology at the Univeristy of Chicago and Visiting Researcher in Egyptology at Brown University, will present a lecture in conjunction with the GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies exhibition. Bell's examination of the way the ancient Egyptians faced the all-too-familiar problem of death will reveal that, rather than being obsessed with death, they were obsessed with life. At the same time they looked forward to an eternal existence. Bell will share how the Egyptians' preparations for death reveal their association of three fundamental characteristics of ancient Egyptian culture: pyramids, mummies, and works of art deposited as grave goods. The lecture will take place at the Albany Institute at 2PM and is free with museum admission. It is sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America.

ALBANY, NY- On Sunday, January 12, 2014, Dr. Bob Brier, Senior Research Fellow at Long Island University/C.W. Post Campus, will present a lecture in conjunction with the GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies exhibition. The Egyptians mummified for nearly 3,000 years, and the process changed over the centuries. Brier will describe the various phases of mummification and exactly what was done to the mummy of Ankhefenmut, the 21st Dynasty mummy in the Albany Institute's collection. He will also share what was discovered from the study of Ankhefenmut's mummy and what future discoveries are possible from the study of mummies. The lecture will take place at the Albany Institute at 2PM and is free with museum admission.

ALBANY, NY- Thanks to a generous donation by Excelsior College, the Albany Institute of History & Art has added a full-size replica of the famous Rosetta Stone to the exhibition, GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies. The exhibition explores how the Albany Institute acquired two mummies as part of their collection in the early twentieth-century and the story of the Rosetta Stone helps contextualize the Western world's understanding of Ancient Egypt.

ALBANY, NY- On Sunday, November 17, 2013, Ms. Anna Tobin D'Ambrosio, the Director of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Museum of Art in Utica, New York will present a lecture in conjunction with GE. Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies exhibition. With the promise to serve the dead in their eternal life, ancient Egyptian artworks have mystified Western artists for centuries. Major historic events mark Westerner's affair with Egyptian culture- Napoleon's campaigns from 1798-1801, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, and the relocation of the Egyptian obelisks, such as "Cleopatra's Needles" in London in 1878 and New York City's Central Park obelisk in 1881. When King Tut's tomb was opened in 1922, the obsession with all-things-Egyptian exploded. Anna Tobin D'Ambrosio will track these events and illuminate their continued influence on Western culture. This lecture will take place at the Albany Institute and is free with museum admission.

ALBANY, NY- The Albany Institute of History & Art invites families in the capital region to come celebrate the 104th anniversary of the arrival of our mummies! This day full of engaging and stimulating activities will take place at the Albany Institute of History & Art on Sunday, November 10, 2013 from Noon to 5PM. Families will sample delicious birthday treats, learn about the mummification process, and explore science with the "Having Fun with Pyramids and Pharaohs" program. In addition, there will be face painting and a visit by Mummy Ankhefenmut himself! The refreshments have been generously donated by Crisan Bakery & Edible Art. This event was sponsored by Tabder, Ryan & Keniry.

ALBANY, NY- The Albany Institute of History & Art will host well-known radio personality, Chuck D'Imperio for a lecture about his books, Monumental New York!: A Guide to the 20 Iconic Memorials in Upstate New York and Unknown Museums of Upstate New York: A Guide to 50 Treasures. The lecture will be followed by a book signing. D'Imperio will share his enthusiasm for New York State history and the many unusual museums and iconic monuments that can be found on the "road less traveled." This lecture and book signing is organized by the Museum Shop at the Albany Institute of History & Art and is free with museum admission.

ALBANY, NY- The Albany Institute of History & Art invites families in the capital region to an upcoming family program: Egyptian for a Day. This day full of engaging and exciting activities will take place at the Albany Institute of History & Art on Sunday, October 20, 2013 from Noon-5PM. Participating families will be able to try on ancient Egyptian style clothing and head pieces, learn about ancient musical instruments, experiment with spinning and dyeing fibers, and make jewelry. In addition to the hands-on activities, there will also be Egyptian styled music and refreshments. Zafer Tawil will demonstrate and perform music at 1PM and 3PM. Refreshments have been generously donated by A Better Bite, New York Style Deli.

ALBANY, NY- The Albany Institute of History & Art will host local historian and author, L. Lloyd Stewart for a lecture about his book The Mysterious Black Migration 1800-1820: The Van Vranken Family and Other "Free" Families of African Descent in Washington County on Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 2PM. Stewart will discuss his extensively researched and documented new book and relate the little known story of the mass migration of African Americans to Washington County during the early nineteenth century. After Stewart's lecture, he will be available to answer questions and sign copies of his book. This lecture and book signing is organized by the Museum Shop at the Albany Institute of History & Art and is free with museum admission.

ALBANY, NY- The Albany Institute of History & Art will host retired New York Court of Appeals Judge Albert M. Rosenblatt and Julia C. Rosenblatt for a lecture about their book Opening Statements: Law, Jurisprudence, and the Legacy of Dutch New York on September 29, 2013 at 2PM. The Rosenblatts will give an engaging talk about the litigious Dutch in colonial America. They will discuss the ways in which the legal system of the New Netherland colonies has influenced modern day American concepts of governance, liberty, women's rights, and religious freedom. After the lecture, the Rosenblatts will be available to answer questions and sign copies of their book. This lecture and book signing is organized by the Museum Shop at the Albany Institute of History & Art and is free with museum admission.

ALBANY, NY- In conjunction with its newest exhibition, GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies, the Albany Institute of History & Art will host an international lecture series, GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies Lecture Series. The first lecture will take place on Sunday, September 22, 2013, at 2PM. Dr. Peter Lacovara, Senior Curator of Ancient Egyptian, Nubian, and New Eastern Art at the Michael C. Carlos Museum in Atlanta, and guest curator of the new GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies exhibition, will explore how he helped solve the mystery of the Albany Mummies, gathered objects from around the world to tell the story of Ankhefenmut and his coffin, and how the exhibition offers a window into life in ancient Egypt's 21st Dynasty. The lecture is free with museum admission.