The Albany Institute of History and Art is one of the oldest museums in the United States, with collections rooted in Albany and the upper Hudson Valley. Its galleries move between regional painting, decorative arts, political history, and objects that explain the capital city's Dutch, industrial, and civic past.
It is one of Albany's strongest indoor sights and a good companion to the State Capitol. The museum gives the city more depth than a quick government-district visit, especially for travelers interested in how upstate New York became wealthy and politically important.