The Beat

Ticonderoga, N.Y. – Stuart Lilie, Fort Ticonderoga Vice President of Public History was recently awarded the Museum Association of New York (MANY) Individual Achievement Award of Merit for 2020. The Award Ceremony will take place on March 30, 2020 at the Hilton Albany in Albany, NY.

Lilie joined the Fort Ticonderoga leadership staff in the spring of 2011. Lilie oversees the Public History department, which reaches nearly 70,000 visitors annually through daily programs and events.

First program presented January 12^th
Documenting, Preserving, and Making Accessible Ticonderoga’s Collections

Ticonderoga, NY – Fort Ticonderoga’s popular wintertime Fort Fever Series returns in 2020 and features programs led by Fort Ticonderoga museum staff who will share their latest research and cutting-edge discoveries.

The first program is presented on January 12, 2020 with Documenting, Preserving, and Making Accessible Ticonderoga’s Collections. Join Fort Ticonderoga Director of Collections Miranda Peters as she highlights the incredible work being undertaken by museum staff to document, preserve, and make accessible Ticonderoga’s world class museum collections.

A variety of traditional indoor and outdoor cultural activities make a full day on Feb. 22

Victor, NY—For its 17th annual Native American Winter Games, Friends of Ganondagan will again offer numerous activities that harken back to 17th-century winters when Ganondagan was an active Seneca town, and winter was a busy time both indoors and out.

On Saturday, February 22 from 10 am-4 pm, the public will experience family-friendly Haudenosaunee experiences through a variety of traditional Seneca winter activities. These include the competitive game of snowsnake, racing small wooden snowboats (akin to Pinewood Derby), meeting sled dogs and watching a dog sled demonstration, and learning how to use snowshoes.

“America’s Elite in the Downton Abbey Era”

Sunday, January 19, 2020, 1:00 PM

Staatsburg, N.Y. (12/30/19) — On Sunday, January 19, fans of the popular PBS television series can attend a special tour at Staatsburgh, a real-life American version of Downton Abbey.  The tour, entitled “America’s Elite in the Downton Abbey Era,” compares the fictional Downton Abbey to Staatsburgh, a 79-room Gilded Age mansion on the Hudson River.  Admission for “America’s Elite in the Downton Abbey Era” is $10; $8 for seniors and students; and free for children age 12 and younger.  Reservations are required and can be made by calling (845) 889-8851.

Support from Thomas Tischer, ESL Federal Credit Union, and New York State Council on the Arts made project possible

Rochester, N.Y., January 6, 2020—The George Eastman Museum broke ground today on the Thomas Tischer Visitor Center, including construction of the ESL Federal Credit Union Pavilion, which will serve as the museum’s new main entrance, located next to the Dryden Theatre. Through the new entrance, visitors will be served by a new admissions desk, gathering places, a renovated education and meeting hall, a more mission-focused shop, and a relocated café that includes seating in the historic Palm House. The project is expected to be completed by July 2020.

Special exhibit featuring tools from Fort Ticonderoga’s archeological collection

Ticonderoga, NY – Experience Fort Ticonderoga in the beauty of winter during the next Winter Quarters living history event Preparing for the Coming Campaign on Saturday, January 18, 2020.  The event will bring to life the story of American soldiers at Ticonderoga in the year 1777 as they prepare for a British attack.

A featured one-day display will highlight tools recovered from the historic landscape. These tools were used by soldiers to cut, chisel, file, crack, break, and dig to create the fortifications that defined the warfare of the 18th century. Fort Ticonderoga holds one of the largest collections of its kind in North America. …

Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 1:00 Pm

Utica, N.Y. – Join Dr. Norm Dann at the Oneida County History Center to explore the remarkable history of the Underground Railroad in Central New York. You’ll learn about the operation and function of the Underground Railroad, plus intriguing details about the station in Peterboro that was operated by the Gerrit Smith family. This program takes place in the History Center's main gallery on Saturday, January 18, 2020 starting at 1:00 PM.

Staatsburg, N.Y.  (12/16/19) — Staatsburgh State Historic Site will once again present its winter “Gilded Age Tea & Talk” programs in the mansion’s elegant formal dining room on weekend dates in the winter months of 2020.  The programs feature scones, tea sandwiches, sweets and the site’s Staatsburgh Blend tea, a custom blend created for the site by renowned tea purveyors, Harney & Sons.

Cuomo: "Given that many historic sites and cultural organizations are closed in November, it makes sense to designate October as our state's history month - giving people more opportunities to experience and learn about New York's contributions to our nation's progress and the arts."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.5369/A.6462) changing New York State history month from November to October. This law will ensure historical organizations and sites can showcase New York's rich history and culture, while recognizing the wonderful contributions of the state and local historians.

$300,000 grant award from the National Endowment for the Humanities leverages support from local foundations and private donors to improve environmental conditions for museum’s collections

Rochester, N.Y., December 10, 2019—The George Eastman Museum recently completed a major upgrade to the crucial environmental conditions of its collection storage areas. The Environmental Improvements Implementation Project, at a total cost of $1,246,000, included the replacement and upgrade of 30-year-old systems that controlled the temperature and humidity for the photography vault, technology vault, and photography study center. The project was funded with a $300,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities; grants from the William and Sheila Konar Foundation, the ESL Charitable Foundatio…