Hudson River Panorama

Albany Institute of History & Art's new exhibit, Hudson River Panorama: 400 Years of History, Art, and Culture, features hundreds of pieces of artwork, artifacts, interactive displays, and rare archival documents. The exhibit encompasses five major themes relating the many agricultural, industrial, and cultural influences of this historic waterway: community and settlement; natural history and environment; transportation; trade, commerce, and industry; and culture and symbol.

Here is more from the press release:

Hudson River Panorama explores and narrates the influential force that the Hudson has had on our region, including settlement, agricultural cultivation, industrial growth, tourism, and the cultural prominence of the region's talented and creative artists, writers, architects, and landscape gardeners. For more than three years, the Albany Institute has been researching topics related to the Hudson River in preparation for the exhibition and accompanying educational programs.

Visitors will rediscover the flora and fauna of the Hudson River Valley and compare historic and contemporary images that reveal how the human presence has shaped and changed the appearance of the river over the last 200 years. The exhibition is also designed to reveal interconnections among the various topics, with occasional surprises and unexpected associations.

The exhibit will run until Jan. 3, 2010. The Albany Institute of History & Art is located at 125 Washington Avenue in downtown Albany, one block from the New York State Capitol. www.albanyinstitute.org or 518-463-4478