Last updated: 3/13/2012
Glens Falls, New York
Address
161 Warren StreetGlens Falls, NY 12801

Hours

January - May 31
Wednesday - Saturday
10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday
12 PM - 5 PM
June 1 - December 31
Tuesday - Saturday
10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday
12 PM - 5 PM

Admissions

Special pricing for major exhibitions may apply.

Active duty U.S. military and their families Free

General Admission: $8
Seniors (over 60): $6
Members: free
Students : $4
Children 12 and under: Free

Staff

David F. Setford
phone:
June Leary
phone: 518-792-1761 x27
Alice Grether
phone: 518-792-1761 x28
Erin Coe
phone: 518-792-1761 x21
Marcia Moss
phone:
e-mail:
Description

The Hyde Collection Art Museum & Historic House combines the intimacy of an historic house with the sophistication of a larger art museum complex. Two galleries offer a changing schedule of world-class exhibitions.

The Museum's founders, Louis and Charlotte Hyde, amassed a permanent collection consisting of approximately 3,000 items ranging from works on paper, sculpture, furniture, and tapestries to Old Master paintings (Botticelli, Rembrandt and Rubens) and important American artists (Eakins, Hassam, Homer, Vedder and Whistler).

Mission

The Hyde's mission today is to be an art museum in a historic house complex that is unique between Manhattan and Montreal, committed to developing and highlighting a collection of international importance, creating exhibitions of regional and national significance, while providing invigorating educational programs to its core local audiences and communities. In all its activities, The Hyde Vollection strives to be a leader locally and regionally, among a handful of art museums in New England and northern New York, that are nationally recognized for their excellent and for their cultural and economic impact.

History

Charlotte Pruyn Hyde (1867-1963) was born in Glens Falls, NY, into one of the leading industrialist families of the Adirondack region. Her father, Samuel Pruyn, founded Finch, Pruyn & Company, Inc.- a paper manufacturing business - with Jeremiah Finch in 1865. Eventually, Pruyn became the sole owner, thus establishing the foundation of the Pruyn family's wealth.

Charlotte Pruyn married Louis Fiske Hyde (1866-1934) in 1901, and in 1906 Charlotte?s father asked his son-in-law to leave his law practice in Massachusetts and join the family business in Glens Falls. As a result, the couple returned to Charlotte?s hometown in 1907 and Louis became vice president of the family mill.

Between 1904 and 1912 Charlotte and her sisters built three homes on the bluffs overlooking the Hudson River and the family mill. The Boston architect Henry Forbes Bigelow of the architectural firm Bigelow and Wadsworth was commissioned to design all three residences. Each followed the American Renaissance tradition of adapting European architectural traditions to American taste.

Hyde House was completed in 1912. Influenced by contemporary movements regarding interior design, they purchased furnishings and decorative arts that best suited the scale and environment of their home. The Hydes continued to acquire pieces during subsequent summer sojourns to Europe and, more often, from their favorite New York City dealers during their winter stays in New York.

By 1930 their collection had garnered its hallmark - a combination of quality, intimacy, and elegance without excess. When Louis passed away in 1934, approximately one-third of the core collection was assembled. In 1952, eighteen years after her husband?s death, Charlotte established the Trust Agreement that would establish the future museum. Mrs. Hyde died on August 28, 1963. Three months later, The Hyde Collection opened to the general public.

In the spring of 1964, the new museum held its first special exhibition, a significant selection of drawings and sculpture by David Smith. In 1984, Hyde House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. One year later, The Hyde Collection was first accredited by the American Association of Museums.

As the Museum's role in the region grew, the trustees began to consider the issues of managing the art collection and its increasing educational responsibilities solely within the confines of a historic house. In 1985, the Museum acquired nearby Cunningham House for its administrative offices and proposed a major expansion to connect it with Hyde House. Designated the Education Wing, this addition was considered the optimum solution for preserving the Hydes' legacy, enabling the expansion of the collection, and fulfilling the educational objectives of the Trust Agreement.

The Education Wing was designed by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes and opened in celebration of the Museum's twenty-fifth anniversary in 1989. With this addition of four exhibition galleries, an auditorium, art storage, classrooms, and a museum shop, The Hyde consciously broadened its scope of purpose. From an active special exhibition schedule, to concerts, lectures, and family and school programs, the new wing greatly enhanced the Museum's involvement within its community and region.

By 1999, significant growth had combined with compelling preservation needs to necessitate the creation of a new strategic plan. Following three years of planning and preparation, the Museum publicly outlined their objectives by unveiling Preserving the Legacy: a Comprehensive Plan for the Future. Eighteen months of expansion, restoration, and renovation followed and the plan was successfully completed in May 2004.

The Hyde is now a dramatically improved institution. By preserving our founders' legacy and addressing our most pressing logistical needs, we have effectively and proactively prepared the Museum for future service to the entire region. Today, with such great physical transformation behind us, we now look forward to initiating the programmatic changes defined in our current strategic plan, to improving the visitor's experience, and to defining a dynamic future.

Educational Programs
SCHOOL PROGRAMS: American History, English Language Arts, and The Middle Ages and Renaissance are just a few of the subjects enhanced by learning through the arts. A variety of tours and classes will engage students with the permanent collection, the historic Hyde House, and the temporary exhibitions in the Wood and Hoopes Galleries. Education programs for pre-school through college level students align with New York State Common Core State Learning Standard for English Language Arts and Literacy.
Field Trips: Museum educator-guided tours of Hyde House bring students face-to-face with meaningful art throughout the world's history, including Italian Renaissance and Impressionist periods. Discussions of our temporary exhibitions in the Wood and Hoopes Galleries provide added value for learning about artistic techniques, styles and cultures. Optional art studio activities, relevant, to the tour topic, offer students a hands-on artmaking experience.
Hyde Out in the Classroom: A museum educator provides art activities both on and off site to after school programs.
The Juried Show: This annual exhibition features one hundred works of art by students in grades 9-12, chosen by a jury of arts professionals. The selected drawings, paintings, sculptures, digital art, and photographs reveal the emerging talent of young artists as well as regional art teachers' dedication to excellence.
FAMILY & CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS: Family Kits: Interactive self-guided tour for the whole family. Borrow the colorful kits at the Museum's Program Desk and use them to learn about visiting a museum and about different ways to view and enjoy what you see. Free
The Artist's Studio: For children of all ages. Art making, dress-up, and reading space on the lower level of the museum. Free
Discovery Guide: visitors with children can set their own pace while exploring the museum. Each month a new Discovery Guide focuses on a theme in the Wood and Hoopes Galleries or Hyde House. Available at the Museum Program Desk. Free
Discovery Day: Perfect for family visits, participants will tour Wood and Hoopes Galleries or Hyde House with a museum educator and enjoy a hands-on activity in the Art Studio. Third Sunday of each month, drop in 1-3pm. Free
Tours for Tots: Ages 3-5 with adult. Thursdays from 3-4pm. Visit different parts of the collection and temporary exhibitions with a museum educator and spend creative time in the Art Studio. Free. Register weekly.
Saturday Morning Workshops: Art activity with museum educator. Ages 6-14 with our without an adult. Every Saturday in January, March and October. 10:30am-12noon. Free.
ARTfull Afternoons: Ages 6-12 with adult chaperone. Children learn about a specific artist or work of art from a self-guided tour, then explore a variety of artistic mediums to create a Hyde-inspired masterpiece in the Art Studio. Every Wednesday during the school year. Drop-in between 1:30-4:30pm. Free
School Vacation Art Workshops: Art opportunities and classes during school vacations.
Summer Camp Arts Camp: Visual Arts of Theater Ages 7-13. Fee charged
Birthday pARTies: Ages 5+. With the child's age in mind, parties include an "I Spy" tour or scavenger hunt in the museum and galleries followed by art activities in the studio, with time for cake and presents. $10 per child for museum members; $15 for non-members.
Teen & Adult Activities: Studio art classes, gallery talks, and lectures are offered throughout the year. Teens may volunteer with educational programming, and adults are encouraged to inquire about our docent program.
OUTREACH PROGRAMS:Here and Now: Museum visit program designed for individuals with Alzheimer's and other cognitive challenges and their in-home caregivers or group program coordinators. A museum educator will lead a conversation about individual works of art that encourages social interaction and communication. Program is free of charge and may be conducted off site at care facilities.
Art for All: Museum visits and art studio activities for developmentally and physically challenged adults.
The Hyde Connection: A consortium of youth organizations partnering to provide young people facing challenges with an opportunity to make and exhibit artwork.
Hyde Out: A museum educator will bring an engaging and interactive museum and art history presentation to your location. Art making activity optional.
Facilities
Auditoriums
Lecture Halls
Library
Access: Scholars
Appointment required: Yes
Publications

E-newsletter: Jan-April; May-August; September-December.

Services
Gift Shop
Special Event Rental
Group Tours
ADA
Wheelchair Accessible
Exhibitions
Museum Events
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Museum Trustee Association Spring Forum 2024

April 10 - 14, 2024

Atlanta, Georgia

Texas Association of Museums 2024 Lubock Annual Conference

April 14 - 17, 2024

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2024 Colorado-Wyoming ANNUAL MEETING

May 1 - 4, 2024

Worland, Wyoming

West Virginia Association of Museums 2024 Conference

June 6 - 8, 2024

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

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