Exhibitions At RCHS

Use the links below for information on current, upcoming and past exhibitions at the Rensselaer County Historical Society.

Upcoming & Current Exhibitions

Discovering History: What the Heck Is It?

Opens May 15, 2008

What do a sausage-stuffer, a hat-trunk and a powder-horn have in common? It sounds like the setup for a riddle, but it's not. These objects are among the artifacts from the RCHS collection researched by students from Tony Rieth and Karen Bechdol's combined English/Social Studies class at Troy High School. These 21 students are "Historians in Training," participating in an exciting collaboration between Troy High, RCHS and The Record. Each student has selected an object from the RCHS collection, researched that object and written an article about it, to be published in The Record.

In these articles, the students reveal the history behind the objects, telling stories that have not been told before and providing others in the community with new access to the history of our community. Through the process of preparing their articles, the students developed their research and writing skills, had the opportunity to interact with professional museum staff and journalists, and ultimately, to contribute a unique gift to their own community. Students selected the objects they wanted to research from a collection of objects assembled by RCHS staff. The artifacts they chose provide an eclectic window into the collection, including items connected to Troy's elite citizens as well as objects whose owners have been forgotten over time.

Although the articles will not appear in The Record until late Spring/early Summer 2008, visitors to RCHS may preview the students' articles in our Spring 2008 exhibition: "Discovering History: What the Heck Is It?"

The Historians in Training program is sponsored by

Faces from Rensselaer County History
Robeson Family Meeting Room

Since its inception in 1927, RCHS has collected portraits of people from Rensselaer County. This exhibition showcases portraits of county residents from 1721 to the present day and includes works in a variety of media. Some of the artists are well-known today, some were better known in their own day and others have yet to be identified. Research has helped to answer many questions about these images and raised more new questions. More work will help to bring the stories of these faces more clearly into focus and help us to identify additional faces that should be added to the collection.

Scenic Wonders: Prints in Three Dimensions
Library Lobby Gallery

Until the mid 18th century, ceramics were decorated by hand. It took the invention of a special kind of tissue paper and the modification of existing copperplate engraving techniques to change that and make transfer-printing possible.

At the same time, English potters were experimenting with different earthenware formulas trying to achieve a ceramic “body” that was similar to the desirable, but very expensive Chinese export porcelains. The result was a white stoneware or “ironstone” that was durable enough to make the trip across the Atlantic and the move westward across the growing United States.

This exhibit looks at some everyday objects as documents of their time. They speak to us today of the 19th century – an age of geographic expansion and rapid social change caused by industrialization and other forces. The plates, pitchers and platters seen in these cases also give us an indication of the curiosity of that era when new inventions and discoveries led to new products, new ways of doing things and unending possibilities.

Permanent Exhibitions

Resourceful People Orientation Gallery

Highlights from the permanent collection, an interactive computer tour of the county past and present as well as an orientation to the museum and Rensselaer County history.

The Hart-Cluett House

On the National Register of Historic Places, the Hart-Cluett House was home to three prominent families in Troy before it was donated to the Historical Society in 1953.

Tours showcase the noteworthy architecture of the building. Tours of the first floor and lower level, including the house's original kitchen, highlight the lives of the people who lived and worked in the house.

Guided tours are available of the Historical Society's 1827 federal-style town house, The Hart-Cluett House at 2pm, Tuesday - Saturday, February - December. Guided tours can be scheduled for other times with prior notice. The house is also open during special public programs throughout the year

Click here for more information on the Hart-Cluett House

Past Exhibitions

Click here for a partial listing of past exhibitions.

Online Exhibitions

Click here for a listing of online exhibitions.

Additional Resources:

Click here for map, directions & hours
Click here for additional information on the Hart-Cluett House
Call 518-272-7232 for more information

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