State historic sites and cultural institutions will provide fun hands-on activities and educational artifacts to explore to acquaint visitors with “New York State’s Great Places and Spaces” January 15 at the New York State Museum.

The free event, which is part of the Museum’s January Family Fun Day, will be held from noon to 4 p.m. in several first floor galleries including Adirondack Wilderness, Birds of New York, Native Peoples of New York and South Hall.

Participants include the State Museum, State Library, Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, Olana State Historic Site, Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Clermont State Historic Site, Shaker Heritage Society, Albany County Historical Society/Ten Broeck Mansion, Historic Cherry Hill, Crailo State Historic Site, Johnson Hall Historic Site, the Underground Railroad History Project, Salem Art Works, the Adirondack Museum, the New York State Military Museum, the Arkell Art Museum, Schoharie Crossing Historic Site, the Empire State Aero Space Museum, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the Living History Education Foundation.

Visitors will be able to play the Hudson River Valley Trading Game on a 32-foot long game board, explore objects from Thomas Cole’s studio and add to a community landscape, try landscape drawing, weave on a small loom and view reproduction 1870’s stereographs of the Shaker site. There also will be many hands-on activities, including
opportunities to touch bear fur, try on a cradleboard and learn more about the Haudenosaunee at the State Museum’s Native Peoples cart.

Also, Craig Gravina, a State Museum exhibition designer, will provide a behind-the-scenes tour to discuss the design and installation of the Museum’s Citizen Soldier: New York’s National Guard in the American Century exhibition.

Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website.