New York State Museum

The New York State Museum in Albany (New York) is a museum of natural history, geology, anthropology, archeology and arts and crafts. It lies at the Empire Plaza.

Since 1842 its collections were in the Old State Hall ( later known as Geological Hall ) was founded in 1836 and later New York State Geological and Natural History Survey.

This was attributable, among other geologists Edward Hitchcock and Ebenezer Emmons; 1870-1894 James Hall was director. In 1856 it found its place in the purpose built Geological and Agricultural Hall and was renamed in 1870 in New York State Museum of Natural History. In 1912 it moved to the newly built State Education Building, and in 1976 the Cultural Education Center ( where the New York State Library and the New York State Archives are housed ).

1894-1904 Frederick Merrill was the director, then to 1925, James Mason Clarke

Besides fossils, animal and plant specimens, minerals and rocks are presented, among other prehistoric finds, including pottery egg products or relics of Pleistocene hunting in today's New York State, utensils of the Iroquois (collected especially by Lewis H. Morgan ) and New York shakers produced agricultural equipment and furniture.