The Egg: The Empire State Plaza's Center for the Performing Arts

Architecturally, The Egg is without precedent. From a distance it seems as much a sculpture as a building. From its opening in 1978 through 1989, The Egg housed the New York State Theatre Institute and the Empire State Institute for Performing Arts. In 1989, The Egg's focus turned to presenting the finest performing artists from across the state of New York, the United States and around the world in a series of dance, music, theatre and family programming. The Egg houses two theatres, the 980 seat Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre and the 450 seat Lewis A. Swyer Theatre.

Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga is a private, not-for-profit educational institution. Its mission is to engage, educate and entertain visitors by sharing the authentic stories of the diverse cultures that met at Ticonderoga in war and peace. Fort Ticonderoga is located in the Champlain Valley in the Adirondacks of upstate New York, midway between Albany and Montreal. It was the 'key to the continent' in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution because it controlled the portage between Lakes George and Champlain. Today, visitors to the Fort can inspect one of the world's largest collections of 18th century military artifacts, including muskets, artillery, swords, and powder horns as well as spend tranquil moments strolling the lawns and among the flowers in the nearby King's Garden. History comes alive at Fort Ticonderoga with daily demonstrations of Colonial-era military and civilian crafts. Two major reenactments are held at the Fort during the summer months.

The Shaker Heritage Society

The Shaker Heritage Society, founded in 1977, is a non-profit historic preservation organization which offers interpretive educational programming about the Shakers and their influence upon the Capital Region. The Society is actively concerned with preserving the integrity of the Watervliet Shaker Historic District, America’s First Shaker Settlement (listed on the National Register of Historic Places). Eight remaining Church Family buildings, Shaker fields and apple orchards, Ann Lee Pond and nature preserve, and the Shaker cemetery comprise an intact, contiguous site that was first settled by the Shakers in 1775. The Shaker Heritage Society continues to maintain and renovate the site, and also offers special group tours of the 1848 Shaker Meeting House and historic district, guided tours on Saturdays, craft courses, workshops, lectures and numerous annual events throughout the year.

Washington Park Conservancy

Washington Park, first conceived by Albany civic leaders in 1868, was planned by Frederick Law Olmstead, designer of New York City’s Central Park, and completed in 1872 from the detailed designs of landscape architects John Bogart and John Yapp Culyer, both Olmstead protégés and Albany natives. Over the years, the Park suffered the effects of urbanization and suburban flight, but the 1970’s renaissance that swept the adjoining neighborhood provided the impetus to restore the Park to its earlier brilliance, and in 1972, it was designated as the center of a historic district with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1985, out of an increasing interest in the Park’s welfare, a small group of public-spirited citizens, encouraged by an enthusiastic city administration, began what has become known as the Washington Park Conservancy. The Conservancy has initiated many restoration projects for the 200-year old Park, and continues its mission to preserve, protect and improve Washington Park.