Winter Plant Dyes with Museum Educators

Sat, Jan 10

Create natural dyes out of foraged winter plants inspired by natural dye methods of the 19th century to make a hand-dyed bell door hanger to ring in the new year.

Sun, Jan 25

All are invited for a free, fun afternoon of libations, a make-your-own stamped card activity, winter-themed tours, and more to welcome in the New Year.

Winter House Tours will be available for $15/person. Limited availability.

Valentine’s Day Museum Date

Sat, Feb 14

Join us for crafting, tours, and sips at the museum for your Valentine’s celebrations. Participants will tour the historic Main House and learn about the mysterious valentine in the Cole Site archives, then stop by the Storehouse to make your own Victorian-inspired valentines with museum educators.

Thomas Cole & Historic Household

Sun, Feb 22

Explore the home of American artist and early environmentalist Thomas Cole (1801–1848) with a Museum Guide. See original Hudson River School paintings, experience the artist’s interior design of his home, and discover immersive digital experiences.

Historic Patters & Printmaking with Museum Educators

Sat, Mar 14

Learn about 19th century printmaking practices on a tour of the historic Main House with original decorative paintings by Thomas Cole, followed by printmaking in the Storehouse inspired by the historic interiors.

Thomas Cole and Frederic Church: Mastering the Landscape Oil Sketch with Elizabeth Kornhauser, Ph.D.

Sun, Mar 29

Join Elizabeth Kornhauser, Curator Emerita at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Senior Curator and Chair, The Frederic Church Bicentennial Committee, for a discussion about Thomas Cole and Frederic Church.

Spring Cleanup & Volunteer Day

Sat, Apr 11

Join the Thomas Cole National Historic Site for a garden clean-up day to help us preserve the historic grounds and gardens. Stop by and learn about volunteering opportunities in gallery sitting, events, and more. Volunteers can enjoy a visit to the museum buildings following outdoor work. Light lunch and beverages will be provided.

 Thomas Doughty’s Approaching Storm: A Gift to the Cole House; a Goad to Thomas Cole with Kevin Avery, Ph.D.

Sun, Apr 19

Join Kevin Avery from the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a discussion on Thomas Doughty’s 1822 painting, Approaching Storm (Land Storm).

Thomas Cole: An American Visionary with Alan Wallach, Ph.D., and Nancy Siegel, Ph.D.

Sat, Apr 25

Join esteemed art historians and Hudson River School scholars, Alan Wallach and Nancy Siegel, for an Opening Conversation on Thomas Cole’s enduring legacy and profound impact on American art in the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.

This program is in commemoration of the opening of the new Richard Sharp Gallery and exhibition, Thomas Cole: An American Visionary.

Create Your Own Color Wheel

Sat, May 9

Make your own wood-stained color wheel inspired by Thomas Cole’s painting, Diagram of Contrasts, and tour the historic Main House and new exhibition, Thomas Cole: An American Visionary, in the newly opened Richard Sharp Gallery. Teachers can enjoy a discounted workshop for Teacher Appreciation Day!

Thomas Cole and American Wilderness with William L. Coleman, Ph.D.

Sun, May 31

Join William L. Coleman, inaugural Wyeth Foundation Director of the Wyeth Study Center, for a discussion on Thomas Cole and American Wilderness.

Create Your Own Mineral Box

Sat, Jun 13

Join museum education staff to construct your own handmade curio container for trinkets and found objects. Participants will tour the historic Main House to view Thomas Cole’s Box of Minerals and Artifacts in the newly opened Richard Sharp Gallery. Learn about 19th century collecting practices, followed by making in the Storehouse.

Black Labor & Legacy at the Historic Property

Sun, Jun 14

Explore the historic property with a Museum Educator to learn about the often-hidden experiences of labor on the historic property, different perspectives on land, anti-Black policies, and the ways in which Black Catskill residents mobilized and formed abolitionist circles in the 19th century.

Catwalk Artists-in-Residence

Sun, Jul 26

Join the Thomas Cole Site and Catwalk Institute’s artists-in-residence for art installations and performances.

Tickets Coming Soon

Sun, Aug 30

Join us for a free, outdoor Summer Festival on the grounds, hands-on garden activities, special tours, and more.

Tour Tickets Coming Soon

Artist Lecture with Cynthia Daignault

Sun, Sept 13

Join artist Cynthia Daignault for a discussion about her artwork, Light Atlas.

Nature, Music, Joy, and Loss: Thomas Cole’s The Pic-Nic Party as Elegy with Terry Carbone, Ph.D.

Sun, Oct 4

Join art historian Terry Carbone, Ph.D., for a discussion about Thomas Cole’s The Pic-Nic Party.

Graham C. Boettcher, Ph.D.

Sun, Nov 22

Join Graham C. Boettcher, Ph.D., R. Hugh Daniel Director & CEO Birmingham Museum of Art for a lecture on Thomas Cole’s impact on American identity and art.

Thomas Cole and Connecticut: A Closer Look with Erin Monroe, Curator

Sun, Dec 13

Join Erin Monroe, Krieble Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, for a lecture on how time spent in Connecticut profoundly shaped the early works of Thomas Cole and his Connecticut-born protégé, Frederic Church.

Jan–Dec 2026

Explore during monthly quiet hours to take a closer look at select artworks from our collections and special exhibitions, sketching in the galleries, and playtime in the historic gardens.

Information & Tickets Coming Soon

Feb–Dec 2026

Join monthly guided tours of our collections and special exhibitions with Kate Menconeri, Thomas Cole Site Chief Curator, and Amanda Malmstrom, Thomas Cole Site Associate Curator.

Information & Tickets Coming Soon

May–Dec 2026

Join monthly close-looking discussions that focus on different paintings or items in our collections and special exhibitions.

Information & Tickets Coming Soon