Exhibitions, Programs & Events
Grounds Open for Free Every Day
General Admission
Fri–Sun
Explore the historic interiors and special exhibitions on a self-guided visit.
Guided Tours
Sat–Sun
Book a Guided Tour to experience the historic interiors, the special exhibition Alan Michelson: Prophetstown, and immersive digital installations.
ALAN MICHELSON
Prophetstown
Jul 20-Dec 1, 2024
Artist Alan Michelson (Mohawk, Six Nations of the Grand River) presents a site-responsive exhibition throughout the historic artist’s home and landscape including the first complete American display of Prophetstown, 2012; the first New York display of Hanödaga:yas (Town Destroyer), 2018; and video and other mixed media installations.
Thomas Cole’s Colors
A What is Color? Book Celebration & Pigment Party
Sat, Nov 9
Join artist Steven Weinberg for a Thomas Cole-inspired celebration of his new book, What is Color?, with a book reading and hands-on pigment-making and coloring activity, followed by a book signing in the Cole Center.
The Scholars’ Dinner
The Century Association, NYC
Mon, Nov 18
Join us for the fifth annual Scholars’ Dinner featuring the leading American art scholars of today and the emerging American art scholars of tomorrow.
Digital Guide to the Museum
Explore the Site with a new, free digital guide featuring photos, videos, and audio from world-renowned contemporary artists and curators. The free guide was created as a part of Bloomberg Connects, the arts and cultural app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Explore the Cole Center
See the new building that offers you a whole new visitor experience.
Thomas Cole Paintings on View
Spectacular original paintings by Thomas Cole are on view in the artist’s home this season.
Digital Immersive Experiences
Discover digital immersive experiences throughout the authentic historic interiors of the artist’s home. Experiences include paintings that come to life, audio soundscapes, letters that appear on desks and 270-degree floor-to-ceiling projections.
Hudson River School Art Trail
Step into a landscape painting with our program, the Hudson River School Art Trail, which provides maps and directions to visit the places in nature that Thomas Cole and other Hudson River School artists painted.
Collection Highlights
Browse our online Collection Highlights, a selection from over six hundred objects and two research archives. Many collection items are on view throughout the Cole Site interiors, in historic rooms, as well as within the rotating exhibition Mind Upon Nature: Thomas Cole’s Creative Process.
Walk along Catskill Creek
Visit the Mawignack Preserve – Cole’s favorite walking spot – just down the road and discover new outdoor interpretation organized by the Greene Land Trust in partnership with the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Greene County Historical Society, Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation, and Scenic Hudson.
Visit Cole’s Gravesite
The gravestones of Thomas Cole, his wife Maria Bartow, and their family are located in the Catskill Village Cemetery, just down the street and walkable from the historic site.
Hudson River Skywalk
See America’s first canvas with a new scenic walkway connecting the Thomas Cole Site with Frederic Church’s Olana across the Hudson River.
Perspectives
Digital content presenting new perspectives from curators, artists, and community leaders on Thomas Cole’s life and art from the 19th century to today.
Teacher Resources
Programs, lesson plans and activities for K-12 students that use American art to teach American history.
Virtual Gallery
Explore Thomas Cole’s paintings and writings with scholar analysis on our website explorethomascole.org.
Thomas Cole’s Story
Read Thomas Cole’s Story by the Penguin Random House author and illustrator Hudson Talbott.
Each year, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site presents special exhibitions of historic and contemporary art that debut here and travel the country. Browse past exhibitions.
What other art will you see on a visit? Browse Thomas Cole paintings on view and Collection Highlights.
The Thomas Cole Site programs and operations are supported by the National Park Service, Warner Foundation, David Bury and The Bay & Paul Foundations, New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, Enoch Foundation, The Educational Foundation of America, KHR Family Fund, Brown Foundation, The J. M. Kaplan Fund, Tianaderrah Foundation, and the Kindred Spirits Society of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site.
Programs and operations are also supported by a grant awarded to the Thomas Cole National Historic Site by New York State’s Empire State Development and the I LOVE NY Division of Tourism.
The Program Endowment that supports educational programs at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this the programs do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
