Frequently Asked Questions

If changes need to be made to your reservation, the best way to reach us is by email at tickets@thomascole.org. You can also leave us a voicemail at 518-943-7465 ext. 122, but emailing is strongly preferred (even in time-sensitive cases) as we are often away from our phones during tour season, May through November.

Winter Tours are currently available on the weekends. Through the end of March, the 12pm tour will be the special Women’s History of the Thomas Cole Site guided tour. From March 9-April 7, 2024, tickets will include guided access to the pop-up exhibition Imaginary Wilds in the New Studio. You can purchase tickets and view our full ticket schedule here.

Through April, the site will also be open for Private Guide tours by advance appointment, Wednesday through Friday. Please email us at education@thomascole.org to schedule a Private Guide.

Guided access to the special pop-up exhibition Imaginary Wilds, on view in the New Studio on weekends through April 7, is included with guided tour tickets. There is no separate exhibition ticket.

Tickets can be purchased online here or in the Visitor Center & Gift Shop on arrival. Advance registration is encouraged, as tours do sell out.

Full refunds are available for tickets cancelled at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled visit. Please email tickets@thomascole.org with your booking change requests.

For refunds on group visits, school visits, and private tours, please communicate your booking changes at least one week in advance of your scheduled visit.

No, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site is an affiliate of the National Park Service, but operates as an independent non-profit. Therefore, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site is not included in the US National Park Pass program. Please visit this link to see parks where you can use your pass.

As an affiliate of the National Park Service, we do have a passport stamp available in the Visitor Center & Gift Shop during our open hours.

If you have checked out a Member Library Pass from your local library, you can book tickets online here or at the Visitor Center & Gift Shop. Please bring the pass with you on the day of your visit so that we can verify it.

Please note that Library Passes only cover regular admission to the site, and cannot be used for special events, lectures, private tours, or school/group visits.

Yes! Museum staff receive free admission to the site with their museum ID during regular touring hours.

The Visitor Center & Gift Shop, Old Studio, and New Studio are wheelchair accessible. Only the first floor of the Main House is accessible by an elevator lift, bypassing a set of 11 steps leading to the first-floor porch. The second and basement floors of the house are only accessed by additional flights of stairs.

The walking paths on the grounds are loose gravel. The parking lot is standard asphalt and includes a number of handicap spaces.

Read more about Accessibility on site here. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@thomascole.org.

Pets are welcome on the grounds, though they must be leashed during our open hours and may not be left unattended at any time. Pets may not enter the buildings or go onto the porch of the Main House. Service animals are welcome.

Please read our Animal Policy here.

The grounds are open every day from dawn until dusk, free of charge. As a carry-in/carry-out site, we ask that you take your trash with you.

No, we are not part of the Junior Ranger Program.

Yes, artists are free to use the site from dawn to dusk but should not use the porch during our open hours. We also ask that artists use paints on the lawn, and not on the historic structures such as the porch of the Main House.

Yes! All guests are welcome to take photographs of the historic spaces, galleries, and grounds, using handheld still or video cameras, for personal use only. We ask that you do not use flash photography, and please leave bulky camera equipment at home.

Please read our full photography policy here.

Learn more about Location Rentals how to schedule professional/posed photography sessions at the Thomas Cole Site.

No, smoking is not allowed anywhere on site. (This includes e-cigarettes.)

Yes, Main St. in Catskill is filled with nice places to eat and drink. View our recommendations HERE.

No; they can be stored temporarily beneath the porch of the Main House if needed. Strollers are welcome in the New Studio and Visitor’s Center.

No, we would prefer that large bags and strollers are not brought into the Main House, due to the small spaces.

Jennifer GreimFrequently Asked Questions