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The area that gave birth to the Hudson River School of Painting in 1825 is
now home to a wide variety of art galleries, museums and performing arts
companies.
Boscobel
Restoration
is a
museum of decorative arts of the Federal period in the elegantly restored
1804 home of States Morris Dyckman on sweeping grounds overlooking the
Hudson River. Tours are offered Wednesday through Monday. Boscobel
frequently hosts workshops on decorative arts and presents lectures on
topics ranging from history to everyday life and gardening. By prior
arrangement, artists are welcome to set up easels on its grounds on the
second Tuesdays of each month. In addition, the grounds are the summer home
of the highly regarded Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. For
information call the box office at 845-265-7858 or go to www.hvshakespeare.org.
The
Ellen Hayden Gallery on Main Street showcases paintings by artists Ellen
Hayden, Gary Arceri and Richard Buchanan.
The
Garrison Art Center provides contemporary exhibition space, many
exciting exhibits and a year-round program of classes for children and
adults. For information about their Annual Fine Arts & Crafts Fair
under the riverfront willows please call 845-424-3960 or visit www.garrisonartcenter.org.
Manitoga/The
Russel Wright Design Center,
on the
National Register of Historic Places, is the site of the mid-20th
century Dragon Rock home, studio and unique cultivated landscape of noted
industrial designer and environmentalist Russel Wright, who promoted living
in harmony with nature. Today, Manitoga offers daily tours as well as
educational programs which showcase Russel Wright's philosophy of good
design for the modern American home, "marrying" human and natural
environments to make daily life "easier." His innovative use of spatial
planning, experimental technologies and local plant materials as decorative
elements all contribute to what has been called one of the most
idiosyncratic residential estates in America. An extensive renovation
program is now underway. Visitors can tour Dragon Rock and the studio and
hike the extensive grounds.
The
Philipstown Depot Theatre, built in 1892 as the original train depot at
Garrison's Landing, has been used as an intimate theatre and community
performing arts center since 1996. It features an annual calendar of plays,
musicals, children's programs, poetry readings, chamber music, cabaret and
film events.
Putnam
Country Historical Society & Foundry School
Museum is a showcase for artifacts, documents and other items from
the historic West Point Foundry, which played a significant role in
America's Industrial Revolution from 1818 to 1911. The Museum is housed in
the 1830 building that was originally used to educate the Foundry's teenage
apprentices and employees' children. One room within the museum features
original schoolroom furnishings and materials. Permanent collections also
feature objects pertaining to life in the area, paintings from the Hudson
River School and four centuries of local genealogies. A museum store offers
art, maps and replicas of a variety of objects including cannon models. In
addition, every Sunday the museum sponsors Heritage Way Walking
Tours of the landmark Main Street District.
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