Research & Collections
From its beginning in 1836, the New York State Museum has been home to some of the nation’s leading scientists, including pioneers in archaeology, paleontology, ethnology, and botany. Its collections now rank among the finest in many fields and total more than sixteen million specimens, objects, and artifacts.
Archaeology
Biology
Ethnography
Geology
History
Paleontology
Research at the New York State Museum today is as exciting as it is varied, with scientists and historians actively directing projects in biology, anthropology, geology, paleontology, and history. Research by staff represents one tangible way in which information about the natural and cultural histories of New York, and the world, is made available to the public. Research findings are presented in scholarly and popular publications, at professional meetings, in exhibitions, and in public programs.
Researchers throughout the world use the collections of the New York State Museum to address questions about New York's natural and human heritage. The Museum’s collections are made available to researchers and scholars and are also used in exhibitions and public programs. Participation in Museum collections curation and research projects is possible through internships and volunteer opportunities.
To explore the Museum’s Research and Collections Division, hover your mouse over the Research and Collections block at the top navigation bar.
News Articles
NYSM Archaeologists Return for Fourth Field Season at OPS Paleoindian Site
Published October 25, 2018 | Native American Archaeology
In September, NYSM archaeologists completed the 2018 excavations at the OPS Paleoindian site in Madison County, New York. The OPS site has yielded fluted points of the Crowfield "style," indicating an early Native American encampment dating to the...
NYSM Receives Donation of James Vieth Artifact Collection
Published October 25, 2018 | Native American Archaeology
From the 1930s through the early 1960s, avid avocational archaeologist Dr. James Vieth collected and conducted test excavations on Native American archaeological sites, most often in Rockland County, southeastern New York. His son, James Vieth Jr....
Innovative new works added to the Contemporary Native American Art Collection
Published April 6, 2017 | Ethnography
In FY 2016-2017, NYSM acquired eight stunning new artworks by artists previously not represented in the Contemporary Native American Art Collection (part of the Ethnology Collections). The selections, from artists with nascent and well-established...
Bold changes in Contemporary Native American Art collections mark International Women's Day 2017
Published March 8, 2017 | Ethnography
“Ageswe’gaiyo” (oil on panel), one of the 2016 purchases for the NYSM Contemporary Native American Art Collection arrived today at the museum, which is also International Women's Day 2017 (March 8). This exquisite painting features the artist, Lua...
Director of Research and Collections Receives Award for Collections-Based Research
Published March 1, 2017 | Research & Collections
Dr. John Hart, Director of Research and Collections at the New York State Museum, has received the Society for American Archaeology’s 2017 Award for Excellence in Curation, Collections Management, and Collections-based Research and Education. T...
New Acquisition to the Mineralogy Collection
Published November 30, 2016 | Mineralogy
The Museum's mineralogy collection constitutes the world's largest and most complete array of New York State minerals. However, the collection also contains thousands of non-New York specimens, including minerals from Europe, Africa, Asia, an...
New Acquisition: Mahican and Mohawk Baskets
Published September 14, 2016 | Ethnography
The Museum recently acquired a collection of 19th and 20th century Mahican and Mohawk baskets. The baskets range in size and decoration, from miniature baskets to large gathering baskets, fancy baskets with curlicues, and baskets with stamped and ...
New Acquisition: 1947 Tavern Television
Published August 4, 2016 | Social History
The State Museum recently acquired a fully-restored 1947 Tavern Television made by the United States Television Manufacturing Corporation (USTMC). Made in New York City, this unit is believed to be one of only five known sets left in the United St...
Archaeology Exposed: NYSM Open House at Schuyler Flatts a Success
Published July 6, 2016 | Archaeology
Archaeologists with the New York State Museum are working at Schuyler Flatts in Albany County to learn more about life along the Hudson River hundreds of years ago and how Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans left their marks in the form of a...
Archaeology Staff Receive University at Albany's President's Award
Published May 11, 2016 | Archaeology
New York State Museum Archaeology staff recently received the University at Albany’s President’s Award for Exemplary Public Engagement in recognition of the joint Museum-University archaeological field school at the Pethick Site in Schohaire Count...
Researching a Newly Acquired Fish Collection from Long Island
Published February 29, 2016 | Ichthyology
In 2014, the State Museum acquired Dr. Howard Reisman's (emeritus professor at Long Island University) personal collection of fish specimens. The collection has over 2,500 individual specimens, including a substantial number of samples...
New Acquisition: Liquor Chest Used by NYS Soldiers in American Revolution and War of 1812
Published February 29, 2016 | Political History
A liquor chest used by soldiers in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 was recently donated to the New York State Museum. The chest was donated by the descendants of Captain Abraham Swartwout (an officer on General George Washington...
Student Profile: Museum Fellow Alyssa FitzGerald
Published January 14, 2016 | Ornithology
Alyssa FitzGerald is a Ph.D student at SUNY Albany and works at the Museum to conduct research for her doctoral program. Alyssa's research is focused on studying three closely-related species of thrushes. She wants to know why and how these b...
Collections News: Beaked Whale Skeleton
Published January 14, 2016 | Mammalogy
A 20-foot long Cuvier's Beaked Whale skeleton was acquired by the State Museum in 2014. Worldwide, there are less than 250 Cuvier's Beaked Whale specimens in collections. These whales, also known as goose-beaked whales, are known to be one of the ...
Student Profile: Museum Fellow Jordon Loucks
Published January 14, 2016 | Historical Archaeology
Jordon Loucks is a Ph.D student at SUNY Albany and works at the Museum to conduct research for his doctoral program. Jordon's research is focused on early 19th century immigrants in the Northeast United States, with a particular emphasis on Iri...
Behind the Scenes in the Mineralogy Collection
Published January 14, 2016 | Mineralogy
From rocks to gems to minerals, there are thousands of specimens in the Museum's mineralogy collection. "Every mineral can tell you a story," says Dr. Marian Lupulescu, curator of geology at the State Museum. Many New York pegmatite rock minera...
The Stratigraphy of the Million Dollar Beach Site
Published December 9, 2015 | CRSP
One of the first things archaeologists seek to understand when they are investigating a site is the stratigraphy. This entails both documentary research and ground-truthing through test excavations like shovel test pits (STPs) or small excavation ...
Introduction to Work at the Million Dollar Beach Site
Published December 9, 2015 | CRSP
The Million Dollar Beach Site was identified in August of 2013 during a survey of the area around the DEC parking lot and campground prior to road improvements (see Photo 1). This survey proceeded directly into limited test excavations after the d...
Re-Examining the Earth's Oldest Trees
Published October 9, 2015 | Paleobotany
Did you know that fossils of the Earth's oldest trees are part of the State Museum's collections? In the late 19th century, scientists uncovered evidence of the world's oldest known forest in Gilboa, NY (Schoharie County). Since then, the Museum h...