Part of the Senate House State Historic Site in Kingston, this 1927 colonial revival building houses a modest collection of 18th- and 19th-century artifacts, a large collection of paintings by local artist John Vanderlyn (the first American painter to study art in Paris), and historical displays on the founding of European settlements at Kingston. Free guided tours are included with admission, offered on the half-hour. The pleasant grounds also make a nice spot for a picnic lunch.
The Senate House, a smaller building next door, was a private residence built in 1676 that became part of New York state history when it served for a while as the state senate's meeting place. At the time of research it was undergoing repair and asbestos abatement work and closed off to visitors for the foreseeable future (though the tour lets you peek in the windows). Loughran House, another building on the property, has a scale model of senate house and other colonial-era artifacts that are part of the guided tour.
