From January 11 to February 23, 2020, the Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to host “Water/Ways,” a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution’s Museums on Main Street program. “Water/Ways” explores the ways in which water affects our everyday lives. From its influence on settlement patterns and religious beliefs to our modern reliance on access to abundant, clean, inexpensive drinking water, water often plays a hidden role in our society. “Water/Ways” asks us to make connections between ourselves, our local waters, and each other. With the role of the Hudson River and its tributaries at the heart of our mission, the Hudson River Maritime Museum will host a series of events and programs which take the themes of “Water/Ways” and invite you to explore them in a local context.
January 11 through February 23, 2020
Water/Ways will be at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, NY from Saturday, January 11 through Sunday, February 23, 2020. During this time the museum will return to a 7 day a week schedule open to the public. All museum exhibits will be open and included with admission at this time.
SPECIAL OPEN SCHEDULE: Monday - 11 am to 5 pm Tuesday - 11 am to 5 pm Wednesday - 11 am to 5 pm Thursday - 11 am to 5 pm Friday - 11 am to 5 pm Saturday - 11 am to 5 pm Sunday - 11 am to 5 pm
GENERAL ADMISSION: Adults - $9 Seniors (62+) - $6 Children (5-18) - $5 Family Rate - $25 Children (0-4) - FREE HRMM Members - FREE CAMM Members - FREE Active-Duty Military and their families - FREE
Events
The following special events support the Water/Ways exhibit at the Hudson River Maritime Museum.
Water/Ways Opening Reception January 11 | 4PM to 6PM Join us for an exhibit preview on Saturday, January 11, 2020 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m for a special exhibit preview on Water/ Ways, a Smithsonian Museums on Main Street exhibition. Tickets are free for museum members and $10.00 for general admission. Tickets include wine and light refreshments. Lecture: What Is A Waterway Anyway? January 18 | 2PM to 4PM Waterways have played a major role in shaping the history of New York State, but what is a waterway exactly? Looking at a handful of examples of ‘natural’ and ‘unnatural,’ or built, waterways, Daniel Rinn invites the audience to consider the myriad ways nature shapes, and is shaped by human culture. This program supports the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit, Water/Ways. Register Now
Volunteer Open House January 20 | 11AM to 4PM Learn about volunteer opportunities at HRMM, Riverkeeper and Clearwater. Training & information sessions throughout the day. This program supports the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit, Water/Ways. Register Now
Museum Mates: Thomas Cole & The Hudson River School January 26 | 1PM to 3PM Learn to paint like a master! Thomas Cole, a founder of the Hudson River School of painting, was famous for his river landscapes. Children will learn basic painting techniques and create their own work of art. Free for museum members household and above; $5 general admission. This program supports the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit, Water/Ways. Register Now
Guided Tour of Water/Ways Exhibit January 31 | 1 PM A museum docent will be on hand to give tours or answer questions about the Water/Ways exhibit. This tour is included with regular museum admission. Advance registration is not required.
Guided Tour of Water/Ways Exhibit February 7 | 1 PM A museum docent will be on hand to give tours or answer questions about the Water/Ways exhibit. This tour is included with regular museum admission. Advance registration is not required.
Ashokan Reservoir Trail Hike February 9 | 12PM to 1PM FREE EVENT Join the Hudson River Maritime Museum and NYC DEP Bureau of Water Supply Director of Public Affairs, Adam Bosch, for a walk-and-talk along the Ashokan Reservoir Trail. Participants will learn about the reservoir, it’s role in the largest water system in the United States, and an overview of New York City’s work to operate, maintain and protect the reservoir for generations to come. Following the Trail Hike, there will be a concert held at The Ashokan Center with performances by Jay Ungar & Molly Mason AND Betty & the Baby Boomers (see below). Register for the hike now.
Water/Ways Concert at the Ashokan Center February 9 | 3PM to 5:30PM Join us for this exciting live concert celebrating water and the Hudson River at the Ashokan Center, featuring Jay Ungar & Molly Mason AND Betty & the Baby Boomers as well as an abbreviated showing of the documentary film "Deep Water," with commentary by filmmaker Tobe Carey. Register Now. Guided Tour of Water/Ways Exhibit February 14 | 1 PM A museum docent will be on hand to give tours or answer questions about the Water/Ways exhibit. This tour is included with regular museum admission. Advance registration is not required.
Record Your Water Story! Folklorist in Residence February 15 | 1 PM to 5 PM Folklorist Elinor Levy will be on duty in the museum to record your water story! All recorded stories will be submitted to the Smithsonian Institute's Museum on Main Street Program. Select stories may be chosen for feature in the exhibit!
Museum Mates: Miniature Boat Building February 16 | 1PM to 3PM Learn the basics of model making by building your own miniature boat. Children will design and build a mini boat. Free for museum members household and above; $5 general admission. This program supports the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit, Water/Ways. Register Now
A Presidential History of Water February 17 | 2PM to 3PM Family-friendly presentation on how American Presidents have influenced water held in Smithsonian Water/Ways Exhibit. Free for museum members; $7 for general admission. This program supports the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit, Water/Ways. Register Now
Guided Tour of Water/Ways Exhibit February 21 | 1 PM A museum docent will be on hand to give tours or answer questions about the Water/Ways exhibit. This tour is included with regular museum admission. Advance registration is not required.
Lecture: ‘Idylls of the Imagination: American Landscape Painting and the Shape of Memory’ February 22 | 2PM Author Raymond Frizwell traces the history of landscape painting as it slowly evolved in the United States—arising first as a decorative art, to then become the central defining element in our growing sense of national identity. Touching on the Hudson River School to the Modern era, Frizwell charts the changes in perceptions of landscape painting, the influence of historical events, and how landscape paintings ultimately came to influence our national consciousness. This program supports the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit, Water/Ways. Register Now
Smithsonian Museums on Main Street Program
Water/Ways is part of the Smithsonian’s Think Water Initiative to raise awareness of water as a critical resource for life through exhibitions, educational resources and public programs. Inaugural funding for the New York State tour was provided by the Smithsonian Institution, Hadley Exhibits, Inc., the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, and the New York State Canal Corporation.
Water/Ways was inspired by an exhibition organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org), and the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul (www.smm.org), in collaboration with Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland; The Field Museum, Chicago; Instituto Sangari, Sao Paulo, Brazil; National Museum of Australia, Canberra; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada; San Diego Natural History Museum; and Science Centre Singapore with PUB Singapore.
The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils and museum associations across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about Water/Ways and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org. The public can participate in the conversation on social media at #thinkWater.