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Path Through History Themes

Discover Historical Interests From Arts & Culture To The Revolutionary War

You don't have to be a historian to appreciate New York State's rich heritage. Path Through History themes help you find the destinations that inspire you, so you can discover attractions according to your own personal interests.

Along the Arts & Culture Path Through History, you'll discover the New York artists, writers, and performers who have always been at the forefront of American culture, like Lucille Ball, Walt Whitman, Louis Armstrong, and Thomas Cole. In addition to being the home of pioneering artists, New York State has long been a champion of the arts. One of the United States' oldest public arts institutions, the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, operators of the Albright-Knox Arts Gallery, was founded in December 1862, ranking it among the nation's oldest public arts institutions.

Explore New York's Colonial History along the Path, with stops at museums and historic homes. At many destinations, such as the Genesee Country Village and Museum (one of the largest living history museums in the United States), costumed guides are on hand to help visitors learn more about our nation's earliest struggles to forge a uniquely American identity. Nature lovers following the Path's Natural History theme will fall in love with New York's spectacular landscapes and scenic beauty, from the Hudson Valley to Niagara Falls.

Six New Yorkers have become President of the United States and history buffs can experience presidential history here like nowhere else. You'll find a wealth of Presidential history along the Path, from Long Island to Buffalo, like the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum in Hyde Park, the first presidential library, and the only one used by its namesake while in office.

These are but a few of the Path Through History's distinct themes. Forge your own Path Through History today.

  • The I Love Lucy Mural in Jamestown

    Arts & Culture

    Artists, writers, and performers at the forefront of American culture.   more

  • A boat sailing along the Erie Canal in Pittsford, NY

    Canals

    From scenic railroads to canal cruises, New York is continually moving goods and people. more

  • A building on the grounds of the John Brown Farm State Historic Site

    Equal Rights

    Equal rights history is brought to life in NYS for all who celebrate liberty and justice. more

  • A cannon pointed into a field at the Saratoga National Historical Park

    Colonial History

    Find out more about New York's rich colonial history through museums and historic homes.  more

  • A photo of the interior of Ellis Island

    Immigration

    The Empire State has been at the center of the American immigrant experience. more

  • A photo of the exterior of Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House after its full restoration

    Innovation

    Learn more about New York's innovators through historic mansions and estates!  more

  • Native American Sculpture at Ganondagan State Historic Site

    Native Americans

    Discover more about Indian nations through art, artifacts, and more.  more

  • A rainbow seen through a waterfall at Watkins Glen State Park

    Natural History

    New York State is shaped by so many natural wonders, landscapes, and picturesque vistas! more

  • Fort Ticonderoga

    Revolutionary War

    Learn of America's independence through the courage of New York's men and women.  more

  • Early Morning workout at Saratoga Race Course

    Sports History

    Explore racetracks, thoroughbred horses, and sporting venues that shape American history! more

  • The exterior of Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site on a fall day

    US Presidents

    New York State has presidential history like nowhere else! more

  • Two cannons resting on the field at Sackets Harbor Historic Site with a house and out-house in the background

    War of 1812

    Historic sites from forts to battlefields to museums can be visited across the state.   more

  • When Anthony Met Stanton statue. Photograph by Ethan LaCroix

    Women's Rights

    New York fueled the momentum for the entire nation to pass women's suffrage in 1920. more

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