Places of Interest in Schenectady, New York

Schenectady, New York, located in the same metropolitan area as Albany, New York, hosts a number of exciting and significant landmarks. According to the official Schenectady, New York website, the area that is currently Schenectady County was settled in 1661 by Dutch settlers, so the area has a remarkably long and brilliant history for a city in the relatively young United States. As the ninth largest city in New York, with a population of just under 62,000, Schenectady is a modern gem that still allows Americans to glimpse the past.

One major spot of interest is Proctor's Theater, which currently serves as an arts center. This historic marvel was built in 1926, and the theater helped Schenectady make history as one of the first locations to have public demonstrations of television. The image was projected from a GE plant about a mile away. The theater now hosts several live attractions, as well as other artistic exhibits. The theater also houses a Wurlitzer pipe organ named "Goldie".

The Schenectady Museum and Suits-Bueche Planetarium cater to the interests of individuals of all ages. The museum features several exhibits in the scientific department, but the available exhibits tend to cover a fairly unique range of topics. For example, the museum is currently hosting exhibits on the science of baseball, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, and the roles of chemistry in everyday life. The museum is usually open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10AM to 5PM. Entrance to the museum is relatively inexpensive, but does not include the cost of exploring the planetarium. On the other hand, the still inexpensive entrance fee to the planetarium does include admission to the main museum.