An excerpt from the essay written by Andrea Wulf, author of “The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World,” for the “Capturing the Cosmos” exhibition brochure Humboldt insisted that traveling provided the knowledge that was needed to understand the natural world. He urged scientists to leave their desks and ...Read More

“Because I have always enjoyed the juxtaposition of architecture and landscape, I see Olana’s carriage roads as architecture. They function the way the windows in Olana’s house do by arranging your position and relationship to the landscape. What is revealed from each window or turn in the road — ...Read More

Elizabeth Schanz, Education Coordinator with Valerie Balint, Associate Curator “We have delicious things all out of our own gardens . . . and wonderful floating islands and such with Mexican dulces with odd names, forms of guava and nougat.” Guest and author Susan Hale writing from Olana, 1884 We ...Read More

By Paul Banks, Interpretive Program Assistant Photo by Amy Hufnagel Did you take a tour of the house at Olana last year? If so, you’re in good company. Last year nearly 28,000 people toured the house. That’s rather impressive when you consider that’s roughly equal to all the ...Read More

By Sean Sawyer, Washburn and Susan Oberwager President Members of The Olana Partnership Board and National Advisory Committee gather for lunch on Olana’s Ridge Road in May 2015. It’s great to have good friends, especially when they are brilliant, worldly, and well-placed AND willing to share their experience ...Read More

Amy Hufnagel, Director of Education “Thank you for showing us Frederic Church’s estate Olana. I liked it when Mark showed us the stone wall and what it looked like before it was fixed. Ms. Amy I really liked the house tour, Church’s art, the views, and the activity when ...Read More

Valerie Balint, Associate Curator Visitors who venture in from the grey and cold for a house tour during these winter months are greeted by the warmth and cheer of a large variety of replica floral arrangements on display throughout the furnished interiors— a touchstone back to the lush, vibrant ...Read More

Rachel Tice, Manager, The Olana Museum Shop “I took Mrs. C. to New York on Tuesday . . . I bought some Persian brass work two rugs a three-tined spear, Persian, an Arabian coffee pot, an Arabian Table, a piece of Persian Embroidery, a Persian Battle Axe, a silk ...Read More

Mark Prezorski, Landscape Curator It’s rare that construction for an Olana landscape restoration project fits so perfectly within one calendar year, but Olana’s Main House Environs project demonstrates what a difference 12 short months can make. The Olana Partnership had been awarded a $343,000 New York State Environmental Protection fund ...Read More

Sean E. Sawyer, Ph.D., Washburn and Susan Oberwager President, The Olana Partnership Next Tuesday evening, November 17, The Olana Partnership will host the Frederic E. Church Award Gala at the Metropolitan Club in New York City. This event has been a year in the planning and requires an extraordinary amount ...Read More