Schuyler Mansion, Albany

We had such an amazing tour! Our guide was super informative and engaging. My daughter was really interested in “the Schuyler sisters” so she told us a lot about the daughters and incorporated references to Hamilton throughout the tour. She was also incredibly knowledgeable about the enslaved people living and working there, and brought their names and stories into the tour as well. The grounds are beautiful and we were able to have a picnic lunch before our tour. A definite must-see!!!

The Schuyler Mansion is a unique look into Albany's historic past. The mansion was home to Philip Schuyler, his wife Catherine Van Rensselaer, and their children. When the mansion was constructed it was the largest residence in Albany, as well as the first building you would see from a ship on the Hudson River. Philip's wife Catherine, came from one of the richest families in all of American history. The mansion tour starts off in the visitors center where they have a model of what the estate looked like when it was constructed in the 1700's. The also have some artifacts from the mansion such as Schuyler's shoes. Once inside the mansion you will find that was it was well laid out with very spacious rooms for the time. Many rooms are also very brightly colored. Many important guests stayed in the mansion including George Washington, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and Benedict Arnold. The tour guide did a good job describing the history and significance of each room. The guide also talked a good deal about Philip Schuyler's personal history, role in the American Revolution, and time as a US Senator. The tour lasted about an hour. Tour was different in that you would examine the rooms on your own first than the guide would describe them to you. If in Albany this is a must see.