New York State Museum

The oldest and largest state museum in the country occupies the lower floors of the Cultural Education Center on the Empire State Plaza in Albany. Its wide-ranging exhibits cover the natural history, geology, and human story of New York, from mastodon skeletons and Adirondack wildlife dioramas to Iroquois culture and the growth of New York City. A permanent memorial gallery documents the September 11 attacks, displaying a recovered fire truck. A restored antique carousel operates on the top floor, making the free museum popular with families.