Saratoga Springs History Museum has occupied the Canfield Casino since 1911. This institution began in October 1883 as “The Historical Society of Saratoga, including the Upper Hudson, Lake George and Lake Champlain,” and its first president was Joseph William Drexel. The Casino itself was built in 1870, and the museum has occupied these rooms since 1911, welcoming visitors year round.
Inside, you’ll find a cultural history of Saratoga Springs: large collections of historical documents, photographs, artworks, and objects that tell the city’s story. The museum’s permanent holdings are supported by changing temporary exhibits, and they are open to both researchers and the general public. Pay particular attention to the photography holdings: the Bolster Collection gathers historic photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries, and the George S. Bolster Collection alone encompasses 375,000 negatives taken in and around the city from 1855 to 1980.
The museum also incorporates the Walworth Memorial Museum, with objects and records from the family of Reuben Hyde Walworth. Notice the Bolster Collection's photographs, and picture the 375,000 negatives that trace this city from 1855 to 1980.