Arts & Culture

Well-Dressed In Victorian Albany At The Albany Institute

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Sarah LaDuke

Published March 19, 2018 at 11:12 AM EDT

Victorian dresses on display at The Albany Institute of History and Art

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Well-Dressed in Victorian Albany: 19th Century Fashion from the Albany Institute Collection

Courtesy of the Albany Institute of History & Art

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Well-Dressed in Victorian Albany: 19th Century Fashion from the Albany Institute Collection

Courtesy of the Albany Institute of History & Art

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Well-Dressed in Victorian Albany: 19th Century Fashion from the Albany Institute Collection

Courtesy of the Albany Institute of History & Art

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Well-Dressed in Victorian Albany: 19th Century Fashion from the Albany Institute Collection

Courtesy of the Albany Institute of History & Art

Spanning more than 250 years, from the mid-eighteenth century to the present, the Albany Institute of History & Arts’ costume collection includes more than 4,000 garments and accessories that were used or worn by upstate New Yorkers of all ages, social classes, economic conditions, and cultural groups.

To celebrate and display some of that collection, they’ve created the exhibition “Well-Dressed in Victorian Albany: 19th Century Fashion from the Albany Institute Collection.”

From wedding gowns to walking suits, the garments featured in the exhibition reflect the changes in styles during the reign of the British monarch, Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. “Well-Dressed in Victorian Albany” is on view through May 20. Diane Shewchuk, curator at The Albany Institute, hosts this audio tour.