Shaker Heritage Society

The Shaker community has always been one of my favorite destinations. So quiet amongst the busyness of the world around it. It really is a sanctuary. Nice place to explore with your pup. Beautiful little piece of Albany history. If only this Catalpa tree could talk 🌳🪾

If you enjoy history museums, then I would definitely recommend visiting here. You have an opportunity to walk around outside checking out the buildings, garden, and learning more about how the Shakers lived. We were lucky enough to be visiting the area from out of state when they had their annual Market going on. The Christmas Market provided a variety of handcrafted gifts but you also see and read more history about the Shakers. Inside where the market is held, I paid attention to pictures on the wall, artifacts from their past, and even the architecture of the meeting house. The staff were all so friendly and engaging that my husband and I enjoyed our time there and we shopped more than we planned, lol! Also of note, the bathrooms, which had been updated, were very clean as well as accessible. I was happy to find the entrance inside the market was a ramp which made it much easier to navigate with my cane. Again, I'm happy I looked this up and decided to check it out!

I had a wonderful time visiting this beautiful historical site. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, sharing fascinating stories about the Shakers' history. If you have the chance, be sure to also visit the nearby Shaker cemetery, which is a truly unique and meaningful experience.

Beautiful spot right near the airport (which apparently is built on Shaker land). Saw some huge heritage turkeys. Kinda stumbled on this place going for a walk behind the hotel near the airport. I was trying to get to the Ann Lee pond...finding the rest was a treat! It was closed when I visited but I was able to walk around the property anyways.

A very enjoyable walk while learning how the shakers community lived. Each building tells the story through an audio recording. Anne Lee pound is part of the walk and behind it there are easy trails. It is like a mini oasis in the city, right next to the airport and behind wolf road one of the main streets in Colonie. Old brick buildings full of history, the gift shop sell traditional items and in the summer they have outdoor theater and art and craft fairs.

Updated 6/11/25 for corrections after the facility commented. Interesting to see what's left of the Shaker Community facilities. The reconstructed Meeting House (2006) is one if three building one can visit. It has historical displays and a video in one of the rooms. During the fall, the Heritage Society hosts a craft and arts fair over many days. These fairs are good times to visit. Parking is on gravel lots. Entrance is up the ramp at the far side of the building (i.e. second parking lot one comes to) and exit is out the front. There is a restroom. This facility is a great place to learn about the impacts of one of the most innovative utopian communal living communities that made a home in NY state north of NYC. The history of these communities in NYS is fascinating.

Simplicity, harmony and utility. A community of clean lines and avoidance of clutter&veneers. Minimalist design with least intrusion/corruption of nature is the Shaker philosophy guiding this village. All of the current eco minded folks should use this model. Definitely has LEED sustainable potential.

Great space to walk around in any weather. They also have art shows and other events. Have been coming here for a while and it's a great place to bring out of town guests as it is a nice spot to walk around for all ages & abilities! They have craft fairs and many vendors come out, great space!

First Shaker town. Part of Wisdom Valley. The Shakers are a religion that lived communally and that separated boys and girls: girls were taught in summer, boys winter (cold schools). Shakers are traced back to this colony! Review: 5

We visited here twice when we were in Albany this Fall. On our first visit, we toured the grounds, which are beautiful, and learned some cool facts from the interpretive signs. On the second visit, we checked out the holiday craft market featuring over 90 vendors including purveyors of mushrooms, coffee, cheeses and tons of hand made table linens and crafts. Some great finds here included mushroom seasoning, ginger jams, and some rare treats from their heavily discounted "attic" section which was super fun to browse. I picked up two cool, old style cookbooks from here for just a couple dollars.

Well despite coming here to Albany for such a short time out of disappointment in regards to my family who never told me that they wanted to stay here shortly I had left them alone and went my own way to this Shaker heritage community unfortunately they are closed on Monday and Tuesday and originally I was supposed to go to Cleveland for at least going to the arboretum down there in Cleveland no they want to go over here and stores are closed anyways this looks like a good place to check out I would come back here again but without my family since I like the quaintness of state capital Albany in upstate New York other than that not much I could say I like how they have this rare cow that they raise here that's almost extinct chickens and how they educate you about the Shakers since they don't live a life of producing but rather of the celibate life in Christianity from the days of George Washington and the American revolution. That is what I learned about this place unfortunately I couldn't go to the museum because it was closed on Monday

For the historically minded this is a wonderful visit. The Shakers are a historical group that had more effect on our styles and thinking of today than most realize. Well worth the time for a visit.

I was here recently with my wife for a craft fair, but the weather was lovely and we were able to stroll around the grounds and into several of their buildings. The property was kept in immaculate condition and despite the heat their herb garden seemed to be tolerating the temperatures just fine. There were no weeds to speak of and it too was in pristine condition. Though we didn't go on any official tours of the buildings, there were informational brochures and captions on various key parts of the architecture and I was able to learn a bit about their culture. I really can't believe that it was about a mile from the airport and a couple miles from our house and yet I had never even heard of it before. I can see why it would be a wonderful place to host a wedding. I will keep my eye out for guided tours of the grounds in the future, as I bet they would be interesting too.

This is a great place for a stroll, or you can dig a little deeper and learn about the Shakers, a religious sect who lived here. Great old buildings and barns, and a fantastic herb garden (the herbs are labeled with their names and medicinal uses). You can explore the grounds and garden any time you like. (To see the inside of the buildings, arrive during the hours posted on the website.) You can still feel the spiritual power in the meeting house. There's also a sweet little gift shop with books on the Shakers and various Shaker crafts for sale. (They hold high quality craft fairs for local crafters several times during the year, which are worth attending.) A really unique place and culture, and part of what makes this area so great. Will be enjoyed by anyone interested in uncluttered design, or spirituality, or early attempts at gender equality (advocated by founder Mother Ann Lee).

Highly recommend this small but informative heritage site. The well-preserved meeting house serves as a gateway into an all but dead Christian sect (there's only three members left as of this writing). The Shakers were called such due their shaking, trembling and quivering during times of extreme spiritual connection. Interestingly, marriage and procreation was prohibited; the Shakers relied on converts joining the sect to increase numbers. It isn't surprising then that the religion has quietly dwindled in membership over time. They were, however, advocates for racial and gender equality so in the early 1800s the religion was a haven for orphans, widows, and other societal cast offs. The heritage site has photos showing diversity and tolerance quite unusual for that time. There was a wedding in progress when I was there, so I wasn't able to see the herb garden, but I plan to return during the craft fair in a few weeks. I really enjoyed talking to the docent; she was very knowledgeable. The cat, William, is very friendly and jumped into my lap while watching the introductory video. The textiles, looms, and chairs were fascinating and on display. There's a lot of history to absorb here and while the grounds are open for exploration, the other buildings are not. The gift shop is very unique and offers locally made lotions and soaps. No entrance fee but donations are accepted.

Amazing herb garden. Way beyond any I have seen. So cool. Their are many buildings and one main one is where they teach about the history of this interesting sect. It is not a current Shaker site. It is a well preserved historic site. Great stop if you are a couple hours early for your flight.

I only visited the barn section of the Shaker Heritage Society and it was only for a wedding, not for history or tourism, but I must say it was a nice experience. Very spacious and simple layout allowed for multiple table settings, a food station with beer and pizza and a stage for a live band. The open air aspect was also great on a comfortable summer evening. Initially, I will admit I questioned the wedding in the barn but afterward would definitely recommend it to others looking for a simple and great way to tie the knot!