Guided Tours
The Gateway is pleased to offer you guided tours during the months of May, June, July, August, September and October.
- All guided tours require reservations which can be submitted by telephone (518-274-5267) or via email (carroll@rpi.edu).
- Further information and directions will be provided after the reservations are confirmed.
- Gateway members always get a $2 discount of the posted price of any tour.
- Children under 12 are free (except on bus tours) and must be accompanied by parent or guardian.
- The Gateway reserves the right to change, reschedule, or cancel any tour if conditions require.
Watervliet Arsenal, May 13, 10:00am, 2 hrs. Get a rare glimpse into some of the usually off-limits parts of this architectural gem, maker of the largest cannon ever made for the American Military. Jointly sponsored with the Historic Albany Foundation and the Turpin Bannister Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians. Free!
Troy’s Tiffany Trail, May 20, 10:00am, 1.5 hrs. A spring version of our always-sold-out September favorite. (See the September 23 tour for details). Offered as part of a three-hour open house at various downtown sites that have Tiffany items to show. Jointly sponsored with the City of Troy, the Rensselaer County Historical Society, Rensselaer County Tourism, Russell Sage College, St. John's Episcopal Church, St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and the Troy Public Library. Limited capacity, so reserve early. Free, but we strongly encourage you to make donations along the way to the maintenance funds of the sites we visit.
Lansingburgh, June 3, 10:00am, 1 hr. Join Troy native Mickey Mahar for an informative walk in the springtime around this historic community, now a part of Troy but once its own municipality with a rich history. $8.
Downtown Troy's Secret Places, June 24, 10:00am, 1.5 hrs. Let Washington Park resident Jeanne Keefe escort you to some of the out-of-the-way backyard gardens and architectural sights that only insiders know. $8.
Troy's Washington Park at Twilight, June 28, 6:00pm, 1.5 hrs. Spend a balmy summer evening in a favorite spot for filmmakers as we stroll past the homes of many famous Troy industrialists and inspect one of only two privately-owned urban parks in the nation. $8.
Classical Architecture in Downtown Troy, July 8, 10:00am, 1 hr. Deepen your appreciation of Troy's spectacular architecture by accompanying Susan Griswold Blandy as she focuses on the examples of Greek Revival and other classical styles in the downtown area. $8.
Gurley Precision Instruments, July 12, 10:00am, 1 hr. Gateway trustee Bill Skerritt is nationally known for his expertise in the history of surveying instruments. Let him guide you through the most important manufacturer of surveying instruments in the history of the United States. $8.
Origins of the Modern Horseshoe, August 22, 10:00am, 2 hrs. The modern machine-made horseshoe was invented in South Troy, and by the late 19th century this historic site was producing nearly a million horseshoes a week, powered in part my the most powerful vertical water wheel in history. Learn about the transition from blacksmith to machine, including a demonstration of a working model of Henry Burden's first horseshoe making machine, a tour of the Burden Iron Works Museum, and an options hike in the woods to the wheel site. $8.
Attend the Gateway's annual Gala during September. Call or email for details.
Ross Valve Manufacturing Co., September 13, 10:00am, 1 hr. Watch the firm that cast the valves for the locks on the Panama Canal, as well as most of the valves used in North America's municipal water systems, as they continue to make their world-famous products in their century-old site. $8.
Oakwood Cemetery North of the Lakes, September 16, 10:00am, 1.5 hrs. Back by popular demand. Not your usual Oakwood tour. Usher in the autumn by inspecting the northern section of this famous garden cemetery, where we'll concentrate on the plots of industrialists such as the Burdens, the Gilberts, the Griswolds, the Gurleys, the Harts, and the Ides. We'll start of course with our usual peek inside the opulent Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel and Crematorium. Jointly sponsored with Friends of Oakwood Cemetery and Rensselaer County Historical Society. $8.
Troy’s Tiffany Treasures, September 23, 9:30am, 1.5 hrs. One of our most popular tours of all time. Tory may well have more Tiffany windows per square mile than any other city in the nation. Let our resident expert on the subject describe the life's work of Louis C. Tiffany and then guide you on a walking tour of the abundant Tiffany windows and interior designs in downtown Troy. Always sells out, so be sure to reserve early. $8.
Fall Foliage Brunch and Bus Tour of the Erie Canal and the Squire Whipple Bridges, October 14, 9:00am, 7 hrs. Offered in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal. View the fall foliage from a comfortable, air-conditioned bus, consume a delicious brunch, see curious and little-known vestiges of a bygone era as we trace the original route of the Erie Canal from Watervliet to Rexford, and see at least two of the area's remaining Squire Whipple truss bridges from the early 19th century. Limited capacity, so sign up early. $49 (includes tour, bus, brunch, and all materials). Paid reservations strongly recommended by October 1.
