Museum & Library

Located in an early 20th-century masonic temple in the Village of Kinderhook, the CCHS Museum & Library is home to multiple exhibition galleries and the Barbara P. Rielly Memorial Library.

Researchers and the general public are welcome to visit and explore the many aspects of Columbia County’s history in our extensive archive.

Shelved books and genealogical materials are available without an appointment. For access to other resources, such as maps and the historic manuscript and photograph collections, an appointment is required.

Visitor Information

Location: 5 Albany Avenue, Kinderhook, NY 12106

Research Library Hours: Open Monday through Friday by appointment only.

Research Fee: Non-members $35; CCHS members FREE

Museum Hours: Friday – Saturday, 11am-4pm

Admission: Adults $5; free for students, children and CCHS members

What's on at the Museum

On the Birge Hill Farm and on other small farms, families and neighbors worked cheek by jowl to sustain their small, tightly woven communities, until vast changes in technology, industry and society forever altered their rural way of life. 

Library Resources

Research Appointments

CCHS welcomes researchers of all kinds, from authors to students to hobby historians. Tell us a little about the topic you'd like to research in our library, and we'll pull relevant archival materials prior to your arrival.

Research Requests

If you'd rather leave it to the experts, our library staff can help you research genealogy and other topics relating to Columbia County. Research is conducted for each paid request, including those for which CCHS finds little or no information.

What's in the Archive

Before submitting your research or appointment request, learn more about the materials you’ll find in our archive. Having an idea of what materials you’d like to access or what topics you're interested in will help us plan for your project.