Hours & Location

Location

The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is located at 218 Spring Street, near the western entrance to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, in the village of Catskill, New York, at the foot of the Catskill Mountains in the Hudson Valley. See below for driving directions.

Hours 

The Main House and Studio are open by guided tour. From the first Saturday in May through the last  Sunday in October, tours are offered Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10 am-4 pm. (Please note: Our last tour begins at 3 pm.) Tours are offered at other times by appointment. Please note our last day for walk-in tours for 2009 was Sunday October 25. We are open only by appointment until May 2010. Please see our group tours page about arranging a tour during the winter months.

Tours

Tours of the Main House begin approximately every hour on a first-come-first-served basis. Tours last about 50 minutes, and each tour is limited to approximately 12 people.

Group tours are welcome by advance appointment by calling 518-943-7465 or use our online form.

Admission

Admission to the Main House and Old Studio is by guided tour and tickets can be purchased in the Visitor Center.

• Tickets are $9 per person during regular open hours.
• Seniors over 62 and students with ID are $7 per person.
• For information about groups admission click here.

Admission to the grounds is free of charge.

Directions

By Train

Take Amtrak to the Hudson train station, which is two hours from New York City's Pennsylvania Station. A taxi stand is across the street from the Hudson station. Ask for the Thomas Cole Historic Site, 218 Spring Street, Catskill. The taxi ride is approximately ten minutes.

By Car

From New York City or Albany: Take NYS Thruway (I-87) to exit 21 (Catskill). Make a left at the traffic light, then proceed 1,000 feet and make a left onto Route 23 East. Proceed 2 miles and make a right at the light onto Spring Street (Route 385). The Thomas Cole Historic Site is immediately on the left. (Use the shared driveway with Temple Israel).

From Points West: Take Route 23 East. Just before the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, make a right at the light onto Spring Street (Route 385). The Thomas Cole Historic Site is immediately on the left. (Use the shared driveway with Temple Israel.)

From Points East: Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to the NYS Thruway (Route 90 West) to exit 2B (Taconic Pkwy.) Take Taconic Parkway South to Route 23 West. Continue on Route 23 West and cross the Hudson River over The Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Make a left at the first light at the intersection of Route 23 and Route 385 (Spring Street). The Thomas Cole Historic Site is immediately on the left. (Use the shared driveway with Temple Israel.)

OR:

Take the Taconic Parkway North to the Hudson Exit (Route 82 North) to Route 23 West. (Note: Route 82 also crosses the Taconic further south. Do not take Route 82 until you see the sign for Hudson.) Cross the Hudson River over The Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Make a left at the first light at the intersection of Route 23 and Route 385 (Spring Street). The Thomas Cole Historic Site is immediately on the left. (Use the shared driveway with Temple Israel.)