Schenectady County Historical Society

What Schenectady County Historical Society does

Schenectady County Historical Society (SCHS) is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution founded in 1905 to preserve and interpret the history of Schenectady County, New York. The organization operates three historic sites: the Mabee Farm Historic Site in Rotterdam Junction (the oldest farm in the Mohawk Valley, settled in 1705, with an 18th-century Dutch Barn), the Museum & Library at 32 Washington Avenue in the Stockade Historic District (housing the Grems-Doolittle Library with 6,000+ books, 30,000 photographs, 750 maps, and 2,000+ linear feet of archival records), and Brouwer House Creative (a 1730s colonial home hosting artist studios). SCHS draws approximately 40,000+ visitors annually and reaches 1.5 million through online impressions.

The organization's revenue model is diversified across earned and contributed streams: tiered memberships ($35-$1,000 annual), admissions ($8 museum, $10 Mabee Farm), corporate sponsorships ($150-$3,000), individual donations, the Lockkeeper monthly giving program, the 1661 Society planned giving initiative, event venue rentals ($2,300 for Dutch Barn weddings), gift shop sales, research fees ($10-$35/hour), and grants from IMLS, NEH, and the New York State Documentary Heritage Program. Go-to-market is event-driven and community-focused, leveraging festivals (Independence Day, FallFest, Festival of Trees, Arts and Crafts), the multi-year America250 semiquincentennial programming (2024-2027), K-12 school field trips aligned with NYS standards, outreach presentations ($100 each), and Wine and Walk historical tours. Customer segments range from individual members and visitors to school groups, genealogists, wedding parties, corporate sponsors, and low-income families served through the Museums for All program. The organization is governed by a 19-member Board of Trustees and staffed by a six-person team led by Executive Director Mary Zawacki Graves.

SCHS participates in reciprocal museum networks (Empire State Museums Reciprocal Program with 30+ museums; NARM Association with 1,300+ museums), strategic partnerships with national institutions (National Endowment for the Humanities, Museum of the American Revolution, American Friends of Lafayette), and community collaborations (Siena College, NorthEast Theatre Ensemble, C.O.C.O.A. House, Schenectady County government). Current strategic priorities include the African American Historical Records Project, the Sankofa Youth Collective employment program, and the semiquincentennial commemorative programming scheduled through 2027.

Name

Schenectady County Historical Society

Legal name

Schenectady County Historical Society

Website

https://schenectadyhistorical.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Schenectady County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1905 that preserves and interprets Schenectady County history through three historic sites, a museum, library, educational programs, festivals, and community events serving local residents, school groups, researchers, and event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Society and Museum Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Libraries and Archives (51921)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), History Museums (THAJADAB)

Keywords

• Historical society services
• Museum and library
• Cultural preservation
• Genealogy research
• Heritage education

Headquarters

HQ city

Schenectady

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues at multiple levels (Individual $35, Family $65, Sponsor $100, Benefactor $350, Patron $1,000) providing free admission, reciprocal museum benefits, and exclusive access
2. Site Admission: Admission fees for Museum ($8) and Mabee Farm ($10); free for members, children, students with ID
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships at Platinum ($3,000), Gold ($1,000), and Business ($150) levels with marketing benefits
4. Donations: Individual donations, Lockkeeper monthly giving program, and bequests/wills through the 1661 Society planned giving program
5. Site Rental: Wedding and event venue rentals at Mabee Farm including Dutch Barn ($2,300), pavilion ($35/hour), lecture hall/conference room ($35/hour)
6. Research Services: Library research fees including $10 for look-ups, $35/hour for comprehensive research, scanning services ($15-20/image), and photocopying ($0.50/page)
7. Gift Shop Sales: Sales from gift shops at Museum and Library locations; 10% discount for members

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Schenectady County Historical Society is a private nonprofit institution that preserves and shares Schenectady County history through three historic sites (the Museum & Library in the Stockade Historic District, Mabee Farm Historic Site, and Brouwer House Creative). It offers exhibitions, educational programs for K-12 students, genealogical and archival research services, community events and festivals, wedding and event venue rentals, and a tiered membership program with reciprocal admission benefits.

Product overview

The Schenectady County Historical Society operates as a unified suite of museum, library, and historic site services rather than a modular product platform. The core offerings include three physical sites: the Museum & Library in the Stockade Historic District (housing the Grems-Doolittle Library and exhibitions), Mabee Farm Historic Site (the oldest Mohawk Valley farm dating to 1705 with Dutch Barn venue), and Brouwer House Creative (artist studios in a 1730s colonial home). Supporting services include school programs aligned with NYS standards, library and genealogical research services, outreach presentations, and the African American Historical Records Project. The society also operates public event programming (Wine and Walk tours, concerts, kayak tours), site rentals for weddings and events, special festivals, and digital collections accessible online. Membership provides tiered benefits with reciprocal museum access through the Empire State and NARM programs. The Museums for All initiative offers free admission to SNAP beneficiaries. As a nonprofit founded in 1905, the organization does not offer API products, SDKs, or technology integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 1661 Society: Planned giving society named for the year Schenectady was settled, recognizing donors who leave a lasting legacy to SCHS through estate plans.
• Lockkeepers

Products and services

• Museum & Library

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ annual visitors across all sites
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Siena CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner in 'A Turning of the Tide' immersive theater event at Mabee Farm (May 2026), exploring the Battle of Saratoga era from multiple perspectives including women, Black Americans, Hessian mercenaries, and Shakers.
• NorthEast Theatre EnsemblemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-presenter of 'A Turning of the Tide' immersive, site-specific theater event at Mabee Farm exploring the American Revolution from multiple perspectives.
• Museum of the American RevolutionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026SCHS's original Liberty Flag (believed carried by a New York regiment in the Revolutionary War) is on loan to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. It will return for the U.S. Semiquincentennial in 2026.
• American Friends of LafayetteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024National organization coordinating 200th anniversary commemoration of Lafayette's 1824-1825 tour of the United States. SCHS hosted 'Schenectady Welcomes Lafayette' event tracing Lafayette's exact steps.
• The McCormick Center at Siena UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-sponsored the '10 Things You Didn't Know About the American Revolution' lecture event bringing together ten scholars for rapid-fire presentations.
• C.O.C.O.A. HouseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Community partner supporting the Sankofa Youth Collective, a youth employment program working on the African American Historical Records Project through oral history interviews and digitization.
• Schenectady County Connects Youth Summer Employment ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Program connecting young people (Elijah Powell, Mi'kala Moore, Jacob Jamison, and Silas Harvard) to the Sankofa Youth Collective and African American Historical Records Project.
• Museums for All / Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCHS participates in Museums for All, a signature access program of IMLS that provides $0 admission for SNAP/EBT recipients (up to 4 people). This partnership supports SCHS' commitment to inclusive audiences and broadens access to cultural programming.
• Schenectady CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchenectady County provides funding support for the African American Historical Records Project survey phase, alongside IMLS. County also sponsors the annual Independence Day Celebration at Mabee Farm.
• Empire State Museums Reciprocal ProgramcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSCHS is part of a reciprocal admission network with 30+ participating museums across New York State. All SCHS members receive free general admission to participating museums in this program.
• North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSCHS members at Sponsor level and above receive free admission to 1,300+ museums and historic sites across North America through NARM membership.
• Aspire SustainabilityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Howlin at the Moon outdoor concert series at Mabee Farm's 1760 Dutch Barn, supporting regional music programming.
• Rivers Casino & ResortminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of FallFest at Mabee Farm, Schenectady's celebration of fall activities expected to draw 3,000+ visitors.
• Sankofa Youth Collective Advisory CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity advisory committee including Miki Conn, Sophia Delamar, Philip Fields, Julia Holcomb, Johan Matthews, Adonis Richards, William Rivas, Sarah Schmidt, and Walter Simpkins guiding the African American Historical Records Project.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Albany Institute of History & Art: Larger Capital Region historical institution with broader collections, museum, library, and exhibition programming. Operates over a wider geographic scope and offers overlapping but more expansive programming.
• Old Sturbridge Village: Massive living-history museum in Massachusetts focused on early 19th-century rural New England life. Comparable to Mabee Farm's living-history programming model but at vastly larger scale.

Regional players

• Fenimore Art Museum: Cooperstown-based museum with art, history, and folk art collections. Operates within the same New York State museum and cultural-tourism ecosystem as SCHS.
• Genesee Country Village & Museum: New York State living-history village in Caledonia with 19th-century buildings, gardens, and costumed interpreters. Comparable to the Mabee Farm / Dutch Barn living history experience within New York.
• Farmers' Museum (Cooperstown): Living-history site in Cooperstown focused on 19th-century rural New York life. Comparable in mission to Mabee Farm's living-history programming and serves a similar upstate New York audience.

Emerging players

• Historic Deerfield: Preserved 18th- and 19th-century New England village with museum and educational programming. Comparable to SCHS's multi-property historic preservation model, though at a more developed (and donor-funded) scale.

Direct peers

• Erie Canal Museum: Syracuse-based museum preserving the history of the Erie Canal with exhibits, a research library, and educational programs. Directly relevant given SCHS's Erie Canal lockkeeper heritage and Lockkeeper donor program.
• Montgomery County Historical Society: Mohawk Valley county historical society (Amsterdam, NY) with similar small-staff, multi-site, and member-supported operating model. Shares regional context and audience overlap with SCHS.
• Saratoga County Historical Society (Brookside Museum): Capital Region county historical society operating the Brookside Museum with exhibits, educational programming, and collections focused on Saratoga County history. Comparable scale, governance, and programming mix.
• Rensselaer County Historical Society: Neighboring New York county historical society of comparable size operating a museum, library, and historic sites in Troy, NY. Closest geographic and structural peer for Schenectady County Historical Society.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Pinterestpinterest.com/mabeefarm/_saved
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schenectady-county-historical-society

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Schenectady County Historical Society