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The New York State Museum will resume Sunday public hours, beginning on Sunday, September 16, 2012.Ìý The Museum will be open to the public from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Sunday, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The resumption of public services on Sundays immediately precedes the opening of a major exhibition on New York in the Civil War, which will open to the public on September 19.

"The Museum is a great public resource and a great public treasure," Commissioner John King said.Ìý "Our goal is to make that resource as available as possible.Ìý Sunday has always been one of the most popular days for families and tourists to visit the Museum.Ìý Fiscal reality forces us to close the Museum one day a week, but it shouldn’t be one of the Museum’s busiest days.Ìý It’s time to welcome New Yorkers back into their Museum on Sundays."

Since January 2011, as a result of overall budget reductions, the State Museum was closed to the public on Sundays. Prior to that date, Sundays represented approximately 20 percent of the Museum’s attendance.

"We are extremely happy to be able to re-open the Museum to the public on Sundays," said Museum Director, Mark Schaming.Ìý "There are so many amazing exhibits and artifacts inside the Museum."

In order to open on Sundays, the Museum will be closed to the public on Mondays. The reading rooms of the State Archives and State Library, which are also in the Cultural Education Center, will remain open to the public on Mondays.

Established in 1836, the New York State Museum is a program of the State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. The Museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany and admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website atÌý.