Exhibit Type:
PhysicalExhibit Description:
Immigrants have come to New York State for many reasons: to escape persecution, to improve their economic outlook, and to build new lives. Even in a state and nation built by immigrants, new arrivals were not always welcomed. Despite challenges and injustices, immigrants’ experiences, knowledge, and cultures have enriched our state and shaped our history, and will continue to build a vibrant, diverse, and modern New York State. This exhibit focuses on European immigration to New York State from 1650 to 1950, beginning with the arrival of Dutch settlers and continuing through the end of the World Wars.