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Regents 2008 Board Report

family visiting the museumRegents 2008 Board Report: Cultural Education

New York's Rich Cultural and Historic Resources

The Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education (OCE) supports research, operates programs, and develops collections that service the long-term interests of New York.

The New York State Library

The State Library works with more than 7,000 local libraries to bring vital services to millions of New Yorkers. In these challenging times libraries promote literacy and lifelong learning. Libraries:

  • Level the playing field by providing the information to find a job, achieve a good education, and make smart consumer choices.
  • Provide equal access to information for people with disabilities.
  • Ensure that immigrants are prepared to join the workforce through language, computer, and literacy programs.

The State Museum

The State Museum is a major research and educational institution that conducts systematic investigations into the geology, biology, anthropology and history of New York.

The State Museum hosted more than 750,000 visitors, making it one of the largest cultural attractions in the state. The Museum will complete design development and begin fabrication for two new galleries. A Billion Years of the Natural History of NYS, and Empire State: America Begins in New York. The galleries are scheduled to open in 2010, with 1.2 million visitors expected annually.

The Regents also oversee 1,900 museums and historical societies; among them are the leading art, history, and natural history institutions in the world.

  • More than 50 million individuals, including 4.4 million school children, visited New York’s museums generating a return to the local economy exceeding $1 billion.

  

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