Historic Environments

In the middle of Beacon, NY’s Main Street, lies the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. Their mission? To: “leverag[e] science and technology to understand and protect rivers, estuaries and other important freshwater resources”. In 2003 Beacon was announced as the future home for a research and education institute on the Hudson River envisioned by the former Governor George Pataki. Eight years later the Institute officially partnered with Clarkson Institute and is now the home of educational resources and community events.

           Institute Storefront on Main Street

The Institute has an interactive “Sensor Place” where visitors may interact with a 3D visual watershed, among other activities. It also serves as a beautiful gallery, complete with exposed brick walls, which is currently exhibiting: “Along the Mt. Beacon Incline Railway: Past, Present & Future”. One of the institutes latest event series is “Science Cafè” where professors, scientists, and community members can all interact.

                     Interactive Watershed

In our visit we were able to attend a special presentation about the Institute’s history and Denning’s Point. We learned about the struggles to make Dennings Point the place and resource it is today, to visions of the future. These goals ranged from new building proposals and modifications to visions of the Institute being the national and international hub of river research. I would recommend that anyone already interested in environmental studies or who is curious to learn about something new (for free) stop by the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries on the way to Dennings Point or as part of a Beacon day trip.

           Gallery with Current Exhibition