Old Main in Utica Opening Its Doors for Rare Public Tours

A Rare Chance to Step Inside Old Main

If you've ever driven past Old Main in Utica and wondered what it's like inside, here's your chance to find out.

Public tours are returning to the historic building for the first time since 2018, offering a rare chance to step inside one of the Mohawk Valley's most recognizable landmarks.

The New York State Office of Mental Health will lead the tours Monday, October 26, through Friday, October 30. Tours will run from 10 AM to 2 PM, with a tour scheduled every 30 minutes.

And here's the good news: admission is free! You'll need to register ahead of time to reserve your spot.

Old Main Has a Long History in Utica

Old Main isn't just an old building with an impressive exterior. It played a major role in the history of mental health care in New York and across the country.

Originally known as the New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica, the facility opened in 1843. It was the first state-run institution in New York established to care for people with mental illness and was among the first of its kind in the United States.

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Old Main also became an important part of the development of psychiatric care. Its first superintendent, Dr. Amariah Brigham, helped advance treatment approaches and established a print shop that published the American Journal of Insanity in 1844. That publication eventually became the American Journal of Psychiatry, one of the leading journals in the field.

The building later became part of what was known as Utica State Hospital and, eventually, the Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center. Although the hospital's original operations ended in the 1970s, Old Main remains an important piece of local history. Parts of the building have since been restored and repurposed for use as a New York State mental health records archive.

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Don't Wait Until the Next Tour Opportunity

Public tours of Old Main have been offered only occasionally over the years, making this a pretty unusual opportunity for anyone who's curious about the building's history, its architecture, or how mental health treatment has changed over nearly two centuries.

To reserve a spot, email oldmaintours@omh.ny.gov. Be sure to include the names of everyone attending, your preferred tour date and time, any school or organization affiliation, and any accessibility arrangements needed, including wheelchair access.

Whether you're a history buff, interested in the evolution of mental health care, or simply curious about what's behind those historic walls, this is a chance to see a part of Utica's past that most people don't get to experience firsthand.