Burden Iron Works Museum, Troy

About Burden Iron Works Museum

Burden Iron Works Museum is housed in the Gilded Age Burden Ironworks Office Building in Troy, New York, and tells the story of the region's dominant industrial past. Visitors explore exhibits about the Burden Iron Works, a foundry and industrial complex that once operated along the Hudson River and Wynantskill Creek. The museum displays significant artifacts from the Capital District's iron-making heritage, when Troy produced as much iron as Pittsburgh and became known for innovations including machine-made horseshoes. The Upper Works site formerly contained the Burden Water Wheel, believed to be the most powerful vertical water wheel in history. The building itself, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, reflects the wealth and importance of the iron industry. The museum is operated by the Gateway, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the region's industrial heritage.