Rockwell Museum facts for kids
The Rockwell Museum, 2015
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| Established | 1976 |
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| Location | Corning, New York, U.S. |
| Type | Art museum |
| Accreditation | American Association of Museums, Smithsonian Affiliate |
| Key holdings | Albert Bierstadt's Mount Whitney |
| Collections | American art, Native American art |
| Collection size | 2,200+ |
| Visitors | Approximately 48,000 per year |
| Founder | Bob and Hertha Rockwell |
| Nearest parking | On site, behind building (no charge to park) |
The Rockwell Museum is a cool art museum in Corning, New York. It's known for its amazing collection of American art and Native American art. Many people think it's one of the best small museums in the Northeast United States. In 2015, it became a Smithsonian Affiliate. This means it's connected to the famous Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C.! It was the first museum in New York State outside of New York City to get this special title.
Museum History
The Rockwell Family's Collection
The museum was started by a man named Robert F. Rockwell, Jr. He moved to Corning in 1933 to help run his family's department store. In 1959, he bought his first Western painting. Over the next 25 years, he collected lots of paintings, bronze sculptures, and drawings. He also gathered many items from Native American cultures.
Bob and his wife, Hertha, also loved collecting beautiful glass. They had over 2,500 pieces of Carder Steuben glass. This glass was made by Frederick Carder, who started the Steuben Glass Works. They even had a small collection of old toys!
How the Museum Grew
Starting The Rockwell Museum
From 1960 to 1975, Bob Rockwell's art collection was shown to the public. You could see it right in the Rockwell Department Store in Corning. In 1973, some leaders from Corning Glass Works decided to help. They wanted to find a special home for the Rockwells' art, glass, and toys. Their plan was to fix up the old City Hall building. This would be a gift to the community and a fun place for tourists.
The museum first opened on November 13, 1976. It was called The Rockwell-Corning Museum and was located in the Baron Steuben Hotel. A few years later, in 1981, its name changed to The Rockwell Museum.
Moving to Old City Hall
In 1980, the City of Corning offered its old City Hall building to the museum. This building was built in 1893 and was already a historic landmark. Corning Glass Works paid for the big repairs and updates needed for the building. On June 19, 1982, the museum reopened in the beautiful, restored Old City Hall.
In 1995, the museum earned a special award called accreditation. This means it met high standards for how museums should be run.
Museum Updates
In 2000, the museum closed for a big makeover inside. They wanted to become "The Best of the West in the East." This meant they wanted to show the best Western art on the East Coast. The museum reopened on May 18, 2001, as the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. It was also celebrating its 25th birthday!
A New Look for the Museum
In July 2014, the museum's name became shorter again: The Rockwell Museum. They also added a cool new space called the Family Exploration Studio. This is a hands-on area where families can learn and create. In 2015, The Rockwell Museum became a Smithsonian Affiliate, which was a big honor!
The Old City Hall Building
The building that houses The Rockwell Museum has a long history. In 1972, a big flood from Hurricane Agnes damaged the basement and ground floor. Even so, the building was recognized as a historic place in 1974. In 1982, it became the permanent home of The Rockwell Museum. It had another major renovation in 2000.
The building was designed by architect AJ Warner and built in 1893. It cost about $28,579.50 to build back then! It has a unique style called Richardsonian Romanesque, which uses local brick and rough stone. The original bell from the bell tower is now at the city's fire station.
From 1893 to 1974, the ground floor of the building was the Corning Fire Station. The first floor was where the City Clerk, City Court, Police Department, and jail cells were located. The Police Department even got its own addition in 1896. The second floor held City Council meetings and health offices until 1972. The third floor was home to a public library and a youth center.
Museum Leaders
Here are some of the people who have led The Rockwell Museum over the years:
- Paul E. Rivard: 1975 – 1978
- Antony E. Snow: 1978 – 1983
- Michael W. Duty: 1984 – 1986
- Thomas S. Buechner: 1986 (acting director)
- Dwight P. Lanmon: 1986 – 1987 (acting director)
- Arthur Townsend: 1988 – 1989
- Mercedes C. Skidmore: 1989 – 1990 (acting director)
- Kent Ahrens: 1990 – 1995
- Richard B. Bessey: 1995 – 1997
- Stuart A. Chase: 1997 – 2002
- Kristin A. Swain: 2002 (acting director)
- Kristin A. Swain: 2002 – 2016
- Brian Lee Whisenhunt: 2017 - 2024
- Erin M. Coe: 2025 - Current
Community Projects
Alley Art Project
Since 2010, The Rockwell Museum has worked on the "Alley Art Project." They team up with the Corning-Painted Post School District High School Learning Center. Students design and paint murals inspired by art from The Rockwell's collection. You can see these colorful murals in the alleyways of Corning, NY! This project helps students who might be at risk of dropping out of school.
For the museum's 40th anniversary, students worked with artist Virgil Ortiz. They learned about his sculpture called Ancient Elder. This sculpture is part of a futuristic story about restoring sacred lands. Inspired by this, students created their own "super power" characters. These characters are meant to help bring about important changes, like equality for everyone. You can find this mural on Bridge Street in Corning.
You can find all the murals on the Corning Public Art Map.
Garden of Fire Summer Program
The Rockwell Museum also works with other groups to offer the "Garden of Fire" summer program. This program helps kids in Steuben County learn about art and science in a fun way.
Dia de los Muertos Celebration
Every October, middle school Spanish students from the area create special decorations. These are for a Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) student altar at The Rockwell's Student Gallery. The museum celebrates this tradition each year with a big event. It includes music, presentations, and traditional crafts. The Rockwell Museum has celebrated Dia de los Muertos since 2004.
Art Collections
The museum has three floors filled with amazing art. You'll find American art, modern Native American art, and bronze sculptures. Some of the highlights include:
- Albert Bierstadt's "Mount Whitney"
- Ed Mell, "Jack Knife, 1993" Sculpture
- Robb Kendrick Tin Type Portraits
- Frederic Remington's "The Winter Campaign," "The Cheyenne," and "The Arizona Cowboy"
- Ernest Leonard Blumenschein's "Jury for Trail of a Sheepherder for Murder"
- Charles Marion Russell's "A Mix Up," and "One Down, Two to Go"
- Deborah Butterfield bronze sculptures
- Ernest Blumenschein's "Star Road and White Sun"
- Sydney Laurence's "Mount McKinley," 1922
- The Frederick Carder Glass Collection
Other artists whose work you might see include Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, N.C. Wyeth, William R Leigh, Thomas Moran, Cyrus Edwin Dallin, Andy Warhol, and many other modern artists.
In 2013, Albert Bierstadt's "Mount Whitney" painting got a brand new frame. This new frame looks just like the frames used in the 1870s. It makes the museum's most important painting look even better! Another cool addition to the museum's collection is the "Jack Knife" sculpture by Ed Mell, which you can see outside the museum.
Past Exhibits
The Rockwell Museum often has special exhibits. Here are some examples of past shows:
- Lock, Stock & Barrel: Historic firearms from the collection of Robert F. "Bobby" Rockwell III (2013–2015)
- Painted Journeys: In the Spirit of American West (2014)
- Untouched by Chaos: Karl Bodmer and the American Wilderness (2014–2015)
- On Fire: the Nancy & Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery (2014–2016)
- The sculptures of Abraham Anghik Ruben (2014)
- Illustration and Imagination: W.H.D. Koerner's Western Paintings (2014)
- Harmless Hunter: Charles M. Russell's Wildlife Art (2014–2015)
- A Feeling of Humanity: Western Art from the Ken Ratner Collection (2014–2015)
- Touching on Water: Paintings by Thomas Paquette (2015)
- Between the States: Photographs of the American Civil War from the George Eastman House Collection (2015)
- The Colorado River: Flowing Through Conflict, Photographs by Pete McBride (2015–2016)
- Richard Parrish: Aerial Perspectives of the American Landscape (2016)
- Art of the Parks: Celebrating 100 Years of the National Park Service (2016)
- Historic Photographs of Watkins Glen State Park (2016)
- American Masterworks of Howard Terpning: Highlights from the Eddie Basha Collection (2016)
- 40 for 40: Anniversary Highlights from the Permanent Collection (2016–2017)
- Modernist Masters, Contemporary Icons: Highlights from the Old Jail Art Center (2017)
- Marie Watt: The Western Door (2017)
- The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper (2017)
The museum has also shown works by famous photographers like Ansel Adams and William Henry Jackson. They even had an Andy Warhol: Cowboys and Indians exhibit!
You can also see pottery by well-known artists like Tammy Garcia, Joseph Lonewolf, Nancy Youngblood, Margaret Tafoya, Maria Martinez, Al Qoyawayma, and Popovi Da.
