Bob and Hertha Rockwell were avid travelers and collectors of Western American art and artifacts. When they’d return from their trips, they’d incorporate their Plains Indian art and Native American artifacts into their displays at their thrift store on Market Street in Corning, New York. They quickly became the talk of the town. Their collection eventually outgrew their store and, in 1976, the Rockwells and executives from Corning Glass decided to renovate Corning’s old city hall and fire station and convert it into The Rockwell Museum. The institution is now a cultural hub for the community, serving some 13,000 school kids each year. It’s also a Smithsonian-affiliate, which means their collection is so extraordinary, they share it with the Smithsonian Institution (and vice versa) in Washington, D.C.. Try to time your visit in the summer on a “Music and Margaritas!” night (held June through August). The museum’s rooftop terrace overlooks the town center and it’s the perfect perch from which to enjoy a cool drink and live music at sunset. When visiting, consider the Combination Ticket, which includes entrance to both the Rockwell Museum and the Corning Museum of Glass. You could easily spend two days in Corning exploring both attractions.
Marie Frei
Marie Frei
Marie Frei
Marie Frei
Marie Frei
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Discovering Art of the American West at The Rockwell Museum
Bob and Hertha Rockwell were avid travelers and collectors of Western American art and artifacts. When they’d return from their trips, they’d incorporate their Plains Indian art and Native American artifacts into their displays at their thrift store on Market Street in Corning, New York. They quickly became the talk of the town. Their collection eventually outgrew their store and, in 1976, the Rockwells and executives from Corning Glass decided to renovate Corning’s old city hall and fire station and convert it into The Rockwell Museum. The institution is now a cultural hub for the community, serving some 13,000 school kids each year. It’s also a Smithsonian-affiliate, which means their collection is so extraordinary, they share it with the Smithsonian Institution (and vice versa) in Washington, D.C.. Try to time your visit in the summer on a “Music and Margaritas!” night (held June through August). The museum’s rooftop terrace overlooks the town center and it’s the perfect perch from which to enjoy a cool drink and live music at sunset. When visiting, consider the Combination Ticket, which includes entrance to both the Rockwell Museum and the Corning Museum of Glass. You could easily spend two days in Corning exploring both attractions.
