Skip to content

The Rockwell: A Museum and More

The Rockwell Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, provides visitors the opportunity to explore a diverse collection and robust exhibition calendar of American art through the ages.

Beyond caring for a vast collection of fine American artworks, The Rockwell, an art museum in Corning, NY, serves as a community hub and steward of culture. Housed in Corning’s former City Hall, The Rockwell is a unique place where locals and travelers connect with art and ideas through an exciting roster of exhibitions, innovative programs and engaging events.

The Rockwell strives to ignite visitors’ imaginations while representing the America they live in. Beyond our museum’s permanent collection and rotating exhibitions, everything The Rockwell does, from concerts to public art initiatives to temporary exhibitions, further exemplifies the inclusive way art connects us all while providing a catalyst for growth in our community.

Thomas S. Buechner, Portrait of Robert F. Rockwell, Jr. and Hertha Rockwell

Catalogue Number 2004.2

Origin Story

The foundational components of our Museum’s collection were gifted by Bob and Hertha Rockwell, local business owners who amassed a notable selection of fine American art and artistic objects of material culture.

The Rockwells honed their taste for fine art through study, travel and collecting primarily in the American West. The couple used their namesake department store in Corning, NY, as a venue to display their collection.

The Rockwells’ deep passion for art carried over to their desire to share it with their community. By 1974, the couple and a group of executives from Corning Glass Works (now Corning Incorporated) came together to develop the Rockwells’ private collection into a public museum. The Museum opened to the public in 1976.

The Rockwell Museum is an institution built on community support. It began with the initial collection gifted by Bob and Hertha Rockwell and carried on to the generations of patrons, like Clara S. Peck and Corning Incorporated, who have kept the Museum alive with their generosity and love of Corning and the arts. Because of their backing, we have not only maintained our long tradition of providing vital arts services to our community, but we’ve grown.

Our Community

Founded in 1974, The Rockwell Museum had several temporary locations before finding a permanent home in Corning’s historic City Hall nearly a decade later.

The City Hall building, itself a work of art rich with history and architectural details, was devastated by flooding in 1972.

Between 1980 and 1982, City Hall underwent careful renovations while also transforming into a home suitable for a world-class museum.

Today, The Rockwell Museum serves as the vibrant center of our community in Corning, NY, and beyond.

Hosting nationally recognized works of art and a variety of events and experiences throughout the region, The Rockwell is suitable for first-time visitors, longtime members, adults, families, kids and travelers in groups of any size.

sqiggle line section divider

Community Impact

The Rockwell Museum exists within  and for our community. Since the Museum’s founding, the people of Corning, NY and the surrounding region continue to make The Rockwell a creative and innovative cornerstone of arts and culture.

Our Mission
sqiggle line section divider

Rockwell Staff in 2016

Smithsonian Affiliate

The Rockwell Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, serves as New York’s upstate conduit to the heralded organization and its many resources. In turn, the Smithsonian Institution gains greater access to The Rockwell’s collections and programs. This partnership is a designation shared by select museums and stands as a credit to The Rockwell’s level of excellence.

Become a Member
sqiggle line section divider

From the Blog

See all Posts
Art, Healing, and Community: A New Way to Experience the Museum

April 21, 2025 | At The Rockwell Museum, we believe in the power of art to transform how we see the world—and ourselves. With that in mind, we’re excited to introduce the Art & Healing Guide, a new resource developed in collaboration with local care organizations to support reflection, connection, and comfort through art. Made possible with support by …

Rockwell Paper Scissors: Block Printing

March 18, 2025 | Minna Citron, recently featured in Minna Citron: Color and Shape, was an artist who lived in New York City and became known in the art scene in the 1930s.  She was a painter and printmaker and raised two children on her own. A printmaker is an artist who makes pictures by creating designs on a …

Getting to Know Our New Executive Director, Erin M. Coe

January 30, 2025 | Erin started in her new role as the tenth Executive Director of The Rockwell Museum on January 6. With decades of experience as a museum leader, curator, educator, and arts advocate, Coe brings a wealth of expertise and vision to The Rockwell as it advances its position as a destination and community resource for American …

Martine Gutierrez

Catalogue Number 2019.7.1a-b

Plan Your Visit

The Rockwell Museum, located within Corning, NY’s former city hall, sits at the heart of its thriving southern Finger Lakes community. Today’s visiting hours are listed below. Come see us!

Get admission tickets, parking instructions, hours of operation, accessibility options, local accommodations and more.

The Rockwell Museum is Open today, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Rockwell Museum: 111 Cedar St, Corning, NY 14830 KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab: 36 E. Market Street

Blog: Beyond the Frame→

Land Acknowledgment→

Community Impact→

KIDS ROCKWELL→