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Rockwell On The Move

Framing The Future of The Rockwell Museum

As part of the Museum’s 50th anniversary year, we’re embarking on a series of transformational projects designed to strengthen visitor experience, expand access to creativity and learning, and position the Museum for the future.

Collectively known as Rockwell on the Move, these projects include the relocation and expansion of the KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab, a new downtown Museum Store, and major improvements to the Museum’s first-floor public spaces.

This work is part of the Museum’s strategic plan, Framing the Future: The Rockwell at 50 and Beyond, 2026–2030, and reflects a long-term investment in community engagement, accessibility, sustainability, and downtown vitality.

View of the new Art Lab in the Museum building. Rendering courtesy of GBBN.

A New Home for the KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab

The KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab will relocate from Market Street into the Museum’s main building, creating a more integrated, welcoming experience for visitors of all ages.

The expanded Art Lab will include:

  • The ever-changing creative learning and making space that visitors have grown to love
  • A small performance and presentation stage
  • A family restroom
  • A sensory decompression space
  • Improved accessibility and infrastructure
  • Flexible furnishings for programs and community events

Bringing the Art Lab into the Museum allows us to place hands-on creativity and family-centered learning at the heart of the visitor experience. GBBN, a nationally recognized architecture firm, is overseeing the renovation of approximately 2,500 square feet of space.

The new Art Lab aims to open in Spring 2027, with construction beginning in October 2026. The current Art Lab on Market Street will remain open with all the scheduled programming throughout 2026.

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Centerway Square in Corning, NY. Photograph by Brian Maloney.

A Reimagined Museum Store in Downtown Corning

To make room for the expanded Art Lab, the Museum Store will move to a new street-level storefront in Centerway Square within the Baron Steuben Building on Market Street.

The new location will:

  • Create a stronger connection to downtown visitors and foot traffic
  • Expand opportunities for earned revenue and community engagement
  • Continue offering unique and thoughtfully curated gifts, books, jewelry, and museum-inspired merchandise

The new store is planned to open in conjunction with the Rockwell @ 50 Block Party during Harvest Fest on September 19, 2026.

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KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab in its current location at 36 E. Market Street

Why This Matters

These projects are designed to:

  • Create a more welcoming and visitor-centered Museum experience
  • Expand access to arts education and creative learning
  • Strengthen the Museum’s visibility in downtown Corning
  • Improve operational sustainability
  • Invest in spaces that better reflect the Museum’s mission and future

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Project Timeline

  • June–July 2026: Renovation of the new Museum Store space in the Baron Steuben Building at Centerway Square on Market Street
  • August–September 2026: Transition and move of the Museum Store into the renovated storefront location
  • September 19, 2026: Grand opening of the new Museum Store, aligned with The Rockwell’s 50th Block Party and Gaffer District Harvest Fest
  • October 2026: Begin construction and renovation of the Museum’s first-floor spaces, including the new Art Lab, Admissions Area, and Lobby
  • April/May 2027: Opening of the reimagined KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab, Admissions Area, and Lobby to the public

Additional timeline updates will be shared as planning progresses.

Project Partners

We are grateful to the many partners, supporters, and community members helping make these projects possible.

Philanthropic Support

Significant support for the new Art Lab has been provided by the family of Nelson Benjamin Quanbeck.

Design & Architecture

  • GBBN — Art Lab and Museum renovation design
  • AJH Design — Museum Store design

About GBBN

GBBN is a nationally recognized architecture and design firm founded in Cincinnati in 1958, with offices in Cincinnati, Louisville, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, and Beijing. With a dedicated studio focused solely on arts facilities, GBBN believes that thriving arts organizations are catalysts for positive change — strengthening the neighborhoods, communities, and cities they call home. The firm brings decades of specialized experience across all facets of forming, financing, fundraising, designing, delivering, and opening arts facilities, with a portfolio spanning performing arts centers, black box theaters, proscenium houses, concert halls, museums, and cultural institutions.

Project Partners

We are grateful to the many partners, supporters, and community members helping make these projects possible.

Philanthropic Support

Significant support for the new Art Lab has been provided by the family of Nelson Benjamin Quanbeck.

Design & Architecture

  • GBBN — Art Lab and Museum renovation design
  • AJH Design — Museum Store design

About GBBN

GBBN is a nationally recognized architecture and design firm founded in Cincinnati in 1958, with offices in Cincinnati, Louisville, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, and Beijing. With a dedicated studio focused solely on arts facilities, GBBN believes that thriving arts organizations are catalysts for positive change — strengthening the neighborhoods, communities, and cities they call home. The firm brings decades of specialized experience across all facets of forming, financing, fundraising, designing, delivering, and opening arts facilities, with a portfolio spanning performing arts centers, black box theaters, proscenium houses, concert halls, museums, and cultural institutions.

Stay Updated

This page will serve as the central hub for project news, construction updates, announcements, FAQs, and important visitor information throughout the process.

Please check back regularly for updates as Rockwell on the Move progresses.

View of admissions hallway, donor wall, and elevator lobby from reception desk. Rendering provided by GBBN.

View of the new Art Lab in the Museum building. Rendering courtesy of GBBN.

The Museum Store will relocate to the Baron Steuben building in Centerway Square. Photograph by Brian Maloney.

The Rockwell Museum Store within the Baron Steuben building. Rendering courtesy of AJH design.

Frequently Asked Questions

The capital projects are supported through a combination of philanthropic gifts, institutional investment, and strategic partnerships. We are profoundly grateful to the family of Nelson Benjamin Quanbeck for their significant support of the new Art Lab, as well as to other donors and community supporters helping to advance this important work.

The Museum continues to actively raise funds to support the full scope of the initiative. Early philanthropic momentum and donor enthusiasm reflect strong confidence in the vision and long-term impact of these projects.

These investments are designed not only to enhance the visitor experience, but to strengthen the Museum’s long-term sustainability through increased accessibility, expanded community engagement, and improved earned revenue opportunities.

Individuals interested in supporting these transformational projects are encouraged to contact Katharine Mead, Director of Development, at meadk@pockwellmuseum.org for additional information about giving opportunities.

The current KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab location on Market Street will remain open throughout 2026.

As the project nears completion and preparations begin for the transition into the Museum building, we will communicate any short-term closures or schedule adjustments well in advance. Our priority is to ensure uninterrupted access to the creative, hands-on experiences families and children have come to expect from the Art Lab.

The Museum will remain open throughout construction. While some first-floor areas may experience temporary impacts beginning in late 2026, the majority of construction activity will be scheduled during the non-peak tourism season to minimize disruption to visitors.

The Museum’s galleries and exhibitions will remain open and operational throughout the project. Updates regarding construction activity, visitor access, and temporary adjustments will be shared regularly through the Museum’s website, email communications, and social media channels.

Our goal is to maintain a welcoming and engaging visitor experience at every stage of the transformation. Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to witness an exciting new chapter in the Museum’s evolution as these projects take shape.

Yes. The Rockwell intends to maintain a robust schedule of exhibitions, educational programs, public events, and community activities throughout the construction period.

Some programs may be adapted or temporarily relocated as work progresses, but the Museum’s commitment to serving children, families, educators, and the broader community remains unchanged. In many ways, these projects are being undertaken precisely to expand and strengthen the Museum’s ability to serve the public for generations to come.

There will be temporary adjustments to the Museum’s entry sequence and admissions experience during portions of construction. Clear signage, staff guidance, and advance communication will help visitors navigate any temporary changes smoothly and comfortably.

Updated information will be shared on the Museum’s website and social media platforms well in advance of any modifications.