The Rockwell Museum

09/03/2026

👩‍🍳Have you heard the news? It’s time to apply to the 12th Annual Gingerbread Invitational − a fun, artful gingerbread competition for baking enthusiasts and community members of ALL skill levels.

👉We invite YOU👈 to enter your innovative design for the chance to be one of (up to) 12 artists featured in a special holiday exhibition.

In 2026, the theme is Future Dreaming, inspired by The Rockwell Museum’s 50th Anniversary! To celebrate a half-century of art and imagination, we’re dreaming about what comes next. Gingerbread artists should re-imagine a place, space, or landmark. It can be real or fantastical; local, national, or international.

🗓 Interested individuals/teams must submit their application, including a design sketch, by Monday, October 19, 2026.

Learn more and apply at RockwellMuseum.org/exhibitions-collections/exhibits-collections/gingerbread2026/

📸✨2025 Gingerbread Invitational: “Somewhere Over the Technicolor Rainbow" by Bryn Van Horne and Shauna McCaig.

09/02/2026

NOW ON VIEW 🖼 "Rockwell Reframed: Director’s Choice" brings together a diverse selection of works from the collection, chosen by Executive Director Erin M. Coe, who joined the Museum in 2025.

Spanning a range of artists, media, and historical moments, the exhibition highlights recent acquisitions alongside works that reflect the collection’s core strengths and institutional priorities.

Plan your visit at RockwellMuseum.org/visit.

08/29/2026

Take a walk through Buechner Park with us! 🌳

Located across the street from The Rockwell Museum, the park is home to two unique sculptures from The Rockwell collection, "Jack Knife" by Ed Mell and "Tree of 40 Fruit" by Sam Van Aken.

Buechner Park is named in honor of the late Thomas S. Buechner (1926–2010), an acclaimed artist, founding director of the Corning Museum of Glass, a long-time supporter of The Rockwell and an all-around local legend.

Ed Mell (1942-2024), "Jack Knife," cast 1993, bronze, 53 1/4 × 44 × 15 1/2 in. Clara S. Peck Fund, 2013.2.

Samuel J. Van Aken (born 1972), "Tree of 40 Fruit #87," 2014 (planted 2018), multi-grafted Santa Rosa plum on Myrobalan Rootstock, approx.: 86 × 96 × 2 1/2 dia.in. Museum Purchase with Funds Donated by Jeff Evenson and Karyn Cepek, Thomas Halgash and Laura Coleman, and the Clara S. Peck Fund. 2018.14.

08/28/2026

🎉 Mark your calendar! Art lovers of all ages are invited to The Rockwell @ 50 Block Party during Downtown Corning’s Harvest Fest. Keep reading to learn more…

🗓️ September 19, 2026
⏰ 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
🎟️ Free admission all day long

This celebration will take over the Museum and Art Lab with activities for all ages, including:

🛍️ Free Rockwell tote + commemorative patches
🥳 Artemus Birthday Hat project + selfie station
🍪 Magician’s Kitchen cookie giveaway
🍦 Muse-YUM Magic Ice Cream at Dippity Doo Dah’s
🎁 Museum Store gift card giveaway
✨ And more!

PLUS! Exciting events throughout the day, including creating an Anniversary Artist Book with Anna Warfield, guided tours, dance performances, and live music with Doc Possum.

➡️ Learn more at RockwellMuseum.org/BlockParty.

The Rockwell @ 50 Block Party is made possible with support from Chemung Canal Trust Company.

08/25/2026

Today, we remember Dolly Parton (1946-2026), an American icon whose impact reached far beyond music. Through her lifelong commitment to literacy and education, she opened doors for countless young people, reminding us that access to learning can change the course of a life.

In honor of her legacy, we share Robert Gwathmey's “Girl with Guitar”. The painting depicts a young woman in a jewel-toned patchwork skirt, strumming her guitar on the porch of a small Appalachian home, the tilt of her head echoing the body of her instrument, one with the music.

Like much of Gwathmey's work, the painting shines a light on the dignity, creativity, and shared humanity found in everyday Southern folk life. Music of the American South was a recurring theme in his art, reflecting the joy and connection it brings across communities. As a Museum dedicated to inspiring curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning, we are grateful for leaders like Dolly Parton who believed in the power of education and imagination.

Robert Gwathmey (American, 1903-1988), "Girl with Guitar," 1965, oil on canvas. Museum Purchase with the Robert and Hertha Rockwell Deaccession Fund in honor of Silver Dollar Society. 2025.7.

08/21/2026

It's the final Summer Explorers! We'll be making Kaleidoscopes with the Science and Discovery Center.

📅 Tuesday, August 25
⏰ 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
🎫 No registration required

Our Summer Explorers self-guided program is designed for families and children ages 5 – 12. Drop in anytime to participate in art-making workshops and gallery activities that encourage families to play with color and engage with art. New themes, projects, and activities will be offered each week.

Final Summer Explorers:
August 25 | Kaleidoscopes with Science and Discovery Center

08/19/2026

08/18/2026

TODAY! ✨ We’re making kaleidoscopes with the Science and Discovery Center! Drop in at the Art Lab anytime until 3 p.m. today, Tuesday, August 18.

The Science and Discovery Center will be back next Tuesday, August 25, to make more kaleidoscopes for our final Summer Explorers.

08/17/2026

🎉 THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for the unveiling of “Infinity Park,” the 18th mural of the Alley Art Project with artist Devan Shimoyama.

Located at the Southeast Steuben County Library, “Infinity Park” celebrates and uplifts individuals who have had a meaningful impact on students’ lives. By incorporating personal experiences and symbolism into the collaborative mural, the project reframes viewpoints and invites viewers to see familiar themes in fresh, meaningful ways.

The Rockwell Museum, in collaboration with the High School Learning Center (HSLC) of the Corning-Painted Post Area School District and the Southeast Steuben County Library (SSCL), worked with artist Devan Shimoyama to design and paint this year’s mural. Inspired by Shimoyama’s work in the Museum’s Permanent Collection–“February” (2022) hoodie and “Le Mat (The Fool)” (2022) self-portrait–the mural features a vibrant wave of symbolic flowers, representing the people students are honoring.

The 2026 Alley Art Project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Triangle Fund, and the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc.

📷: Chris Walters Photography

08/13/2026

The Science and Discovery Center is joining us on August 18 and 25 for a special Kaleidoscope project!

📅 Tuesday, August 18
⏰ 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
🎫 No registration required
🔎 Find upcoming activities below

Our Summer Explorers self-guided program is designed for families and children ages 5 – 12. Drop in anytime to participate in art-making workshops and gallery activities that encourage families to play with color and engage with art. New themes, projects, and activities will be offered each week.

Final Summer Explorers:
August 25 | Kaleidoscopes with Science and Discovery Center