With nearly 140,000 visitors last year and an average of 148,600 over the past five years, according to the institution’s annual report, the museum has become an institution that both preserves Rockwell’s legacy and nurtures his art form, expanding the public’s understanding of illustration.
“We present Norman Rockwell’s art in the context of the whole field of American illustration, an art that tells the story of us and the nation and our culture,” said Laurie Norton Moffatt, the museum’s director and CEO since 1986.
That celebration of Rockwell’s legacy will hit full force Saturday when “American Chronicles,” a major touring retrospective of his most popular work, returns to the museum for a two-month run. For Stockbridge, the relationship with Rockwell has become an integral part of the community’s identity, perhaps most clearly embodied by the annual re-creation of “Main Street at Christmas,” when the town literally makes itself into a Rockwell painting for a day.
“The Rockwell Museum is one of the top tourist attractions in Stockbridge,” said Selectman George Shippey. “It greatly benefits our local economy and beyond. The uniqueness of the Rockwell Museum is evidenced by their creativity — they are always bringing in new exhibits, which increases the visibility of the museum for its visitors.”
Click here to read the full Berkshire Eagle coverage of the Norman Rockwell Anniversary!
Click here Saturday July 4th, 2009 to listen to a live broadcast of WAMC roundtable from the Museum starting at 9am!
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