A Norman Rockwell painting or illustration is as instantly recognizable as playing a few bars of a symphony and knowing it was composed by Mozart.

Rockwell continues to be one of America’s most beloved artists.

Yes, his scenes and subjects help maintain his popularity and fan base - they are of growing up and growing old and dealing with life’s little incidents.

To be fair his work during early to mid-years is not controversial or overly complicated or indistinct, and comes from everyday American life and from his period for the Saturday Evening Post.

But after moving on in 1963 from the Post and working for Look magazine Rockwell tackled subjects of civil rights and poverty and in these years a more thoughtful and serious artist came through in his works.

In 1969 Norman and Molly Rockwell helped create the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, deep in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. It was in this town, a stone’s throw from the New York border, that Rockwell lived for the last 25 years of his life. He used the surrounding communities and residents to draw on feely for his paintings and illustrations and it was fitting this area he loved so deeply became the location for his museum.

The museum is one of the most visited cultural attractions of the region and a chance to get immersed in the life and works of the famous illustrator. Here you can browse through thousands of personal artifacts and belongings, and linger over his collection of paintings and drawings.

The prized centerpiece to the museum is Rockwell’s studio building and its contents. The collection includes: materials and equipment, a library of 500 volumes, travel mementos, prints, and much more.

In the spirit of promoting art and illustration the museum continually offers drawing workshops for adults and children, and special talks are given on historical figures associated with Rockwell and art illustration.

The Norman Rockwell Museum is open year-round and summer/fall hours are 10:00-5:00pm and winter 10:00-4:00pm weekdays, 10:00-5:00pm weekends. Tickets are $12.50 per adult - under 18 free. Rockwell’s studio is open May-November 10-5:00pm.

The museum has plenty of parking, a store and a Café and is wheelchair accessible. For information on directions and current exhibitions check out the official web site here.

Stockbridge is located overlooking the scenic Housatonic River Valley and is a popular destination for visitors to The Berkshires. A charming village it invites exploration and walking and stopping for some shopping and a cup of tea or cold drink.

This is just one attraction for those touring this area of Massachusetts and for more suggestions and ideas check out the Massachusetts vacation section of our web site by clicking here.

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Cliff Calderwood
Editor
New England Travel Online Magazine

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