Norman Rockwell Museum — Attraction in Stockbridge

Museum Review: Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA on August 9, 2024 Summer is almost over and I wanted to take my 3 kids to a great place in the Berkshires. I also wanted to bring my Chinese mother-in-law to see a bit of American culture that has shaped so many ideas and so much culture here. I was curious if I could really convey the meaning of the artist or could the artist communicate cross culturally without language. A couple years ago I read MY LIFE AS AN ILLUSTRATOR by Norman Rockwell and I thoroughly recommend it to any and everyone who is even remotely interested in this artist.

We got there about 11:30 with a pass from my local library to get a discount. Upon arrival we drove through the parking lot and starting naming off all the license plates we saw. New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Arkansas, Maryland, Vermont, Canada, Florida... it was crazy. And that is probably just a Friday at the Museum!

My oldest and youngest took off on their own and I took my daughter and Chinese mother-in-law into see the most famous paintings. I might have been annoying speaking in Chinese to her but I really wanted her to enjoy the time and not have any issues of comprehension. I used the classic concept of asking her "What do you see?" She observed, then I had to explain, "that stick with a cloth bulge at the end on the floor of the restaurant? That signifies the child is running away." The painting of the child finding a Santa outfit in his dad's dresser drawer was a tougher one to explain. She didn't know that it was an Santa outfit. The FOUR FREEDOMS was something else though. Thankfully I know the word in Chinese for FREEDOM and since my wife particularly likes the FREEDOM OF SPEECH one I didn't want to push my mother-in-law into likely any of them in particular. We went through and I explained each one. She understood. We even got to see the actual jacket worn by the man in the FREEDOM OF SPEECH painting, it was EXACTLY the same one. You could look and then look up at the painting and then look down again and then look up again. It was pretty cool. After this we went downstairs to show her all the Saturday Evening Post covers. She was taken aback by the presidential covers. There was one cover of an old man coming home for Christmas and a child happy to see him but going for his pocket which I assume had some Christmas money in it or some sort of a small gift for the child? I saw this one and adapted it to the Chinese culture and I told her this is like the old grandpa coming home during Chinese New Year and the kids are super happy to see Grandpa, but they immediately go into his pocket to grab his red envelope, his red pocket money or his lucky money. This is a tradition in Chinese culture all about giving Red Envelopes during the New Year. It's fun and the kids love it.

After this I kind of lost track of my mother-in-law because she wasn't interested in Mad Magazine but I was. So I went in and started slow. I read many of the full pieces of art and even read them to my kids. I had a few patrons asked me if my kids understood. Well, since I have been reading them Mad Magazine for years, I hope they get it! But I could only go so far and so long. The kids got antsy. Thankfully the brought books so I found them later in the gift shop just hanging out. I got a couple things and wanted to get many more. Thank you Norman Rockwell for putting so many bits of our history onto canvas. Thank you for telling us your life story. Thank you for sharing our country's life story so that our future can see what life was like back then. Thank you to all the people who work there at NRM. It seemed very busy today. When more family members come to visit and when there are more exhibits, I will definitely come back. Now I have to use my 20 new cards and envelopes. When I'm done.......

When visiting The Mount in Lenox, I decided to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum in nearby Stockbridge and was not disappointed. Established to highlight the art and legacy of illustrator, Norman Rockwell, the museum showcases his collection and exhibits that feature pieces by other artists in the realm of American illustration.

The museum is sizable with much to view of Rockwell's works and art by others. Going to the basement of the museum, you will find an introductory video on Rockwell's life, a virtual exhibit on Rockwell's personal photos and letters to view, and walls of framed cover illustrations Rockwell did for The Saturday Evening Post where he spent a majority of his career. The above floors that include ticket purchase and information counters has more to view of Rockwell's works including his iconic Four Freedoms paintings and the art he did in the 1960s to represent social justice issues: The Problem We All Live With and Murder in Mississippi. You will also find my favorite Rockwell art piece: Rosie the Riveter for the cover of a May 1943 issue of The Saturday Evening Post.

Depending on when you got to the museum, you will find revolving exhibits that highlight works by other artists in American illustration. I went during the museum's exhibition on celebrated children's author Leo Lionni where displays of his advertising illustrations, books, and other art were available for viewing. I also came across book illustration works on display for mystery novels and inspirations from crime/mystery shows available. A quick look at the museum's website details their past exhibits including Hilary Knight's Eloise, reimaging of Rockwell's inspired paintings, and Rockwell's collections that are usually kept in the archive. Be sure to check the Norman Rockwell website for what exhibits will be available for viewing.

When finished, be sure to enjoy the outside spaces on beautiful day. There's plenty of space and seating to relax and have a snack and refreshment. You can also visit Rockwell's personal studio that he used in the last 25 years of his life in Stockbridge which includes some paintings and photographs. Sculptures done by Rockwell's son Peter can also be found on the property and a bell is available to ring if you enjoyed your visit. I range it loud!

The museum has a gift shop for purchasing various items pertaining to Rockwell and the revolving exhibits. You can also find Stockbridge memorabilia and purchase a Rockwell print or have it shipped to your home. Bathrooms are near the entrance, water and other liquids are not allowed but bubblers are available, and plenty of parking can be found with a few EV charging stations if driving an electric vehicle.

Whether or not you are Norman Rockwell fan, you can find an appreciation for his artwork and the inspirations behind them as well as the revolving exhibits. I walked away from the museum more appreciation of Rockwell's impact, his talent, and the knowledge of his sentimental, political, and social justice artwork. Definitely a must-see if you are in the area or a...

We’re making our way back west, but before leaving Massachusetts we visited the Norman Rockwell Museum in the Berkshire town of Stockbridge. Although the NRM was a bucket-list item of our travel companion Linda, I thoroughly enjoyed the visit myself, both to the museum and to the surrounding area. Norman Rockwell needs no introduction to most literate Americans, but seeing his works assembled together provided a sense of the evolution of his artistic philosophy from his first cover on The Saturday Evening Post in April 1916 (at the tender age of 22) to his 323rd (and final) cover in December 1963 (a republication of his October 1960 cover portrait of John F. Kennedy—see photo). His earlier works tended heavily towards youths and the humor or whimsy of their reactions to the trials of growing up (see “No Swimming,” “Girl at Mirror,” “Day in the Life of a Little Girl,” and “The Runaway”). Later works cast a society coping with the sacrifices of war in a sympathetic light and stridently portrayed the rightness of the cause—epitomized by a series painted for Pres. Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” (see “Freedom from Fear”). He was fascinated with Abraham Lincoln, calling him “the greatest American” (and I most certainly agree) and painting him eight times (more than any other statesman) (see “Mr. Lincoln for the Defense”). He left the Post, in part, due to an editorial conflict with his views on civil rights (the Post allowed him only to portray Black Americans in subservient roles) and started painting for Look Magazine, where he further affirmed his views with a series of paintings that put acts of racial prejudice, bigotry, and integration into painfully human terms (see “The Problem We All Live With”). (Personally, I was more moved by this painting above all others). Perhaps his most famous painting is “Home for Christmas (Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas),” an idealized representation of his adopted hometown as the perfect New England city. After having a chance to see (and be moved by) the paintings on display, our incredibly knowledgeable tour guide gave us even further insight into Rockwell’s paintings—selecting for examination mostly the very same paintings that I had been drawn to on my own. For those who ever find themselves in or near western Massachusetts, I highly recommend making time to visit The Norman...