The Rockwell Museum

The Rockwell Museum. Corning’s Old City Hall. , The Rockwell is housed in Corning’s Old City Hall. It was completed in 1893 and is a notable example of American Romanesque Revival architecture. In the late 19th century, this was a popular style of civic architecture seen throughout the nation. Today this important building houses a Smithsonian affiliated museum whose permanent collection features art of the American experience., Designed by the architect A.J. Warner, City Hall was constructed by Thomas Bradley from brick, terra-cotta decorative elements, and locally quarried Blue Stone. Time and weather eventually took their toll and by the 1960s the building had begun to deteriorate. The devastating flood of 1972 resulting from Hurricane Agnes submerged the basement and much of the ground floor, causing extensive damage. Several years later, Old City Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places which helped to ensure its survival., Corning Glass Works (now Corning Incorporated) and the City of Corning worked together to refurbish this important building. Renovation plans were developed by the architect John D. Milner which transformed old City Hall into the home of The Rockwell Museum in 1982. The Rockwell’s American collection is a perfect inhabitant for the building’s distinctly American style of Romanesque Revival architecture.