From the Director
Director's Welcome
The George Eastman Museum is an international treasure. Our collections of photography and cinema are among the best in the world. Our collection of cameras and related technology is matched by none. The museum—founded more than seventy years ago as George Eastman House—is located in Rochester, New York, on the National Historic Landmark estate of entrepreneur and philanthropist George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography and a leader in the development of motion picture film.
The Eastman Museum is actively building our collections, with an emphasis on photographic and moving image works by contemporary artists from many cultures to complement our great strength in works from the past. We are committed to the preservation of our collections and of George Eastman’s mansion and gardens. Over a period of several years, we have been undertaking a series of projects to restore parts of the mansion.
One of the most exciting aspects of the Eastman Museum is our dynamic and wide-ranging exhibition program. Each year, we present at least seven new exhibitions: major shows in our main galleries, spanning the entire histories of photography and cinema; contemporary photographic or moving image artworks in our Project Gallery; selections from our collection in our History of Photography Gallery; and exhibits about photographic technology or George Eastman, in the historic mansion. If you have not visited the museum in six months, you are guaranteed to see several new exhibitions on your next visit.
The Dryden Theatre exhibits at least five different motion pictures each week—often films that cannot be seen anywhere else—ranging from silents with live musical accompaniment, classic Hollywood pictures, and past blockbusters to rarely shown independent, foreign, or experimental films. We also host special appearances from actors, filmmakers, photographers, and other artists, as well as talks by curators and scholars. There is something to engage or entertain every taste.
The historic mansion and gardens offer a variety of delights throughout the year. Join us for a live musical performance in the mansion any Sunday afternoon. Stroll through the gardens and enjoy the change of seasons. Celebrate the holiday season with our Sweet Creations gingerbread houses, escape from winter with our Dutch Connection flower show in February, and in May, marvel at the creatively themed tabletop displays and lush floral arrangements of Eastman Entertains.
The George Eastman Museum is an extraordinary institution. Our staff and trustees are deeply grateful to our members and other donors who support our mission. We hope that you will join us and explore all the museum has to offer. We invite you to come back—again and again—and see what’s new.
Sincerely,
Bruce Barnes, PhD
Ron and Donna Fielding Director
George Eastman Museum
Director's Notes
Transforming Our Educational Programs (September/October 2021)
In Solidarity at the Dryden Theatre (July/August 2021)
Returning to Shared Experiences (May/June 2021)
The Wonders and Power of Art (March/April 2021)
Museum Welcomes Open Face (January/February 2021)
Welcome! (November/December 2020)
You Complete Us (September/October 2020)
The Bruce Bates Colonnade (July/August 2020)
Reaching Out in New Ways (May/June 2020)
Visitor Center Project Advances (March/April 2020)
The Show Goes On (January/February 2020)
Grants Enable Major Projects (November/December 2019)
Welcoming a New Curator (September/October 2019)
Restoring the Colonnade (July/August 2019)
Valediction to Paolo Cherchi Usai (May/June 2019)
A Collaborative Program with Rochester City School No. 23 (March/April 2019)
A More Welcoming Entrance (January/February 2019)
Advancing and Sustaining the Museum (November/December 2018)
The Question of Interpretation (September/October 2018)
An Imperative Project: Restoring the Colonnade (July/August 2018)
Championing the Arts (May/June 2018)
Contemporary Moving Image Artwork On View Daily (March/April 2018)
Preserving our Photography and Technology Collections (January/February 2018)
Thankful for Five Years of Support and Progress (November/December 2017)
Partnering with the Community (September/October 2017)
With Thanks (July/August 2017)
Help Us Protect the Arts (May/June 2017)
Celebrating Vittorio Storaro, A Master of Cinema (March/April 2017)
A Good Time for the Dryden (January/February 2017)
Collections Now Accessible Online (November/December 2016)
Our Invaluable Docents (September/October 2016)
Second Floor. Walk Up! (July/August 2016)
Collaborations and Partnerships (May/June 2016)
Come for a Lark (March/April 2016)
Exhibiting New Work (January/February 2016)
Director's Note (November/December 2015)
The Dryden- Your Home Theatre (September/October 2015)
An Active Spring (July/August 2015)
Salutations and Valedictions (May/June 2015)
Preservation is Paramount (March/April 2015)
Leading the World's Celebration of Technicolor's Centennial (January/February 2015)
Your Contribution to Eastman House (November/December 2014)
Preserving Our Landmark and Collections (September/October 2014)
With Thanks (July/August 2014)
Recent Improvements Serve Visitors and Collections (May/June 2014)
Conservation Department Endowment Established (March/April 2014)
Welcoming a New Curator (January/February 2014)
Looking Back and Forward (November/December 2013)
Roger Corman: 2013 George Eastman Award Recipient (September/October 2013)
Why The Gender Show is Important (July/August 2013)
A Good Plan vs. A Terrible Precedent (May/June 2013)
Proposed Project Looms Over Museum (March/April 2013)
A Few Moments With Eastman House Director Bruce Barnes (January/February 2013)
Director's Note (November/December 2012)