About George Eastman Museum
Founded in 1947, the George Eastman Museum is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the largest film archives in the United States, located on the historic Rochester estate of entrepreneur and philanthropist George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography. Its holdings comprise more than 450,000 photographs, 31,000 motion picture films, the world’s preeminent collection of photographic and cinematographic technology, one of the leading libraries of books related to photography and cinema, and extensive holdings of documents and other objects related to George Eastman. As a research and teaching institution, the Eastman Museum has an active publishing program, and its L. Jeffrey Selznick School of Film Preservation’s graduate program (a collaboration with the University of Rochester) makes critical contributions to film preservation. The George Eastman Museum is supported with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Current Press Releases
The George Eastman Museum receives $65,350 grant award from the National Film Preservation Foundation
The George Eastman Museum recently received a grant award for $65,350 from the National Film Preservation Foundation to preserve three severely endangered nitrate feature films from the museum’s collection. The prints of His Last Race (US 1923), Payroll Pirates (US 1920), and When Betty Bets (US 1917) are likely the only versions of the films that still exist. Due to severe nitrate decomposition in all three films, this is the last chance to save these unique prints.
George Eastman Museum receives Best in Show accolades for David Levinthal: War, Myth, Desire publication
The George Eastman Museum was recently awarded the Frances Smyth-Ravenel Prize in the 29th annual Museum Publications Design Competition, presented by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). This “Best in Show” honor was given to the museum for its David Levinthal: War, Myth, Desire (2019) publication.
The George Eastman Museum hosts Kota Ezawa for a virtual artist’s talk on October 22
The George Eastman Museum will host a virtual artist’s talk with Kota Ezawa in conversation with Bruce Barnes, Ron and Donna Fielding Director of the George Eastman Museum, on Thursday, October 22 at 6 p.m. The talk is free, and registration via Zoom is required as space is limited.
George Eastman Museum will open new Thomas Tischer Visitor Center on October 10
The George Eastman Museum officially cut the ribbon to open its new Thomas Tischer Visitor Center this morning at a 10 a.m. press conference. The Thomas Tischer Visitor Center includes the ESL Federal Credit Union Pavilion, which will serve as the museum’s new main entrance, located next to the Dryden Theatre. The transformative project, costing more than $5 million, was made possible by funding from a combination of philanthropy from individuals and private foundations, local corporate support, and a grant from the State of New York.
George Eastman Museum to install monumental Colorama
The George Eastman Museum is installing a reproduction of a Colorama image adjacent to its new Thomas Tischer Visitor Center. The public opening of the Tischer Visitor Center and the Colorama will be on Saturday, October 10.
George Eastman Museum receives $249,517 grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services
The George Eastman Museum has received a grant award of $249, 517 from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through its Museums for America grant program. This is the largest grant program of IMLS. The Eastman Museum’s initiative to conserve 1,004 South Asian films in its collection was one of 109 projects that received part of the more than $19 million in grants awarded.
Louis S. and Molly B. Wolk Foundation to give $350,000 to the George Eastman Museum’s visitor center project
The Louis S. and Molly B. Wolk Foundation has pledged $350,000 to support the George Eastman Museum’s transformative Thomas Tischer Visitor Center. The Wolk Foundation’s gift will be recognized with the dedication of the largest space in the visitor center as the Wolk Concourse. This broad thoroughfare—with educational and interpretative content that will introduce the museum and George Eastman—will lead visitors to the education and meeting hall, the museum café and store, George Eastman’s historic mansion and Terrace Garden, and the museum’s exhibition galleries.
George Eastman Museum awarded $135,000 grant from National Endowment for the Humanities
The George Eastman Museum has been awarded $135,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) CARES Act grant program to support essential operations of the museum that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant funds will allow the museum to sustain, expand, and institutionalize the museum’s digital programs. The Eastman Museum was one of 317 cultural organizations selected to receive a grant award through this highly competitive program.
Gathering Clouds photography exhibition now on view at the George Eastman Museum
The George Eastman Museum premiered Gathering Clouds: Photographs from the Nineteenth Century and Today on July 26 in the museum’s main galleries. Gathering Clouds illustrates the key role that clouds played in the development and reception of photography from around 1850 to 1920. Bringing cloud photography into the present by way of Alfred Stieglitz’s Equivalents (1923–34), the contemporary works in the exhibition forge new artistic paths while responding in various ways to the history of cloud photography.
George Eastman Museum receives $70,000 in grant awards from Art Bridges
The George Eastman Museum has received two grant awards, of $35,000 each, from Art Bridges. The grant awards are funded through the Bridge Ahead Initiative—a nearly $6 million commitment from Art Bridges to assist its partner museums that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
George Eastman Museum reopening delayed one week due to construction
The George Eastman Museum has announced that the public reopening of the museum has been delayed one week because of construction work on the Thomas Tischer Visitor Center. The museum will now reopen to the public on Sunday, July 26, at 11 a.m. The museum will be open for museum members only on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., before opening to the general public on Sunday, July 26.
The museum has also shifted the opening of three new exhibitions to Sunday, July 26 (members-only preview days July 24 and 25).
George Eastman Museum to reopen on July 19
The George Eastman Museum has announced it will reopen to the public on Sunday, July 19, at 11 a.m. The museum, which has been closed since March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was unable to open when Phase IV began in the Finger Lakes due to the ongoing construction of the Thomas Tischer Visitor Center. The museum will be open for museum members only on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., before opening to the general public on Sunday, July 19.
Take a Bike Tour of George Eastman’s Rochester
The George Eastman Museum has announced that it will begin its series of George Eastman Bike Tours on Saturday, July 18 at 10 a.m. The two-hour tour is led by Jesse Peers, archivist in the George Eastman Legacy Collection and certified bike educator. Peers will guide participants on the relaxed pace, 6.5-mile tour that begins and ends at the Eastman Museum. A nod to George Eastman’s own love of cycling, the bike tour will take riders to ten different locations related to the life and work of this pioneer of popular photography and famous Rochesterian.
The George Eastman Museum continues at-home programming with new virtual offerings
The George Eastman Museum is continuing to expand its online offerings through Eastman Museum at Home. The museum is working with Yelp Rochester to offer new virtual programs from baking to crafting, the events will be held on June 18 and June 30 through Yelp Rochester online. The museum has also rescheduled its Portrait of Jennie: The Rarest Cinematic Experience of All Time webinar to June 25, and the Curator’s Gallery Talk with Bea Nettles to June 26. All virtual events and webinars are free but registration is required.
The George Eastman Museum offers a glimpse into the cinematic elements of Portrait of Jennie (1948) on June 4
The George Eastman Museum has announced it will host a virtual discussion on the film Portrait of Jennie (William Dieterle, 1948) on Thursday, June 4 at 1 p.m. with members of its Moving Image Department. The museum’s 6th Nitrate Picture Show was originally scheduled to kick off with a screening of Portrait of Jennie on June 4, 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum made the decision to postpone the festival to June 3–6, 2021.
Artist Alejandro Cartagena to host virtual Artist Talks in English and Spanish with the George Eastman Museum
The George Eastman Museum has recently announced that the formerly postponed artist’s talks with Alejandro Cartagena (Mexican, b. Dominican Republic, b. 1977), originally scheduled for March 27 and March 28, have been rescheduled as virtual conversations. A Spanish-language talk will be held on Thursday, May 28 at 1 p.m. and an English-language conversation between the artist and Heather Shannon, Associate Curator at the George Eastman Museum, on Friday, May 29 at 1p.m. Both talks are free, but registration is required as space is limited.
The George Eastman Museum to host virtual talk on Eastman’s Historic Gardens on May 15
Following the success of its first two virtual lectures, the George Eastman Museum has announced a third lecture on Friday, May 15 at 1 p.m. (EST). The free Focus 45 talk will center on George Eastman’s historic gardens, and will be led by Kathy Connor, Curator of the George Eastman Legacy Collection at the George Eastman Museum.
The George Eastman Museum postpones the 6th Nitrate Picture Show
The George Eastman Museum is postponing the 6th Nitrate Picture Show, originally scheduled for June 4–7, 2020, until June 3–6, 2021. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the museum has decided not to present the film festival in this calendar year. More than 80 percent of current festival passholders would need to travel to Rochester from across the country or overseas, making their attendance inadvisable and nearly impossible in the current environment.
The George Eastman Museum enhances online offerings with Eastman Museum at Home
The George Eastman Museum may be temporarily closed, but the museum is still offering its audiences around the world an opportunity to explore collections and educational offerings. The museum officially launched Eastman Museum at Home, a repository for activities, online resources, tutorials, and tours to keep people engaged in learning about photography, film, and the legacy of George Eastman.
The George Eastman Museum is closed to public temporarily
The George Eastman Museum is committed to the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, and visitors, and to taking all necessary steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. In light of the declaration of a national emergency, and after consultation with other cultural leaders in the Rochester region, the George Eastman Museum has temporarily closed to the public as of 5 p.m. today, March 13, 2020, until further notice.
One Hundred Years Ago: George Eastman in 1920 display now on view at the George Eastman Museum
One hundred years ago, George Eastman was entering what would be his final full decade—and his most productive as well. The George Eastman Museum has recently opened One Hundred Years Ago: George Eastman in 1920, a display exploring aspects of Eastman's life through artifacts. Objects on view include an album of photographs from the construction of the Eastman Theatre, newspaper articles, the first issues of Kodak Magazine, and souvenirs from his trip to Japan. On a touchscreen tablet, visitors can also see snapshots taken by Eastman himself during that trip.
The Dryden Theatre announces call for entries for Stephen King’s Dollar Babies programs
The Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum has announced a call for entries to its 2nd Annual Stephen King’s Dollar Babies short film program. Submissions of original short films are being accepted now through April 30. The selection committee will choose up to 14 short films to screen at the Dryden in October as part of the Dollar Babies programs. Filmmakers will be notified by May 31 if their entry was chosen.
The Nitrate Picture Show will open with 'Portrait of Jennie' (1948) on Thursday, June 4
The George Eastman Museum recently announced that Portrait of Jennie (William Dieterle, 1948) will screen on Thursday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. to kick off the 6th Nitrate Picture Show. Traditionally, the Nitrate Picture Show has kept all of the film titles a secret until the first day of the festival. Due to the overwhelmingly rave reviews to the initial screening of Portrait of Jennie during the 1st Nitrate Picture Show in 2015, festival organizers have decided to give festival-goers another chance to experience it on the big screen.
George Eastman’s historic mansion will reopen with the 26th Annual Dutch Connection display on February 14
The historic mansion at the George Eastman Museum will reopen to the public on Friday, February 14, with its Dutch Connection floral show. The annual display is a welcome treat in the midst of winter, with thousands of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, amaryllis, freesias, and spring annuals in various vibrant shades filling areas of George Eastman’s historic mansion. Tropical orchids courtesy of the Genesee Region Orchid Society will also be on display throughout the mansion. Dutch Connection will be on view through March 1.
Alejandro Cartagena: Photo Structure / Foto Estructura will open at the George Eastman Museum on January 31
The George Eastman Museum has announced a new photography exhibition, Alejandro Cartagena: Photo Structure / Foto Estructura, which will open on January 31, 2020, in the museum’s Project Gallery. Co-organized by the George Eastman Museum and the Chrysler Museum of Art, the exhibition will present the latest work, including several new pieces, by artist Alejandro Cartagena (Mexican, b. Dominican Republic, b. 1977). The exhibition and its accompanying audio tour will be presented in both English and Spanish.
George Eastman Museum breaks ground on Thomas Tischer Visitor Center and ESL Federal Credit Union Pavilion
The George Eastman Museum broke ground today on the Thomas Tischer Visitor Center, including construction of the ESL Federal Credit Union Pavilion, which will serve as the museum’s new main entrance, located next to the Dryden Theatre. Through the new entrance, visitors will be served by a new admissions desk, gathering places, a renovated education and meeting hall, a more mission-focused shop, and a relocated café that includes seating in the historic Palm House. The project is expected to be completed by July 2020.
George Eastman House announces special Wish You Were Here lecture on January 9 with NASA astronaut Donald Pettit
George Eastman House has announced that it will be extending its Wish You Were Here lecture series into the new year with chemical engineer, NASA astronaut, and photographer Donald Pettit, PhD. Pettit will present his lecture, An Astronaut’s Guide to Photography in Space, on Thursday, January 9, 2014, at 6 p.m. in the Dryden Theatre.
George Eastman House announces Dr. Lisa Hostetler as Curator-in-Charge of its Department of Photography
George Eastman House announced today the appointment of Lisa Hostetler, PhD, as Curator-in-Charge of its Department of Photography. She will assume this role prior to year-end.
Hostetler brings almost 20 years of academic and museum experience to her new position with George Eastman House. She is currently the McEvoy Family Curator for Photography at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.
History of Space Photography and Astro-Visions Open at George Eastman House on October 26
George Eastman House will open two exhibitions on October 26 that will be on view through January 12, 2014: The History of Space Photography and Astro-Visions. The History of Space Photography showcases a variety of astronomical photographs that have been created since the development of photography in the early 19th century, and will feature a number of the most important scientific photographs ever created. To complement The History of Space Photography, Eastman House has organized Astro-Visions, which draws from its rich collections to explore how scientists, photographers, and filmmakers have incorporated images of outer space into their work.
George Eastman House to host U.S. premiere of rediscovered film directed by Orson Welles on October 16 in Rochester, N.Y.
George Eastman House, located in Rochester, NY, will host the exclusive U.S. premiere of the newly discovered Too Much Johnson (1938), a Mercury Theatre film directed by Orson Welles, on Wednesday, October 16, 2013.
Surround sound returns to Eastman House with new Aeolian organ
George Eastman’s house is once again home to the world’s largest residential pipe organ. A team of volunteers alongside Parsons Pipe Organ Builders—the same family and company that serviced Eastman’s pipe organ decades ago—completed the reinstallation of the north organ in July with the support of Dr. Richard Zipf. The interesting tale of how the new organ made its way to Rochester will conclude with the first public concerts the weekend of September 21 and 22.
George Eastman House hires Daniela Currò, Kellie Fraver, and Molly Tarbell
George Eastman House has hired Daniela Currò as preservation officer in its motion picture department; and Kellie Fraver as public relations manager and Molly Tarbell as copy editor and publications coordinator, both in the museum’s communications and engagement department.
Roger Corman to receive George Eastman Award
George Eastman House will honor Academy Award®-winner Roger Corman with the George Eastman Award, the museum’s highest honor in motion pictures, on Saturday, November 2. The award recognizes Corman’s distinguished contribution to the art of film. In accepting the honor, Corman joins the company of such film legends as Charles Chaplin, Cecil B. DeMille, Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Kim Novak, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, and Richard Gere. The George Eastman Award was established in 1955 as the first retrospective film award to honor artistic work of enduring value.
George Eastman House Photo Finish 5K hits the streets Oct. 5 — this single fundraiser has raised over $500,000 for more than 60 Rochester causes
Using social media to fundraise across generations -- in the spirit of George Eastman’s philanthropic legacy -- the George Eastman House Photo Finish 5K returns for its third year Saturday, Oct. 5, to raise funds for Rochester non-profit causes. This “philanthropy challenge” is a new way of fundraising, allowing dozens of organizations to raise funds via a single event, and Rochester has embraced it. Over the past two years, nearly 2,000 runners and walkers participated in the race, raising over half a million dollars for more than 60 non-profit organizations in and around the Rochester community.
The Gender Show explores how photographs have presented gender from 19th century to today
George Eastman House’s exhibition The Gender Show will explore how photographs, from the mid-19th century to today, have portrayed gender — from archetypal to non-traditional to subversive representations — with a special emphasis on the performances that the act of photographing or being photographed can encourage or capture. The Gender Show, presenting over 200 works, draws primarily from the Eastman House collection, which spans more than 170 years, and also features contemporary art photographs and videos on loan from artists and private collectors. The exhibition will be on view from June 15 through October 13, 2013.
George Eastman House celebrates 20th season of Garden Vibes concert series
The Garden Vibes summer concert series at George Eastman House is celebrating its 20th year by shaking things up. The outdoor concerts are now being held on Wednesday evenings, once a month from June through August. Picnic on the Eastman House lawn, relax with friends, and enjoy family-fun activities, while at the same time basking in George Eastman’s historic Townson Terrace Garden and surrounding grounds. Concerts are 6 to 8 p.m.
George Eastman House is first photography museum to join Google Art Project, pairing zoom-in technology with high-res images
George Eastman House announced today it is adding high-resolution photographs to the Google Art Project, offering yet another platform to share its unparalleled collections. Eastman House, the world’s oldest museum of photography, is the first museum of photography to be selected for inclusion in the Google Art Project. The resolution of the images combined with a custom-built zoom viewer allows users the ability to discover details never before seen. In addition Eastman House has included all available cataloging data, allowing viewers access to information not previously available online.
Dryden Theatre welcomes Oscar-nominated filmmaker James Ivory Saturday, April 6
The Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography & Film welcomes Oscar®-nominated filmmaker and George Eastman Honorary Scholar James Ivory (Room with a View, Remains of the Day, Howard’s End) on Saturday, April 6, as part of the ongoing celebrating of the reopening of the renovated Dryden Theatre. At 8 p.m. he will introduce his 1995 film Jefferson in Paris and engage in a Q&A with the audience following the screening. Tickets are $12 general admission and $10 for students and are on sale now.
Alison Nordström to assume new role at George Eastman House, focusing on exhibitions and books
George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film announced today that Dr. Alison Nordström, Senior Curator of Photographs, will assume the new position of Curator-at-Large, effective July 1, 2013. The museum has begun an international search for her replacement as head of the Department of Photographs.
Richard Gere to receive George Eastman Award
George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film announces it will honor Richard Gere with the prestigious George Eastman Award on Feb. 16. The award recognizes Gere’s distinguished contribution to the art of film as well as his global humanitarian leadership. In accepting the honor, Gere joins the company of such film legends as Charles Chaplin, Cecil B. DeMille, Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Kim Novak, Martin Scorsese, and Meryl Streep. The George Eastman Award was established in 1955 as the first retrospective film award to honor artistic work of enduring value.