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
George Eastman Museum showcases work of In Control teen workshop artists
The George Eastman Museum presents the exhibition Evoke: A Youthful Expression, on view through March 9, 2025, showcasing the work of student artist participants of In Control, a program of Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York.
George Eastman Museum celebrates 75th anniversary with new exhibition exploring history of photography
Goldie Hawn to Receive George Eastman Award
The George Eastman Museum will honor actor Goldie Hawn with the George Eastman Award for distinguished contribution to the art of cinema on Tuesday, October 22.
George Eastman Museum to present the work of Stanley Wolukau-Wanambwa in October
The George Eastman Museum is delighted to announce the forthcoming exhibition, Scene at Eastman, which will open on October 25, 2024 and close on April 20, 2025. The exhibition will comprise a set of photographs and sculptures made in aluminum, glass, concrete, paper, tin, and other materials. The photographs and sculptures in Scene at Eastman (“the works”) describe various acts and instances of apprehension, of address, of attendance to the presence of others. Some objects are original, others appropriated. The viewer’s own practice of looking is solicited by the works.
George Eastman Museum receives $98,220 grant from Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s Frankenthaler Climate Initiative
The George Eastman Museum has received a grant award of $98,220 from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s Frankenthaler Climate Initiative—the largest private national grantmaking program to support climate change action at cultural institutions and the first nationwide program of its kind for the visual arts. The grant supports the installation of a new LED lighting system in the museum’s Main Galleries and adjacent exhibition spaces.
George Eastman Museum to unveil rare screen test of Adele Astaire
To commemorate the 125th anniversary of the birth of American dancer, actor, singer, and choreographer Fred Astaire, the George Eastman Museum is pleased to announce the online publication of a unique piece of film history: a 1936 screen test of Astaire’s sister Adele, a Broadway legend in her own right. This is the only known footage of her acting and singing. Unseen for nearly ninety years, it will now be accessible to the public, going live at eastman.org/dark-victory-test on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.
George Eastman Museum to present candid exhibition on the life and impact of George Eastman
The George Eastman Museum has announced the next phase of a multiyear project to create a new exhibition on George Eastman’s life and legacy. The George Eastman Story Lab, which will open on Saturday, May 18 in the mansion’s second-floor Sitting Room, will offer visitors the opportunity to provide feedback on the direction of the future exhibition.
A rare nitrate film screening of D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance (1916) ushers in the 8th Nitrate Picture Show
To kick off the eighth annual Nitrate Picture Show, the George Eastman Museum will screen a unique tinted nitrate print of D.W. Griffith’s silent masterpiece Intolerance (1916) on Thursday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. The Nitrate Picture Show is the first festival in the world entirely dedicated to screening original nitrate prints from the 1910s to the 1950s, from silent cinema to Technicolor spectacles. The full program of film titles being shown this year will be announced at a press conference at 10 a.m.
George Eastman Museum appoints Michelle Finn as Curator of the George Eastman Collection
The George Eastman Museum has appointed historian and curator Michelle Finn, PhD, as curator of the George Eastman Collection, with responsibility for George Eastman’s 35,000‑square-foot mansion, its contents, and archival materials comprising more than 200,000 items. Finn will start in the position on April 15.
New Directions: Recent Acquisitions photography exhibition opens at the George Eastman Museum
The George Eastman Museum continues its 75th anniversary celebration with the opening of the exhibition New Directions: Recent Acquisitions on Saturday, March 16 in the Project Gallery. New Directions features work acquired by the museum over the past five years, and showcases significant developments in photographic practice.
New exhibition Crashing into the 60s: Film Posters from the Collection opens at the George Eastman Museum
The George Eastman Museum begins the celebration of its 75th anniversary with a visual journey back to the 1960s. The museum’s newest exhibition, Crashing into the 60s: Film Posters from the Collection, opens Friday, February 2 in its Main Galleries and Potter Peristyle. This exhibition features film posters from the extensive George Eastman Museum collection. In addition, a film series connecting to and expanding upon many of the posters displayed in the exhibition will run in the Dryden Theatre through the exhibition’s run in September.
The George Eastman Museum’s Wish You Were Here lecture series returns on January 25
The George Eastman Museum has announced the winter/spring lineup for its Wish You Were Here lecture series. For over 20 years, this popular photography lecture series has brought artists and photojournalists to Rochester to share their stories and photographs from around the world. The 2024 series will kick off on Thursday, January 25 at 6 p.m., with photographer Gregory Halpern.
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.
The Dryden gets animated in November
The Dryden Theatre presents a series of five films by Oscar® winner Hayao Miyazaki, who is not only one of the most respected animation directors in Japan but also a critically acclaimed leader of animation filmmaking worldwide.
Eastman House gala in NYC POSTPONED
"George Eastman House is a leader in film and photography preservation,” said Scorsese. “I’ve worked closely with them for a long time now, and they’ve always impressed me with their knowledge and passion.”
International Home Movie Day is Saturday, Oct. 20
You are invited to celebrate home movies in Rochester on Saturday, Oct. 20, as part of the 10th annualInternational Home Movie Day, which takes place simultaneously in cities around the globe. The Rochester celebration will be Noon to 4 p.m. at University of Rochester River Campus in collaboration with George Eastman House and the L. Jeffrey Selznick School of Film Preservation. The event, which is free and open to the public, is a worldwide celebration of home movies and amateur films that provides the opportunity for communities to see and share home movies, and learn how best to store and properly care for them. Staff and students also will share information as to how and where to have your films and tapes transferred, so you can watch obsolete formats, once again, at home.
George Eastman House Photo Finish 5K hits the streets Oct. 6 — a single fundraiser benefitting more than 50 Rochester causes
In the spirit of George Eastman’s philanthropic legacy, the George Eastman House Photo Finish 5K presented by MVP Health Care returns to the streets for its second year on Saturday, Oct. 6, to raise funds for more than 50 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. Last year, more than 1,000 runners and walkers registered, ranging in age from 4 to 82, raising more than $300,000.
60 from the 60s showcases influential photographs from an influential decade that saw many new photography styles
Ten of the most significant photographers of a dynamic era are featured in an exhibition at George Eastman House that examines a time defined by classical modernism and by experimentation, conflict, and social revolution. 60 from the 60s, on display Oct. 6 through Jan. 27, 2013, features works exclusively from the Eastman House collections that were produced in a decade that saw many new photography styles emerge — collage, street photography, and photojournalism.
“Wish You Were Here” travel photo lectures return for fall
George Eastman House’s “Wish You Were Here” travel photography lecture series is back this fall, featuring renowned photographers sharing images and stories. The featured four artists will share with us locations of North American birds, Cuban rural life, an Australian amusement park, and America’s last traveling side show.
Frank Sinatra’s dramatic roles on the big screen at Dryden Theatre
The Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House pays tribute to singer/actor “ole blue eyes,” Frank Sinatra, in a four-film series screening in September. The selection of films highlights some of Sinatra’s greatest dramatic performances
Silent films take the screen this fall at the Dryden Theatre
The Artist’s massive commercial success may have brought silent film into prominence again, but at Eastman House, it has always been one of the cornerstones of Dryden Theatre programs. Experience the original art this fall, September to December, as the Dryden Theatre presents a series of silents in collaboration with the University of Rochester, titled “Silent Tuesdays.” Featured will be the expressive talents of stars like Gloria Swanson, Douglas Fairbanks, and John Gilbert and the artistic mastery of directors such as Cecil B. DeMille, D. W. Griffith, and King Vidor.
Eastman House collects portraits of “The Hands That Make Rochester,” created by world-renowned photographer Gary Schneider
George Eastman House is collecting portraits of “The Hands That Make Rochester,” created by internationally renowned photographer Gary Schneider. This fundraising project for the museum is focused on capturing 25 images of the hands of people shaping today’s Rochester. Participants to date include Mark Cuddy, Dave Fiedler, Jody Gage, Dan Meyers, Jeff Tyzik, and Abby Wambach, the Olympic Gold medalist and celebrated soccer player.
Eastman House presents "Ideas in Things" in photographs
George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film presents this summer a gallery of photographs that demonstrate their persistence as cultural artifacts and a vehicle for memory and meaning. Ideas in Things will be on view June 30 through Oct. 21, 2012. Following its debut in Europe, these photographs return home to Eastman House, including works by Julia Margaret Cameron, Frederick H. Evans, Lucas Samaras, and Clarissa T. Sligh, and Edward Steichen.
Eastman House gardens and Dryden Theatre showcase the Lost Bird Project
George Eastman House will host in its gardens this summer an edition of five bronze memorial sculptures by artist Todd McGrain July 3-Sept, 2012, and screen on July 28 and 29 the regional premiere of the documentary film about his efforts to memorialize five extinct birds. McGrain’s Lost Bird Project focuses on five North American Birds driven to extinction in modern times: the Carolina Parakeet, the Heath Hen, the Great Auk, the Labrador Duck, and the Passenger Pigeon. Each species is represented in a sculpture as high as 6-feet tall that weighs between 400 and 700 lbs.
Images from final roll of Kodachrome donated today to George Eastman House
When Kodak announced in 2009 it would no longer produce Kodachrome film, company officials announced two ways the famed film would be celebrated: 1) National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry would be given the last roll off the Kodak production line and 2) the images from that historic roll would be donated to the archives at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film. McCurry today donated photographs from that final role to George Eastman House during a press conference in the museum.
George Eastman House offers sign-language tours
George Eastman House is offering sign-language museum tours, focused on George Eastman and his historic home, to serve visitors who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, including visitors from Rochester — which has one the largest deaf populations in the country. Volunteer docent Robert Menchel is conducting these tours on select Saturday mornings.
George Eastman House rocks into 19th season of Garden Vibes
The Garden Vibes summer concert series at George Eastman House is celebrating its 19th year, rocking out with live music on four Thursdays in July and 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 launches certificate program in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management
George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film announces the launch of a one-year certificate program in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management, an intensive eight-month, graduate-level immersion program for professionals, students, and independent scholars. This comprehensive combination of practical and classroom experience will be based in the unparalleled collections of Eastman House, the world’s oldest museum of photography. The program begins in September 2012.