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Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown

Located on the shores of legendary Otsego Lake, on the site of famous American novelist James Fenimore Cooper's former farmstead, Fenimore Art Museum houses one of the country's most comprehensive and exceptional Collections of American folk art, American fine art, and The Thaw Collection of American Indian Art-one of the finest collections of North American Indian art in the world. The museum is also home to a wide collection of twentieth-century art, nineteenth-century photography, and decorative arts.
 
Exhibitions on view upon reopening (July 3) include Blue Gardens: Photographs by Gross and Daley; Hamilton's Final Act: Enemies and Allies; Prismatic Beauty: American People and American Art; and Elegant Line/Powerful Shape: Elements of Native American Art. In August, the museum presents Albrecht Durer: Master Prints (August 11-November 22) and Pete Souza: Two Presidents, One Photographer (September 5-December 31). Alongside are Fenimore's impressive collections of fine art, folk art, and Native American art on view throughout the year. These collections include The Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, which was exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2017. This widely respected collection celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary this season. Fenimore Art Museum hosts many world-class traveling exhibitions each season. Previous exhibits featured well-known artists such as Ansel Adams, Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, and many others.

Due to the pandemic, the museum has rescheduled three of its major exhibitions which will now be presented during the 2021 season. These include Keith Haring: Radiant Vision, Manzanar: The Wartime Photographs of Ansel Adams, and The World of Jan Brett. The exact dates of the exhibitions will be released in late 2020.


 









Please visit website for updates and a list of cancellations.
 

Details

Hours

  • Through December 31: Open Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m; Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas
 

Prices

  • Adults and Juniors (13-64) $10.00; Seniors (65) $10.00; Children (12 and under) FREE
 
Admission is always FREE to museum members, active military, and retired career military personnel.
 

Special Packages & Offers (NOT VALID IN 2020)

VISIT COOPERSTOWN'S OTHER TREASURES AND SAVE
All 3 museums savings of $7.00 for adults and $2.50 for children
 
Triple Play: $42 Adult / $18.50 Juniors (7-12)
  • Admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers' Museum
 
Double Play: $33.00 / $18.50 Juniors (7-12)
  • Admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Fenimore Art Museum or
  • Admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame and The Farmers' Museum
 
You may purchase the ticket at the first museum you visit. The ticket is good for one visit to each museum within one year from the date on the ticket and you do not need to visit all the museums on the same day.
 

Events

  • Lectures
  • Book Signings
  • Kid's Programs
 
 

Activities

  • Art Exhibitions
  • Cultural Artifacts
  • Gift Shop

Upcoming exhibits

The season is highlighted by the exhibition Herb Ritts: The Rock Portraits (April 2-September 2, 2019). Known for his elegant and minimalist work, photographer Herb Ritts (1952-2002) had a gift for turning stars into icons. In Herb Ritts: The Rock Portraits, the first collection of the photographic portraits of musicians, visitors will see how he captured the likes of David Bowie, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Madonna—the world's biggest music stars—and in the process, helped define their iconic status for generations of fans. The exhibition, on loan from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, presents many of his best-known portraits and some of the costumes and instruments used by the artists featured in the exhibition.
 
Other highlights include Elephant and Piggie in We Are Art! (April 2 - May 15, 2019); Hamilton's Final Act (April 2 - December 31, 2019); Perfect Harmony: The Musical Art & Life of William Sidney Mount (May 25 - September 8, 2019); and Heroines of Abstract Expressionism (September 18 - December 31, 2019).
 

Collections

The world-class collections housed at the Fenimore Art museum present the history of American culture through art. Exhibits on-view include the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, The Coopers of Cooperstown, Fine Art from the Permanent Collection, and American Memory: Recalling the Past in Folk Art.
 

FAQs

  • What is the history of the Fenimore Art Museum?

    The museum opened its doors in 1944, but you can trace its beginnings to Ticonderoga, New York in 1926, where the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) was founded. In 1939, Stephen Carlton Clark made it his mission to move the organization and its collections to Cooperstown. To accomplish this, he donated his estate on the shore of beautiful Otsego Lake (Fenimore House) and it soon became NYSHA's permanent home. The Neo-Georgian structure saw major structural enhancements in 1968 and 1995 to create the modern yet classic museum that exists today, now known as Fenimore Art Museum.

  • Can you rent the Fenimore Art Museum for special events?

    The beauty of the structure and a prime location on the western shore of Otsego Lake make this the perfect place to host your special event. From small conferences, meetings and lectures to cocktail receptions and elegant weddings, multiple venues throughout the estates expansive grounds provide great options for any event.
 

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