• Welcome to the R.W. Norton Art Gallery

  • BOTANICAL GARDENS

    "I would like to paint the way a bird sings" - Claude Monet

  • Museum

    "Art is not what you see, it is what you make others see" - Edgar Degas

Welcome To Our Museum

History Of Our Museum

The R.W. Norton Art Gallery houses an exceptional collection of art spanning more than four millennia.   Since its opening in 1966, the museum has become particularly well-known around the country for its impressive collections of works by those titans of western art, Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell.   The R.W. Norton Art Gallery is a teaching museum that uses the art to encourage community participation in thoughtful interpretations and discussions.

In the early 1920's, Richard W. Norton (1886-1940) became one of the discoverers of the Rodessa Oil Field in north Louisiana. Over time, Mr. Norton's wife and son began to amass a significant collection of fine art. In 1946, to honor Mr. Norton and for the benefit of the community, Richard W. Norton, Jr. (1919-1974) and his mother, Mrs. Richard W. Norton (1886-1975) created the R.W. Norton Art Foundation. In turn, the Foundation eventually established the R.W. Norton Art Gallery, basing its initial collection upon donations from the acquisitions of the Nortons. Today, due to the on-going efforts of the Board of Control and the Foundation's work, the R.W. Norton Art Gallery's offerings continue to expand, grow, and contribute to their community.

 

Current hours of operation: 

Monday through Wednesday: CLOSED

Thursday - Sunday: 1:00-5:00 PM

Holiday Hours:

Thanksgiving and Black Friday: CLOSED 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: CLOSED

No reservations or tickets are required and admission is free. 

If you have any questions, please contact info@rwnaf.org or call (318) 865-4201. 

Request a Tour:

To request a guided tour for an adult group, please CLICK HERE to fill out our Adult Tour Request Form.  

To request a tour for a children's group, CLICK HERE to fill our Teaching Tour Request Form. 

To request a tour for a homeschool group, CLICK HERE to fill out our Homeschool Visit Request Form.

 

 

 

MASK UPDATE:

While we do recommend it for children’s health and safety, masking at the museum is now optional, both inside and out. 

  

 

  

Norton Botanical Gardens Hours

Monday - Wednesday:  CLOSED

Thursday - Sunday:  Sunrise to Sunset

None of the above restrictions apply to the garden area west of Creswell Ave. or the “island” in front of the museum’s main entrance, both of which will be open dawn until dusk, year round.

No photography or videography, private or commercial, is allowed inside the museum or on the grounds with the exception of school-affiliated educational photography classes which have made advance appointments. 

 

 

 

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CALL US

(318) 865-4201

ADMISSION

There is no admission charge.

Museum Hours

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About Our Museum

On View at the Museum

The R.W. Norton Art Gallery boasts an extensive permanent collection that includes more than 400 paintings and a plethora of sculptures representing over 100 artists.   Our collection represents a wide variety of styles, time periods, and historical importance.

Collection Highlight

Birdbath by Leonora Carrington (1917 - 2011) Color Screenprint, 1978

Originally a British debutante, Carrington rejected her aristocratic life after attending the International Surrealist Exhibition against her father’s wishes. Soon after, she ran off to Paris with the magnetic Max Ernst despite his marriage and the 26-year age difference. World War II ended their idyll there and, after a harrowing trip, she ended up in Mexico where she married a diplomat and eventually moved to New York. Returning to Mexico, Carrington ended her first marriage and embarked on a second, giving birth to two sons. By then, she was highly successful as an artist and moved regularly between Mexico and New York.