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Welcome to the R.W. Norton Art Gallery
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BOTANICAL GARDENS
"I would like to paint the way a bird sings" - Claude Monet
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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
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 - Tuesday: 4:00pm - Sunset
Wednesday - Sunday: Sunrise - Sunset
We must emphasize that Monday - Tuesday, unlike our old operating hours, the gardens are closed to the public during the day until 4:00pm.
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.
Please be respectful of your fellow visitor by maintaining the approved social distance.
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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
Jungle Orchids and Single Hummingbird
Martin Johnson Heade (1819 – 1904)
Martin Johnson Heade seems to have first become interested in the tropics because of his friend Frederic Church’s monumental work, Heart of the Andes. He made his first trip south to Brazil in 1863 where, over the course of a year, he created a series of 40 small Luminist works featuring hummingbirds and orchids. Heade followed up with trips to Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, and Jamaica, each time adding more lush foliage and tropical birds into his repertoire. His move to St. Augustine, Florida in 1883 cemented his focus on the surrounding tropical marshland and the flora and fauna that filled it. Though not truly famous during his own lifetime and almost forgotten in the early year of the 20th century, Heade was rediscovered after World War II and has come to be considered one of the most important American artists of his generation.