Corning's Many Museums

Everyone meets in Corning's square

The Museum of Glass has a continuous display of 24,000 glass objects dating back 3,500 years. by Christopher Jon Peterson It's easy to get narrow-minded about glass because we use it, and take it for granted, everyday. The Corning Museum of Glass in the Corning Glass Center opens the mind to a different thinking about this incredible product, from its use in art to its value in high-tech applications like fiber optics. The Glass Center which is actually 5 different museums is the city's largest tourist attraction, and worth a visit even if you're not a glass aficionado. About a half-million people visit each year.

If glass isn't your cup of tea, try a visit to Corning's other star attraction, the Rockwell Museum, founded by Robert Rockwell, a local department store owner, who began collecting art in 1960.The museum is now in the former Corning City Hall, which was restored in 1982. The building itself is a marvel. The work inside is even more pleasing, with everything from huge western murals to etched black and whites used in magazines. The western art collection on the third floor features the works of not only Frederic Remington, but Alfred Jacob Miller; the sculpture of James Earle Fryer; paintings of W.R. Leigh and C.M. Russell; a single work by Andrew Wyeth and many others. If you're not a museum-goer at all, I'd suggest a stroll down Market Street, which boasts dozens of shops and restaurants from the elegant to the old-time bar. A visitor can easily spend an entire afternoon strolling the street just window shopping. Corning does an excellent job of making itself an attractive, safe family destination. More on the Corning-Elmira area Corning Glass Web site If you go: The City of Corning. Take I-390 south (from Rochester) to Route 17, east. ·Corning Museum of Glass: State Route 415. ·Rockwell Museum: Corner of Cedar Street and Route 17. Chris Peterson lives in Almond, Allegany County, and is a regular Genesee Country contributor.

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