Explore, see, and experience our Historic Village. We invite you to tour spaces and buildings representing home, civic, social, economic, farm, and religious life throughout the 1800s.
As part of Blue Star Museums, the RMSC is extending its gratitude to those currently serving in the United States Military and up to five of their family members, by offering free admission to all three of its locations from Armed Forces Day, May 16, 2026, through Labor Day, September 7, 2026. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
Thursday, June 4, 2026, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Join the Burroughs Audubon Nature Club and Matthew Nusstein, Letchworth Park Naturalist, to enjoy old growth woods along the Moraine Loop Trail. The Moraine loop features its namesake, a section of the Valley Heads moraine, which is the geologic feature that altered the path of the Genesee River some 10,000+ years ago. There are also several swampy bogs, one of the parks tallest white pines and several other species of old growth trees such as cucumber, beech, tulip, maples and more!
The Nitrate Picture Show features screenings of vintage nitrate prints from international archives and the Eastman Museum’s own collection and lectures from leading archivists, inviting you to experience the art and science of film preservation, from print conservation to archival projection. Film fans who have attended our festival before will tell you that it's the rare experience of watching original nitrate prints projected in the cinema while surrounded by other enthusiasts that really makes the Nitrate Picture Show unique.
On view this spring in the museum's community gallery, the Gallery Obscura, are photographs and writings by members of the 2025–2026 Studio 678 Photo Club at the Flower City Arts Center, reflecting the students’ unique visions of the world around them.
Over a professional life spanning seven decades, Edward Steichen (1879–1973) established himself as one of the most important figures in the history of photography. What is less known is that for much of that time Steichen also devoted himself to the nurturing of plants and gardens, an activity that sustained him and through which he developed ardently held beliefs regarding the relationship among art, nature, and creativity.
In the Project Gallery, the interrelated series Patterns and Fabrications show Baum's recent explorations of the visual and material culture of fashion and craft. In Patterns, the artist activates the lines, forms, patterns, colors, and texts found in the abstract world of mid-century sewing patterns. Fabrications continues from Patterns by opening into a broader visual culture of magazines, catalogs, and books related to fashion and craft, as well as the advertisements and coupons found within. Together, these series reframe the domestic imaginary present in the printed materials Baum recontextualizes. Engaging in textual and visual play, Baum invites us to experience what was once familiar in unexpected new ways.
Walk the Destination Dinosaur trail to experience massive, moving dinosaurs like the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, the powerful Triceratops, the fierce Giganotosaurus and more than a dozen other life-size animatronic dinosaurs. Spot them flying overhead, hiding in the foliage and grazing along the dino path. Be sure to make memories with special photo opportunities, get hands-on with our fossil dig pit and enjoy our educational dino show happening daily at 12 and 2 p.m. at Center Stage!
Highlighting three significant prints—Portrait of a Young Woman after Cranach the Younger II, Pique II, and Bacchanal with Kid Goat and Onlooker—along with their various proofs, Picasso and the Progressive Proof: Linocuts from a Private Collection is an intimate exhibition that reveals how these works and subjects developed in the latter part of his career and his groundbreaking contributions to the medium.
In his seven-minute video, The Hikers (2019), Rashid Johnson presents a chance encounter between two Black men in an environment where they never expected to see each other. Two masked men—one ascending, the other descending—come upon each other in the mountains in Aspen, Colorado. They dance, and in an exquisite moment of recognition, they remove their masks that manifest anxiety. What unfolds is a narrative of connection, an exchange of platonic love, and independence.
American values take shape in the objects we make, desire, cherish, and discard. A table laden with ripe fruit, a meal served up at a luncheonette, the inside of a medicine cabinet—ordinary materials around us chronicle our lives. The still life, a genre of art that dates back to the ancient world, captures those objects of everyday life while often conveying deeper meanings and hidden messages.
Discover the incredible work of African American artist John Rhoden (1916–2001), one of the most prolific sculptors of the twentieth century. His first retrospective exhibition, Determined to Be: The Sculpture of John Rhoden, offers insights into his diverse creativity as well as his personal story.
May 28-June 28: This Tony Award-nominated musical inspired by the beloved films takes us on a journey to the past. Iconic songs, like Once Upon a December, transport us from the darkness of Soviet Russia to the opulence of Paris. Anya, an orphan, Dmitry, a handsome conman, and Vlad, a bumbling ex-aristocrat, seek to uncover the truth of Anya’s family: is she the lost Romanov Grand Duchess? Prepare to be swept away on a musical journey to home, love, and family!
Sip ’n Sail cruises feature local businesses that have a passion for providing great libations. Enjoy featured wine, beer, or liquor tastings; a food pairing; and a presentation by a libation educator while cruising on the scenic Genesee River and historic Erie Canal. Culminate the evening with a spectacular view of the Rochester skyline as you’ve never seen it before. 5/21 features Rohrbach Brewing; all other dates feature Flight Wine Bar.
Savor the lush landscapes of the Genesee River as you cruise south past the University of Rochester, through Genesee Valley Park, and onto the Erie Canal. As you relax on the water, live narration will reveal the stories of how these historic waterways shaped our community. Your journey ends with a spectacular view of Rochester’s skyline as you’ve never seen it before.
Step back in time as you cruise along the historic Erie Canal. Live narration brings to life the bold vision that transformed a hare-brained idea into an engineering marvel that opened the American West. Travel through a working lock, soak in the scenery, and relax as history unfolds around you.
