R. W. Norton Art Gallery
The R. W. Norton Art Gallery, located in Shreveport, Louisiana, houses collections of American and European paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts spanning more than four centuries. Since its opening in 1966, the Norton has become particularly well-known around the nation for its collections of works by the two key artists of the American West, Frederic Remington (1861-1909) and Charles M. Russell (1864-1926).
History
In the early 1930s, Richard W. Norton (1886–1940) became one of the discoverers of the Rodessa oil field in northern Caddo Parish, Louisiana. With their personal wealth, Mrs. Norton (1886-1975) and her son, Richard W. Norton, Jr. (1919-1974), began to amass a significant art collection. In 1946, the Nortons created the R. W. Norton Art Foundation, named for the senior Norton.
Building and collection
When the building for the R. W. Norton Art Gallery was originally planned, it was determined to use a contemporary design that would be light, open, and possess the potential for expansion. The resulting gallery opened in 1966. The founders' long-range plans of the founders were realized when an expanding collection led to the addition of a south wing, opened in 1990, and a north wing in 2003.
Except during the coronavirus pandemic, the gallery and grounds are open to the public year round with thousands of national and local visitors. Guided tours are available by appointment for groups of ten or more people from fourth grade to adults and can be designed to relate to a specific course or topic.
Botanical gardens
The gallery is set within forty acres of landscaping with more than fifteen thousand plants, including several hundred native azaleas. A winding walking path leads visitors through the grounds, which include a small bridge over a stream, a pond, benches within the azalea beds, and outdoor sculptures. In 2005, the gardens were rated by Southern Living magazine as one of the favorite spots in the South.
