Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University

The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University welcomes visitors to experience original works of art across a wide spectrum of global traditions, time periods, and media for education, inspiration, and delight. We connect to the vibrant intellectual and cultural life of Cornell University and a public audience through exhibitions, programs, teaching, and research, with free admission for all.

The Johnson Museum opened in 1973. Designed by I. M. Pei & Partners, it is named for benefactor Herbert F. Johnson, a distinguished graduate of Cornell’s Class of 1922, the late president and chairman of S C Johnson and a Cornell University trustee.

Since its beginning the Museum has been open to all without charge. Given Cornell University’s land-grant status and its mandate to play an important role in the community, the Johnson Museum continually seeks to fulfill its cultural and educational responsibility to serve a broad and diverse audience.

Today, the Johnson Museum’s permanent collection numbers more than 40,000 works, spanning six millennia and encompassing art from most world cultures. Among the strengths of the collection are the holdings of Asian art; prints, drawings, and photographs ranging from the fifteenth century to the present; modern and contemporary painting and sculpture; European art from ancient times to the present; African sculpture and textiles; and pre-Columbian sculpture and ceramics.

The collections are the foundation for all Museum initiatives in teaching, research, and the development of projects to connect people, art, and ideas in creative ways. We create direct experiences with art and catalyze interdisciplinary learning, opening new doors to lifelong inquiry and exploration.