Johnson Museum of Art

The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, located on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York, opened its doors in 1973. Designed by the celebrated architectural firm I. M. Pei & Partners, the building itself is a striking example of modernist design, blending clean lines with a unique structure that complements its hilltop setting overlooking Cayuga Lake. The museum is named in honor of Herbert F. Johnson, a Cornell alumnus from the Class of 1922, who served as president and chairman of S. C. Johnson & Son in Racine, Wisconsin, and was a dedicated university trustee. His vision and generosity helped bring the museum to life.

From its inception, the Johnson Museum has embraced an open-door policy, welcoming all visitors free of charge. This commitment reflects Cornell’s land-grant mission and dedication to making art accessible to the widest possible audience. It has become a vital cultural hub not only for the university but for the surrounding community, offering exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that encourage engagement with art across cultures and time periods.

The museum’s permanent collection now exceeds 40,000 works, covering more than six thousand years of human creativity. Highlights include an outstanding selection of Asian art, an extensive collection of prints, drawings, and photographs from the fifteenth century to today, and notable holdings in modern and contemporary painting and sculpture. Visitors can also explore European art from antiquity to the present, remarkable African sculpture and textiles, and a rich assortment of pre-Columbian ceramics and sculpture.

Serving as both a teaching resource and a center for scholarly research, the Johnson Museum continues to find innovative ways to connect people, art, and ideas. It stands as a testament to the belief that art, freely shared, enriches and strengthens the entire community.