Arnot Art Museum
Arnot Art Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
The Arnot Art Museum is a landmark jewel of the art world in downtown Elmira, New York. Housed in the 1833 neo-classical Arnot family mansion, it is one of the last remaining private art collections formed in the 19th century still exhibited in its original showcase. Temporary exhibitions highlight various aspects of the collections and include works from museums around the world.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
40 reviews
Excellent
31
Very good
8
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
youthgoes
Lewisburg, PA51 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
I was in Elmira for the day and checked this museum out. I was pleasantly surprised! It is centered around Arnot’s former mansion, which includes his central art display room from the 1880s. Admission was free, as this is February, their off-season, and they were in between exhibits, but we did get to see their core collection of paintings by Great Masters such as Brueghel and Thomas Cole. They also have a very nice photography exhibition, as well as a collection of rare Asian artwork, and the artwork of local high school students. Perfect for an afternoon out with your family, or solo. Also great for kids too! Enjoy this local art treasure!
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hrobinson1114
Nashville, TN2,766 contributions
Jul 2021 • Solo
This site is in Elmira, so I made this part of a trip to see Mark Twain’s grave, his study at Elmira college, Rockwell Museum and the Corning Glass Museum, both in Corning, about 15 minutes away.
I was surprised at how beautiful this museum was. The initial room was a bright room lit by a skylight. This museum is one of the only/oldest spots of early classical art, where the collection is housed in the original home, in nearly the exact original configuration, without any pieces being sold off. Gorgeous and worth the 7 dollar entry fee alone.
They also have modern art and local art. Some colorful and provocative. When I was there, they also had some local Elmira artists, and some other random artifacts.
Beautiful and worthwhile.
I was surprised at how beautiful this museum was. The initial room was a bright room lit by a skylight. This museum is one of the only/oldest spots of early classical art, where the collection is housed in the original home, in nearly the exact original configuration, without any pieces being sold off. Gorgeous and worth the 7 dollar entry fee alone.
They also have modern art and local art. Some colorful and provocative. When I was there, they also had some local Elmira artists, and some other random artifacts.
Beautiful and worthwhile.
Written July 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
UpstateLoyalist
Syracuse71 contributions
Feb 2014 • Family
We've been gradually visiting every art museum in New York State - -not just the MOMA and the Frick, but all the smaller ones scattered Upstate. This project is something new for us -- the Arnot is a perfect example of what makes this "project" such fun.
A big part of what makes this place neat, is the time travel feeling - - seeing one person's collection in its original format. You walk into a beautiful private gallery and the world of an 1885 millionaire.
The collection itself is fun, lots of traditional landscapes and not all of it struck me as "Great Art" but just kind of fun - - 19th c. Frenchmen who aren't familiar to most Americans, including us. There were also a fair number of Victorian Era Cows, Victorian Era Sheep, Victorian Era Cows with Victorian Peasants, etc. And views from exotic corners of the 19th century - - Berbers on horseback, an Ottoman with pistols and enormous ugly bird, etc. And to us some of them looked like really good illustrations from old-time children's books. A couple of small-scale pieces would make the trip worthwhile for me: a tiny "Apple Gatherers" by Millet was beautiful and atmospheric; a "Flemish Fair" by Breughel, incredible detail. And some Dutchman I don't recall had a wonderful 17th century man o' war in a gale, like a terrific movie poster. (You'll gather I've never taken an Art Appreciation class!)
One warning - if you wanted to see their Cole and Bierstadt, currently off display.
The modern wing is well laid out --the current display is contemporary photorealism, and we all enjoyed it, although personally the current vogue for blood and creepiness gets wearying after a while. And the show by local high school winners blew us away - - also with a disproportionate share of blood and creepiness, but where do they find so many amazingly talented kids!
Upstairs is a small room of Egyptian antiquities, including a life size Xray of a mummy, a detailed Chinese carved wooden screen that seemed to show some sort of story, and a huge, unusual Chinese ...shrine? tchotchke? covered with sea-creatures and quartz marbles.
The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming.
Very much worth a visit.
A big part of what makes this place neat, is the time travel feeling - - seeing one person's collection in its original format. You walk into a beautiful private gallery and the world of an 1885 millionaire.
The collection itself is fun, lots of traditional landscapes and not all of it struck me as "Great Art" but just kind of fun - - 19th c. Frenchmen who aren't familiar to most Americans, including us. There were also a fair number of Victorian Era Cows, Victorian Era Sheep, Victorian Era Cows with Victorian Peasants, etc. And views from exotic corners of the 19th century - - Berbers on horseback, an Ottoman with pistols and enormous ugly bird, etc. And to us some of them looked like really good illustrations from old-time children's books. A couple of small-scale pieces would make the trip worthwhile for me: a tiny "Apple Gatherers" by Millet was beautiful and atmospheric; a "Flemish Fair" by Breughel, incredible detail. And some Dutchman I don't recall had a wonderful 17th century man o' war in a gale, like a terrific movie poster. (You'll gather I've never taken an Art Appreciation class!)
One warning - if you wanted to see their Cole and Bierstadt, currently off display.
The modern wing is well laid out --the current display is contemporary photorealism, and we all enjoyed it, although personally the current vogue for blood and creepiness gets wearying after a while. And the show by local high school winners blew us away - - also with a disproportionate share of blood and creepiness, but where do they find so many amazingly talented kids!
Upstairs is a small room of Egyptian antiquities, including a life size Xray of a mummy, a detailed Chinese carved wooden screen that seemed to show some sort of story, and a huge, unusual Chinese ...shrine? tchotchke? covered with sea-creatures and quartz marbles.
The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming.
Very much worth a visit.
Written February 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
93108food
Montecito, CA210 contributions
Jul 2014 • Solo
They've got nerve charging an admission to this place which features mediocre art in a few rooms. You can walk it all in 10 minutes and not be impressed.
Written July 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike H
London, UK349 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
….that a small town in up-State New York should not only have a museum, but one with works of art that are worth making a journey for.
One of the few very early purpose-built picture galleries to survive architecturally and survive with the original contents, some of the works on display are world-class. The Claude Lorrain, bought with other pictures from the Duke of Hamilton’s sale in London in 1882 by Mathias Arnot himself, is ravishing and the tiny Jan Breughel the Elder’s port scene, painted on copper and signed and dated 1613 is a gem, a masterpiece and in fabulous condition. The French 19thC pictures, many by famous names, reflect contemporary American taste and that they have remained together is remarkable.
Two points that might be taken as criticism but are merely indented as observations – first, the very crude method of hanging, on steel hawsers with vast ring-hooks, is inappropriate but might have been introduced after a van Dyck was stolen in the 1940s and secondly the frames are a mess – clearly the original late-19thC ones but now dirty and in need of restoration, cleaning and conservation.
The new-ish wing and collections of modern and contemporary art show that the Arnot has moved with the times and is a living, vital institution. Somebody with a distinctive taste has been acquiring – Wes Hemple’s ‘Match’ of 2003 has a pathos and intensity that is compellingly melancholic.
One of the few very early purpose-built picture galleries to survive architecturally and survive with the original contents, some of the works on display are world-class. The Claude Lorrain, bought with other pictures from the Duke of Hamilton’s sale in London in 1882 by Mathias Arnot himself, is ravishing and the tiny Jan Breughel the Elder’s port scene, painted on copper and signed and dated 1613 is a gem, a masterpiece and in fabulous condition. The French 19thC pictures, many by famous names, reflect contemporary American taste and that they have remained together is remarkable.
Two points that might be taken as criticism but are merely indented as observations – first, the very crude method of hanging, on steel hawsers with vast ring-hooks, is inappropriate but might have been introduced after a van Dyck was stolen in the 1940s and secondly the frames are a mess – clearly the original late-19thC ones but now dirty and in need of restoration, cleaning and conservation.
The new-ish wing and collections of modern and contemporary art show that the Arnot has moved with the times and is a living, vital institution. Somebody with a distinctive taste has been acquiring – Wes Hemple’s ‘Match’ of 2003 has a pathos and intensity that is compellingly melancholic.
Written February 19, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chellefencer
Gainesville, FL22 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
Having been to several larger and more well known galleries and art museums locally--Albright Knox, Steele Memorial--this is not the same scale by any means! BUT, it is a wondeful and eclectic gathering of pieces that are a tribute to the man who began the collection as his own. It's a wondeful way to spend a hour or two on a rainy day and they are willing to answer any questions you have or allow you to wander throughout on your own with a map. Some of the pieces in the first room were double hung (high and low) which was a little difficult for my daughter to enjoy since she is just under 5 feet tall. They usually had a key in the room to identify the pieces that were too high to read the placards on the frames of the high pictures. If just enjoy art and don't want to spend a whole day, then enjoy it. They give AAA, senior citizen and many other discounts, but $7 is not really too much to ask for viewing this collection.
Written July 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rhapsodyinblue
Albany, NY1,076 contributions
Dec 2013 • Family
Go with the right expectations, and you will really enjoy this museum. It seems that the Arnot family at one time "was" Elmira, and many things still bear their name, including this museum. This is the Arnot family home, and the house itself is beautiful. We were greeted warmly, and because we "missed" the parking lot in the back, they gave us 2 quarters for the meter.
The main attraction is the largest room in the house, which contains perhaps 70 or 80 pieces of art, hung at various heights all over the walls. I must admit that I did not know much of anything about these artists, but I saw many pieces which wowed me with their technical aspects, color, etc., and many that told a "story", which I very much like art to do (see the "Cardinal's Menu" as an example).
The home has been added on to, and there is an upstairs gallery for more modern art, and a small Egyptian collection which is very interesting.
The staff could not have been nicer, and you feel good about supporting something that is an obvious labor of love for those who run and staff it.
The main attraction is the largest room in the house, which contains perhaps 70 or 80 pieces of art, hung at various heights all over the walls. I must admit that I did not know much of anything about these artists, but I saw many pieces which wowed me with their technical aspects, color, etc., and many that told a "story", which I very much like art to do (see the "Cardinal's Menu" as an example).
The home has been added on to, and there is an upstairs gallery for more modern art, and a small Egyptian collection which is very interesting.
The staff could not have been nicer, and you feel good about supporting something that is an obvious labor of love for those who run and staff it.
Written January 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pnemiller
Kutztown, PA2,272 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
This museum is 100 years old--it houses the collection of Mattias Arnot who gave the city the art work when he died. The museum is housed in the original home that his father built in 1833 and has an additonal picture gallery that was built in 1890. That gattery has pictures hung salon style and has many 17th to 19th century Euroopean art that he collected. There are works by Millet, Breton, Brueghel, Rousseau, Courbet and Treniers. The museum also has 19th to 20th century works by American artists such as Thomas Cole, Henri and Sully.
There are also changing exhibits. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday. It is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museums (NARM) so membership in one of those museums allows for free entry into the Arnot.
This museum is one of the top attractions in Elmira and is a great way to spend a few hours. The staff members are pleasant and we got a history of the art and the museum when we entered. There is metered street parking around this museum in downtown Elmira.
There are also changing exhibits. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday. It is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museums (NARM) so membership in one of those museums allows for free entry into the Arnot.
This museum is one of the top attractions in Elmira and is a great way to spend a few hours. The staff members are pleasant and we got a history of the art and the museum when we entered. There is metered street parking around this museum in downtown Elmira.
Written July 18, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna L
Keene, NH40 contributions
Jun 2021
Small art museum. Hudson River artists works of art. Plus Mr Arnot's personal art collection. Very impressed.
Written June 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LindaL47682
Elmira, NY37 contributions
Jul 2014 • Business
Variety of Art and artists displayed. Original home of Matthias Arnot and one room devoted to the original collection of paintings purchased in Europe. Located in downtown Elmira close too the Chamber of Commerce and Clemens Center.
Written July 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Arnot Art Museum
- Arnot Art Museum is open:
- Tue - Fri 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Sat - Sat 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Hotels near Arnot Art Museum:
- (0.57 mi) Clarion Inn
- (6.06 mi) Hampton Inn Elmira/Horseheads
- (6.12 mi) Hilton Garden Inn Elmira Corning
- (0.82 mi) Restored Victorian Home
- (5.45 mi) Fairfield Inn & Suites Elmira Corning
- Restaurants near Arnot Art Museum:
- (0.17 mi) Turtle Leaf Cafe
- (0.19 mi) Dunkin'
- (0.24 mi) Beijing Garden Restaurant
- (0.27 mi) Green Derby
- (0.32 mi) Vincenzo's Pizzeria
Arnot Art Museum Information
Excellent Reviews | 31 |
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Very Good Reviews | 8 |
Arnot Art Museum Photos | 25 |