R.W. Norton Art Gallery

About this museum

On a gracious, wooded campus in Shreveport's South Highlands neighborhood, the R.W. Norton Art Gallery has spent seven decades being one of the South's best - kept secrets. With 323 reviews averaging 4.7 stars, it has a devoted following, but it remains modest by temperament and genuinely distinguished by collection - one of those institutions that rewards those willing to wander off the marquee routes of American art tourism.Located at 4747 Creswell Avenue, the gallery was established in 1966 through the philanthropy of Richard W. Norton Jr., whose collecting instincts were as refined as his civic generosity was considerable. The permanent collection spans five centuries of European and American art, with particular strength in 19th - century American painting, Flemish Old Masters, and rare books that bibliophiles would travel considerable distances to see. Among the highlights are works by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell, the preeminent painters of the American West, whose bronzes and oils convey the landscape and mythology of the frontier with a vitality that has never gone out of fashion.The building's formal galleries are matched by something less expected outdoors: a series of landscaped gardens that bloom in extraordinary variety across the seasons. In April and May, the azaleas transform the grounds into something close to spectacular, and the sculpture placed throughout the gardens creates a dialogue between art and landscape that is more sophisticated than most dedicated sculpture gardens achieve.Admission to the R.W. Norton Art Gallery is free, and the experience - art, rare books, gardens, and the quiet grandeur of a serious private collection made public - is worth far more than the price. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1PM to 5PM, closed Monday. Visit rwnaf.org to plan your visit.