The Norton Art Galleries : Make Touring Inside and Outside Beautiful and Rewarding

An entire wall displayed as a mountain city, in dimensional diorama, it is amazing, but the best part is the 3D effect when you get close, it is as if though you are in the art. Walking about the immense rooms, the impression is quiet, peace, contemplation, an inner sense of width and you realize what is helping this is the height of the ceilings. Space used for effect here, and the beauty leaves you at odds for words to describe it; any descriptive will be shy of large enough, real enough.

"In the early 1930s, Richard W. Norton (1886-1940) became one of the discoverers of the Rodessa Oil Field in north Louisiana. Over time, Mr Norton's wife and son began to amass a significant collection of fine art. In 1946, to honor Mr. Norton and for the benefit of the community, Richard W. Norton, Jr. (1919-1974) and his mother, Mrs Richard W. Norton (1886-1975) created the R.W. Norton Art Foundation. In turn, the Foundation eventually established the R.W. Norton Art Gallery, basing its initial collection upon donations from the acquisitions of the Nortons. Today, due to the on-going efforts of the Board of Control, the Foundation's work and the Gallery's offerings continue to expand, grow, and contribute to their community." [Wikipedia, 2007]

Part of the charm in visiting this fine museum is the surroundings, rising from among some of Shreveport's finest homes, the art gallery stands in perfect architectural compliment, fitting into the surroundings like a fine diamond into a perfect mount. The Norton family has blessed Shreveport and the world with one of the finest representations, inside and out, of what true fine art is.

If you like incredible historic sites, this art museum has them, in one room the displays are tapestries which are from historic England, many of them dating back to bygone eras. These are truly amazing art, embroidered throws which cover an entire wall that is as large as 60' X 60' - it's amazing. In the comfortable, well lit surroundings, space makes you feel welcome, rather than encroached upon. With the friendly members of the staff present to answer any inquiries you might have, the facility promotes total excellence in it's appeal to the masses.

As you exit the building, after being left in a state of oxygen depravity, as you felt inclined to hold your breath a lot, you realize that the beauty you are seeing is tended to, but you've never seen so many Azalea's (see link in picture for Azalea cam) and they bring a sense of outer beauty to the whole experience. The gardens have become a part of the building (as you observe in the images of the north wall of the building) which has now become completely over-grown with vines wondorously the building and grounds committee determined that it would be aesthetically rewarding to allow such a growth.

The sheer delightful power of the wonderful art and surroundings makes this a days trip that is not expensive, and yet, is extremely fulfilling, come see this wonder of the fine arts museum's in the Unites States and see first hand what these words don't do justice to.