Norman Rockwell exhibit opens in Texas

What does Scouting look like?

For decades, that question was best answered by Norman Rockwell.

His paintings shaped the BSA’s image in America for more than 60 years, and his art continues to paint a picture of Scouting’s history to this day. 

"On to Washington," 1933.

Take a fresh look at the work of Rockwell and other prominent illustrators who helped show Scouting to the country by visiting the all-new “Norman Rockwell and the Art of Scouting” exhibit, now open at the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Tex.

You’ll find classic works by the man himself, of course, in addition to select pieces by Walt Disney Studios, Joseph Christian Leyendecker, Howard Chandler Christy, Dean Cornwell, and Joseph Csatari.

Head to the National Scouting Museum and check it out. (Psst: Don’t forget that admission is free on Sundays and Mondays!)

The Scouting Museum, which opened at its current home in 2002, houses the world’s largest collection of Scouting artwork by Rockwell, who joined Boys’ Life magazine as a staff artist in 1912.

"Red Cross Man in the Making (A Good Scout)," 1918

In 1925, along with the Brown & Bigelow calendar company, Rockwell published the first of 50 Boy Scout calendars. His last calendar, The Spirit of 1976, came out to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial.

A year later, Rockwell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor — from President (and Eagle Scout) Gerald Ford.

It was then that Rockwell passed the reins of “official BSA artist” to Joseph Csatari, who still holds that role today.

Rockwell died at his Massachusetts home in 1978. He was 84.

UPDATE 4:10 p.m. 01/10/12: A reader on Facebook asked how long the exhibit will be on display. Corry Kanzenberg, curator at the museum, answered: “The exhibition is a long-term reinstallation of our permanent collection and will be on view for three to five years, but objects will be added and rotated periodically throughout that period.”


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.