The Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts is exploring the purchase of another building in which to establish a first-of-its-kind national center for illustration education and research.
The Stockbridge museum announced this week it is exploring the feasibility of purchasing the old Stockbridge Town Hall, which has been vacant for a decade since the town offices moved. The century-old building is owned by the First Congregational Church.
The museum's campus about a mile way is cramped because of an expanded mission that includes the collection, study and exhibition of works of other illustrators. This has led to growth in educational programming, collections, exhibitions, scholarship and outreach.
The old town hall was depicted in the Rockwell work, "Springtime in Stockbridge."
Museum officials say it would cost about $10 million to renovate the building.
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