Nearly 70 retirees and guests took advantage of the free guided tour of the Rockwell Museum of Western Art...which, in an earlier day, was Corning's City Hall and housed both the city's police and fire departments. First-time visitors to the museum were both surprised and pleased with the transformation of the building.

A guided tour is THE way to get the most out of a visit to this repository of art and artifacts collected over the years by the late Bob Rockwell, Jr. and his wife Hertha. There were so many in our group that we were split into two groups, each led by a docent. The first stop on the tour is the Remington-Russell Lodge gallery, named for the two major artists of the genre -- Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. The room, a re-creation of a western lodge with a large fireplace, is the perfect setting from which to start one's visit.

The pace was leisurely with visitors afforded ample time to appreciate the many works of art in a variety of forms, all led by a well-informed docent who clearly was happy and able to answer all questions.

At the end of the tour, each person in our group was given a complimentary pass for a return visit at any time, which almost all said they were sure to use.

Retirees were reminded there are no programs on the schedule for June and July, other than the annual picnic which will be held July 15 at the Cooper Pavilion in Big Flats Community Park from 1 to 3 p.m.

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