History
The Rourke Art Gallery + Museum has played a unique and valuable role in the cultural landscape of the Moorhead-Fargo area for almost 60 years. As a community art institution, it sustains our shared artistic and cultural heritage. The Rourke Art Gallery was opened on 18 June 1960 by brothers James O'Rourke and Orland J. Rourke. Orland returned to his teaching career within the first year, while James continued to direct and operate what we know today as The Rourke Art Gallery + Museum through several venues and incarnations. Throughout it's history, The Rourke has been dedicated to showcasing regional talent with artistic excellence serving as the primary consideration in programming. The Permanent Collections of The Rourke Art Gallery + Museum run the gamut from important regional art and major 20th and 21st century artists and movements to artifacts representing diverse global cultural traditions dating back from over 1,000 years ago to the present day.
Specialties
The Rourke Art Museum provides visitors with access to the region's and the world's artistic heritage. The Museum's permanent collection is built primarily around works from three sources: the art of our Upper Midwest region; art by important 20th Century artists; and art from the cultures that inspired those artists, including African and Pre-Columbian cultures.