On the Road with Polly: Inside the Norman Rockwell Exhibit at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute

When touring the Norman Rockwell exhibit at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute with Chief Curator Stephen Harrison, I tried my best to use my inside voice, but we were both charmed when a group of school-age children arrived while I was there.

"Music to my ears," Harrison said.

Indeed, not only is the exhibit fascinating for older people, it's a fun way to introduce or review American history. The exhibit features all 323 The Saturday Evening Post covers and more than 50 original art pieces, including moving images from war and depictions of the American family that still ring true today.

There are plenty of examples of Americana and innocence, but the exhibit also shows how some of Rockwell's work and ideas were really progressive for his time — including a painting that the New York Post refused to publish depicting a scene of domestic violence with a man sporting a black eye, not the woman. He left The Saturday Evening Post in 1963 (after 47 years) to pursue opportunities that allowed more progressive themes.

Come along on my tour with me:

The exhibit continues through Sept. 18. Learn more and plan your visit at mwpai.org/rockwell.

When you visit, I really encourage you to take a look at the intricacies in each painting, from wrinkles in faces to smiles that reach the eyes. Each one tells a story that you can still hear today if you look close enough.