Rourke Art Museum

The Rourke Art Museum is an art museum in Moorhead housing a collection of more than four thousand artworks spanning multiple traditions. The holdings include works from West African, Islamic, Chinese, Japanese, Pre-Columbian, and contemporary sources, offering a range of artistic perspectives.

The building was constructed in 1915 as a Federal Courthouse and Post Office in the Classical Revival style, serving those public functions for decades. In 1960 it was converted and reopened as an art museum, beginning its life as a cultural institution.

The collection spans artistic traditions from multiple regions and eras, including African, Islamic, East Asian, and Pre-Columbian works alongside modern pieces. Walking through the galleries, visitors encounter different ways artists have expressed themselves across cultures and time periods.

The museum sits on Main Avenue in the town center with information available at www.therourke.org for current exhibitions and educational offerings. Planning a visit is straightforward since all practical details about hours and programming are posted online.

The building was designed by Oscar Wenderoth in Classical Revival style, and the architecture itself frames the art inside with purpose and elegance. Its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 acknowledged not just the collection but the structure housing it.

Location: Moorhead

Inception: 1960

Address: 521 Main Avenue

Phone: +12182368861

Website: http://therourke.org

GPS coordinates: 46.87333,-96.77083

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:40