Cracked chimneys and deteriorating roof features at one of Rochester’s most iconic landmarks will soon get long-needed repairs.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced he secured $500,000 in federal funding to support major restoration work at the George Eastman Museum’s historic mansion. The funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior spending bill, which passed both the House and Senate.
Schumer said the money will help preserve the mansion, which has housed world-class photography and film collections for more than a century and remains a major tourism draw in the Finger Lakes region.
“The George Eastman Museum is the world’s oldest photography museum, and a major cultural and tourism destination that attracts visitors to learn about Rochester’s rich history,” Schumer said. “I’m proud to announce that I have secured $500,000 in federal funding to help the museum preserve this American treasure for generations to come.”
The funding will support repairs to the mansion’s original chimneys, parapets, and roof railings, which museum officials say have significantly deteriorated over time. The masonry has endured decades of Rochester’s freeze-thaw cycles, leading to moisture infiltration, unstable brickwork, and damage to interior plaster walls and ceilings. Portions of the roof railing have also broken off due to severe wood rot.
Museum leaders say the work will improve safety while protecting the historic structure.
“In the appropriations process for the past five years, Senator Schumer has resolutely advocated for federal funds to support critical restoration work atop the roof of George Eastman’s mansion,” said Bruce Barnes, the Ron and Donna Fielding Director of the George Eastman Museum. “The restoration work on our National Historic Landmark will benefit 125,000 museum visitors annually, as well as many members of the community who enjoy the museum property as a park.”
Over the next two years, crews will restore and stabilize the mansion’s eleven original chimneys and thirteen parapets, extending their lifespan for another century. Workers will also replace the severely deteriorated roof railing, which officials expect to last up to 50 years.
Founded in 1947, the George Eastman Museum is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the earliest film archives. The museum includes George Eastman’s 35,000-square-foot Colonial Revival mansion and architect-designed gardens, both part of a designated National Historic Landmark.
Schumer said the investment will help ensure the museum continues to support Rochester’s tourism economy while preserving the legacy of George Eastman, the founder of Eastman Kodak Company who helped make photography portable and accessible.
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