U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday that $500,000 in federal funding has been secured to help restore the historic mansion at Rochester’s George Eastman Museum.
The funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior spending bill, which recently passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. The money will support restoration work at the museum, one of the region’s most prominent cultural institutions and a major tourist attraction in the Finger Lakes.
According to Schumer’s office, the funding will be used to repair and stabilize the mansion’s chimneys, parapets, and roof railings, which have deteriorated after more than a century of exposure to Rochester’s freeze-thaw cycles. Officials say moisture infiltration has caused damage to plaster walls and ceilings, and sections of the roof railing have broken due to severe wood rot.
Museum officials said the project will include restoring 11 original chimneys and 13 parapets over the next two years and replacing the severely deteriorated roof railing. The work is expected to stabilize the structure for decades and ensure safe access for visitors.
Bruce Barnes, director of the George Eastman Museum, said the funding will benefit approximately 125,000 visitors each year and help preserve the National Historic Landmark for future generations.
Founded in 1947, the George Eastman Museum is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the earliest film archives. The museum houses extensive collections of photography, film, and related technology, and includes the former residence and gardens of George Eastman, founder of the Eastman Kodak Company.
