In downtown Longview, the Longview Museum of Fine Arts is not only renovating a historic landmark building but also transforming the community’s experience with art. With ambitious renovations, expanded programming, and high-quality exhibits, LMFA is stepping into a new era that aims to transform it into the premier art museum in East Texas.
“Arts enrich the quality of life and bring people together,” LMFA Executive Director Tiffany Jehorek said. “Every great city has a great museum, and we are building on that vision here in Longview.”
That vision took a step forward last year when LMFA unveiled a six-month exhibition called “George Rodrigue: Painting for Myself.” The exhibit featured a collection of Rodrigue’s work, including some of his iconic “Blue Dog” paintings. The show, which was held at the museum’s new and in-progress location on Fredonia Street, drew visitors from across Texas and Louisiana and helped the community see that Longview can host exhibitions comparable to major-city museums.
“It truly raised awareness of the museum,” Jehorek said. “In the first two months alone, we had more than 2,000 people come through the museum.” The numbers only tell part of the story. Jehorek recalls patrons who had never stepped foot in a fine arts museum before and who were visibly moved by the art.
“That gets me teary-eyed,” she said. “Seeing art touch people in such a personal way … That’s why we do what we do.”
Now, the museum is channeling that momentum into something even bigger: the transformation of its historic building on Fredonia Street. LMFA is continuing the next step in renovations at the former bank building to turn it into what Jehorek envisions as the premier art museum in East Texas.
In 2026, the space will host concerts, parties, and rentals, offering the community new ways to gather while fundraising for the larger
$7 million renovation goal continues.
“We’ve already raised $3.5 million, which purchased the building and covered the first phase of improvements,” Jehorek explained. “I’d love to be in the building by the middle of 2027.”
As construction progresses, LMFA’s exhibition calendar at its Tyler Street home remains robust. The museum is preparing for “America250: Caddo Nation and Native Perspectives,” which will be on view at the Tyler Street location from May 23 through Sept. 12, 2026. The exhibit will showcase work from 10 Native artists from the Caddo, Muscogee, Cherokee, and Seminole nations. Jehorek described the exhibit as “one of our most important exhibitions yet,” with planned partnerships stretching from Longview to the Caddo Mounds Historic Site in Alto.
For Jehorek, who volunteered with LMFA for many years before becoming the executive director, the art museum’s mission is personal.
“When the Junior League of Longview founded LMFA in 1958, the League did so with the belief and vision that ‘every great city has a great museum,’” she said. “We are building on that vision here in Longview, and we’re just getting started.”