The best arts & culture spots in Rochester

Empire Academy is home to 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Rochester and Empire Muay Thai, mixing no-gi grappling, wrestling, MMA, and conditioning into classes for beginners, competitors, and kids. Train for self-defense, fitness, or the thrill of learning something new... with warmups that keep things interesting.

From the Rochester newsletter, September 21, 2026

Part of the Mental Health Association of Rochester, Creative Wellness Opportunities is a peer-led space for creative arts, meditation, stretching, even guitar, paired with mutual support.

From the Rochester newsletter, September 3, 2026

Oxford Gallery has been a Rochester mainstay for 65 years, championing regional and national artists with a deep inventory of contemporary pieces plus American and European works from the 18th to 20th centuries. If you’re in Irondequoit and have a blank wall, this is your moment.

From the Rochester newsletter, September 17, 2026

Local photographers exhibit and promote their work at this neighborhood gallery.

Housed in a renovated factory, ARTISANworks packs wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling eclectic work that feels like wandering your coolest friend's attic, times ten. Locals love it for offbeat exhibits, rentable event spaces, and even art you can buy or lease to own.

From the Rochester newsletter, September 9, 2026

The Military History Society of Rochester collects, preserves, and exhibits artifacts and stories spanning local military heritage from the War of 1812 to the present. S. military history, making it a worthwhile stop for anyone curious about the people and history behind the artifacts.

From the Irondequoit newsletter, November 4, 2026

If you love pieces that are handmade, modern, and you can actually live with, More Fire Glass Studio curates glass art that feels special without feeling precious. Great for gifting or finally upgrading that sunlit windowsill, everything skews local and thoughtfully made.

From the Monroe County newsletter, October 29, 2026

Tucked into our backyard and run by The Landmark Society of Western New York, Stone-Tolan House is a small-but-mighty museum where the region’s stories feel close to home. If you love learning how our area was shaped, this is an easy, meaningful stop between errands.

From the Rochester newsletter, November 3, 2026

Step into the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, the National Historic Landmark that was her home, headquarters for the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and the site of her 1872 arrest for voting. Guided tours turn big history into personal motivation to keep pushing Rochester forward.

From the Rochester newsletter, August 7, 2026

Memorial Art Gallery is serving 5,000 years of art in one Rochester stroll, from the Centennial Sculpture Park out front to galleries featuring Fischli & Weiss: The Way Things Go and Determined to Be: The Sculpture of John Rhoden. Clear a little brain space, then let your curiosity wander.

From the Rochester newsletter, August 14, 2026

The Strong National Museum of Play turns the history of toys and games into an interactive outing, with worlds to explore from Sesame Street to video games. It’s a rare place where kids can go all in and grown-ups can rediscover the toys they definitely didn’t outgrow.

From the Monroe County newsletter, November 4, 2026