Rourke Art Museum is focused on creating a small but encyclopedic permanent collection.
The museum's collection of approximately 4,000 works is primarily built around works from three sources: art from the Midwest; 20th Century art; and global art, including both fine and folk art, from ancient times to present day.
The museum's neoclassical building, originally a post office, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and features an exterior front columned portico and an impressive interior marble staircase.