About PAFA

As the first art school and museum in the United States, PAFA celebrates the transformative power of art and art-making.

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts offers educational opportunities in the fine arts, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and a world-class collection of American art. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Thomas Eakins, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.