Stars, Stripes and Stories

This tour isn't simply a celebration of the nation. Instead, it explores how artists have expressed love of country in many different ways—through admiration, aspiration, criticism, reflection, and hope. Moving beyond flags and patriotic symbols, these works reveal how artists have defined, questioned, and expanded ideas of what America is and what it might become.
Profile Portrait of George Washington, c. 1784–86
Wax relief
9 ½ x 6 ¼ in.
Museum purchase, 2019.46
John Brown Going to His Hanging, 1942
Oil on canvas
24 1/8 x 30 1/4 in.
John Lambert Fund, 1943.11
Mists in the Yellowstone, 1908
Oil on canvas
30 x 45 in.
The Middleton Family Collection
Flag, 1960–66
Encaustic and printed paper collage on paper laid down on canvas
17 1/2 x 26 3/4 in.
The Middleton Family Collection
We're so excited you're planning to visit PAFA!
Make time for art — visit us Thursday to Monday.
Before reserving your tickets, please review helpful information about museum hours, accessibility, building access, and special admission programs.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at visitorservices@pafa.org — we’d love to help!