Visiting the Museum
Welcome to the Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts! Museum admission can be purchased in advance or at the door.
As a thank you for purchasing in advance, online tickets include a 10% discount at PAFA’s Museum Store.
Check out the Planning Your Visit page for answers to our most frequently asked questions, including information about ticket discounts and family programs.
Please note: The Historic Landmark Building will be closed from January 9 through March 22, 2023 in preparation for our next exhibition, Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America. The Hamilton Building remains open with multiple permanent and temporary exhibitions on view, including Making American Artists: Stories from PAFA, 1776 - 1976.
Purchase a Joint Ticket to Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America and enjoy the entire exhibition at both PAFA and the African American Museum in Philadelphia for a reduced price. Learn more about the collaborative exhibition and ticket options at RisingSunPhilly.org.
Admission Prices
Learn more about guided tours.
| Adults (18+) | $18.00 |
| Seniors (55+) | $15.00 |
| Students | $15.00 |
| Youth (13-17) | $10.00 |
| Children (12 & under) | Free |
| PAFA Members |
Free |
Museum Hours
| Thursday–Friday | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM |
| Saturday–Sunday |
11:00 AM–5:00 PM |
| Monday–Wednesday | Closed |
| *Holiday closures may affect these hours. | Please check and see if PAFA is open if you plan to visit on or around a holiday. |
Locations
Throughout the year, PAFA presents special exhibitions, an outstanding permanent collection, and work by the region's most talented artists. Visit our galleries in the Historic Landmark Building, the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, as well as Maxfield Parrish's The Dream Garden at the Curtis Center.
Historic Landmark Building
PAFA’s Historic Landmark Building (HLB) is considered one of the finest surviving examples of Victorian Gothic architecture in America. Built by the Philadelphia firm of Frank Furness and George Hewitt, the HLB rises 70 feet above street level, and opened to the public on April 22, 1876. The HLB houses exhibition space, as well as classroom space for the School of Fine Arts, in addition to historic Cast Hall. HLB will be closed from January 9 through March 22, 2023 in preparation for our next exhibition, Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America.
Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building
Built in 1916, the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building (Hamilton) was originally home to the Hudson Motor Company. PAFA acquired the building in the early 2000s and formally renamed it in honor of board member Samuel “Sam” Hamilton (1924-1997). The Hamilton Building is home to the School of Fine Arts, as well as special exhibition spaces on the first, second, and basement floors.
Lenfest Plaza
Located between PAFA's Historic Landmark and Samuel M.V. Hamilton buildings, the plaza was constructed in 2011 and is open year-round. It features a three-part serpentine bench, mosaic pavers, plantings, and rotating works of emerging and established artists in an urban setting. Claes Oldenberg's Paint Torch (2011) is situated at its eastern end overlooking Broad Street.
Dream Garden at the Curtis Building
Curtis Building lobby (interior), 6th and Walnut Streets, entrance on 6th Street
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM
Designated as the City’s first “historic object” by the Philadelphia Historical Commission, artist Maxfield Parrish's (1870–1966) landmark mural The Dream Garden (1914–1915), is a breathtaking mural not to be missed. Composed of hundreds of thousands of irreplaceable glass tesserae in more than 260 color tones, Dream Garden was the only collaboration between Maxfield Parrish and glass master Louis Comfort Tiffany, and commissioned by Cyrus Curtis to adorn the lobby of the Curtis Publishing Company.
Safety Guidelines as of April 25, 2022
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PAFA continues to monitor the situation and comply with local, state, and federal guidelines.
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