In the News

Condé Nast Traveler | 15 Best Museums in Philadelphia

Condé Nast Traveler selects PAFA as a top museum to visit in Philadelphia:

In a city of firsts, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) was the first art school and museum in the country. The museum's collection is spread across two buildings. First visit the grand, historic building, where you feel like you've stepped back in time—and straight across the Atlantic into Europe. After that, walk outside past Claes Oldenburg's "Paint Torch," an oversized paint brush sculpture, to the contemporary space next door. PAFA isn't on the typical tourist track, instead drawing true art aficionados and intellectuals. Since it's also a highly regarded art school, the museum feels very alive—you get the feeling that many of your fellow perusers may in fact be students polishing their craft.

Last Updated
January 29, 2020 - 12:43 PM

About PAFA

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