Museum

group of kids and adults at Family Art Day
Family Art Day
Canceled

Family Art Day

Artist William Villalongo in front of his mixed-media paintings "Zero Gravity 1" (top) and "Zero Gravity 2."

The Philadelphia Inquirer | African mythology and folklore collide in William Villalongo’s entrancing velvety portraits

"Much has been written about Henry Box Brown’s body. The 33-year-old enslaved man from Virginia was 5′10″ and around 200 pounds in the spring of 1849 when he forced himself into a wooden box not much bigger than an oven. It was addressed to the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia…

In the News
Streetcar Travel in Philadelphia in 1876, an oil painting by Edwin Haley (1876), depicts a bustling Philadelphia street scene with horse-drawn streetcars, pedestrians, and buildings lining the road.
Art At Noon
Online

Philadelphia History through Art – Part II

photo of a woman in front of foliage and stone structures

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Names Lea C. Stephenson as New Historical Curator

PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 4, 2025) – The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), the first museum and school of fine arts in the United States, today announced Lea C. Stephenson as the next Kenneth R. Woodcock Curator of Historical American Art, effective Feb. 10, 2025. In this role, Stephenson will…

Press Release
Lea in front of PAFA's Historic Landmark Building

The Philadelphia Inquirer | PAFA’s new curator, Lea C. Stephenson, comes with Philadelphia roots

"The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts has named a new curator of historical American art. Lea C. Stephenson, a specialist in 18th and 19th century American art who was partially trained in Philadelphia, comes to PAFA’s museum...

Stephenson, who is finishing up her doctorate in art history at the…

In the News
Installation view of From the School Collection
Special Tours

From The School Collection

Installation view of From the School Collection
Special Tours

From The School Collection

Installation view of the Making Strange wall label.
Special Tours

Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and The Self

Installation view of the Making Strange wall label.
Special Tours

Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and The Self

grapic
Family Art Day

Family Arts Day

Justine Ditto holding Philadelphia Pachamama, standing beside Kukuli Velarde, April 27, 2024. Photo by PAFA Staff.

Kukuli Velarde and Justine Ditto on 'Philadelphia Pachamama'

In April 2024, artist Kukuli Velarde joined printer Justine Ditto for an engaging conversation about the creation of Philadelphia Pachamama, a vibrant eleven-color lithograph published by the Brodsky Center at PAFA. Attendees were given a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate lithographic process…

Perspectives
Family Arts Academy
Family Art Day

Family Arts Day

Installation view of the Making Strange wall label.

Broad Street Review | Spiritual art … with a twist—PAFA presents Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and the Self

Jesus appears perturbed. In Albert Van den Berghen’s Ecce Homo (c. 1886-1889), on view in Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and the Self, Christ narrows his eyes, surveying those clamoring for his crucifixion. This is not the patient stoicism believers have come to expect.

Which is exactly the point.…

In the News
Detail view of the gilded florets in HLB.

Honoring PAFA's Legacy: A Founding Day Reflection

Next year, we’ll celebrate PAFA’s 220th Anniversary, ahead of the nation’s sesquicentennial in 2026. While PAFA’s not quite as old as the United States, it has played a significant role in the country’s artistic and cultural development since its founding in 1805. As the first museum and art school…

Perspectives
Eric Pryor having lunch with students

Eric Pryor’s Leadership Brought Forth a Promising New Era for PAFA in Art and Education

As the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) reflects on recent accomplishments and prepares for a promising future and the re-installation of our permanent collection, we must honor the leadership of Eric Pryor. Since stepping into the role of President and CEO in January 2022, Eric has…

Perspectives
group of kids and adults at the spring festival
Family Programs

2026 Family Art Festival

view of christmas decor in the museum store

PAFA Holiday Gift Guide: Unique Gifts for Art Lovers

Nobody can believe it’s the end of 2024, yet the holidays are here, and there’s more shopping to do! Instead of turning to big-box retailers, why not give a unique and meaningful gift that supports the very first art school and museum in the United States? Whether you're shopping for an artist, an…

Perspectives
group of children and their families doing art activities
Family Art Day

Family Arts Day

James Van Der Zee's Florence Mills, singer & comedienne
Art At Noon
Online

A Nimble Arc: James Van Der Zee and Photography

Henry Lyman Sayen's Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts: Students Exhibition (announcement)
Member Program

Member Tour: PAFA Archives

Harry pointing at the Historic Landmark Building

Welcoming Back Harry Philbrick: A Friend and Visionary Returns to PAFA

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”* This sentiment perfectly captures our excitement and gratitude as we welcome back Harry Philbrick to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) as…

Perspectives
graphic
Family Art Day

Crafts & Fun Inspired by Making Strange

Harry Philbrick

Harry Philbrick, PAFA’s interim museum director, is optimistic about the future

"Casual observers would be forgiven if they thought the longest-running art museum and school in America had given up the ghost. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts announced in January that it was ending its college degree program, and a few months later it closed its historic landmark…

In the News
People standing in a gallery featuring historic objects on display.

Drexel | How Drexel University is Seen in ‘Philadelphia Revealed’

By Alissa Falcone, November 6, 2024

"In Philadelphia Revealed: Unpacking the Attic, the newest exhibition from the Atwater Kent Collection at Drexel University, there are multiple Drexel University connections found in the more than 600 objects showing 350 years of Philadelphia history.

Some of those…

Press Release

 

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