Philadelphia Museums Team Up for 1,000-Piece Exhibition

A new exhibition opening on Sunday, April 12, at two museums in Philadelphia will simultaneously examine the evolution of American art.

A groundbreaking joint exhibition titled “A Nation of Artists” will open on July 4 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. It will feature more than 1,000 works spanning three centuries.

This exhibition aims to illuminate how American art has mirrored and influenced the nation's social, political, and cultural development across diverse media and perspectives.

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the exhibition will showcase works from the museum's collection and the Middleton Family Collection. A chronological presentation will include painting, ceramics, woodwork, fashion, and works by Indigenous and African American artists.

The PAFA will organize a thematic exhibition that places contemporary works in dialogue with historical works. This exhibition will also coincide with the reopening of PAFA's Historic Landmark Building, created as a space for art education and exhibitions.

According to a PhillyVoice report, the exhibition will include more than 1,000 works, including more than 100 paintings and decorative arts from the Middleton Family Collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Access to the exhibitions is included with regular admission at both venues, making the art accessible to a broad audience.

Learn more by visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art's website and the PAFA website. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and the PAFA is at 118-128 N. Broad St.