Adult Programs
Be entertained, enlightened, and engaged by experiences that go beyond the limits of gallery viewing. Better understand and appreciate the Museum's collection and exhibitions through programs and events aimed at all adult learners, specialist and non-specialist alike.Performances
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
This ensemble brings us the sounds of the 1940s, highlighting classics by Lester Young, Duke Ellington, Dexter Gordon, and more.
Offered in conjunction with Modern Times: American Art 1910–19505:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Philly-based rap and spoken-word artist Ivy Sole and friends explore the intersection between how we see ourselves, how we want to be seen, and how others see us.
Offered in conjunction with Face to Face: Portraits of Artists DIY Art 5:00–7:30 p.m. Splash Studio, Great Stair Hall Balcony What if you could see sounds? Think about rhythm and movement while exploring the difference between cool and warm colors. Music: THEakasha 5:30 p.m. Great Stair Hall, 1st floor This Jersey City DJ and Temple University alum paints eclectic soundscapes that span funk, house, future sounds, and Jersey Club. In-Gallery Workshop: Write Your Self-Portrait 5:30–6:15 & 6:30–7:15 p.m. Gallery 255, 2nd floor Join University of Pennsylvania writing instructor Jamie-Lee Josselyn to explore your identity through the story of a personal object or trait. Head Shots by Plate 3 5:30–7:30 p.m. Wallace Gallery 201, 2nd floorLocal photo studio Plate 3 captures professional head shots for visitors. A make-up artist will be available for pre-pose touch-ups. Detour with Quil Lemons 5:45 & 6:30 p.m. Meet in the Dorrance Galleries, 1st floor In an unconventional gallery tour, see the exhibition Face to Face: Portraits of Artists through the eyes of Quil Lemons, who has recreated portraits from the show in his own signature style.
Offered in collaboration with Philadelphia Photo Arts Center Music: Ivy Sole 7:15 p.m. Great Stair Hall, 1st floor Philly-based rap and spoken-word artist Ivy Sole draws from the sounds of boom bap hip hop, alternative R&B, neo soul, and indie rock to present a portrait of her past, present, and future.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
This LA-based indie-soul singer and multi-instrumentalist performs original songs inspired by ideas of freedom.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Ramamurthy pays homage to South Indian classical music, expanding the tradition with a modern jazz backbeat.
Jog along with Monica Bill Barnes and Anna Bass as they perform choreographed exercises in the galleries. Enjoy a narration by author/artist Maira Kalman as well as high-energy songs ranging from disco to Motown.
This brisk, 45-minute workout includes stairs. Exercise attire required. Space is limited. Presented in partnership with FringeArts, with support for this production from the Museum’s endowment, through The Daniel W. Dietrich II Fund for Contemporary Art- Wednesday, September 12, 2018, Starts at 8:00 a.m., and 9:00 a.m. (SOLD OUT)
- Thursday, September 13, 2018, Starts at 8:00 a.m., and 9:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. (SOLD OUT), and 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, September 14, 2018, Starts at 8:00 a.m., and 9:00 a.m.
- Saturday, September 15, 2018, Starts at 8:00 a.m., and 9:00 a.m. (SOLD OUT), and 5:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.
- Sunday, September 16, 2018, Starts at 8:00 a.m. (SOLD OUT), and 9:00 a.m. (SOLD OUT), and 5:30 p.m. (SOLD OUT), and 6:30 p.m. (SOLD OUT)
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
This award-winning vocalist entertains with alluring jazz arrangements ranging from George Gershwin to Esperanza Spalding.
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Join us for a new site-specific public performance conceived by artist Yael Bartana. Bringing together funerary tradition, military ritual, and personal testimony, this performance makes visible the systems of violence and displacement that have been perpetuated through weapons, both literal and metaphorical. These weapons will be buried as they are incorporated into a choreographed funeral that includes a participatory procession and a collective eulogy about war and survival. More information >>
Offered in conjunction with the exhibition Yael Bartana: And Europe Will Be Stunned5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Stand-up and improv comics take over the galleries, and absurdist soul outfit Johnny Showcase & the Mystic Ticket tear it up on the dance floor.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
This Anglo-Trinidadian vocalist performs songs about roots and identity from her new release, Picture in Black and White.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Drawing inspiration from pop, jazz, Indian classical, and R&B, this Brooklyn-based vocalist and pianist performs original songs with depth and vitality.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Trombonist Ryan Keberle, pianist Frank Woeste, cellist Erik Friedlander, and drummer Adam Cruz bridge the gap between jazz and chamber music.
In association with the French-American Cultural Exchange and Mid-Atlantic Arts FoundationMusicians fill the galleries with sound.
- Sruti
- Saturday, October 20, 2018, 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., and 2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Sruti, the India Music and Dance Society of Philadelphia, fills the Pillared Temple Hall with music.
- Saturday, October 20, 2018, 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., and 2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
See who haunts our halls with an immersive ghost story experience, and do the monster mash as Brooklyn synth-pop duo Holy Ghost! rocks the Great Stair Hall. Costumes welcome.
Presented in conjunction with Parkway 1005:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
This trumpeter/composer and his ensemble Color Theory present music inspired by painter Vasily Kandinsky's Compositions.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Husband and wife team Daniel and Lauren Goans perform poetic and evocative folk music.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
This saxophonist presents Pictures at an African Exhibition, original compositions accompanied by the visual art of David Emmanuel Noel.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
The velvety tenor saxophone of Philly mainstay Larry McKenna accompanies renowned vibraphonist Tony Miceli and his ensemble.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Our annual holiday bash, only grander and gaudier than ever before. Sip a spiked cocoa, bedazzle a sweater, and let the festive tunes start spinning as Mwenso & the Shakes take the stage.
Talks & Tours
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Artist Rachel Rose talks about how history and storytelling inspired her video installation, Wil-o-Wisp.
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
What does home mean to you? How does it relate to your senses of place, neighborhood, and national identity? We'll consider these questions in conjunction with the exhibition Yael Bartana: And Europe Will Be Stunned.
Community Conversations are open discussions about socially relevant topics.6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Join us for two talks with designers who inspire new ways of thinking:
6:00–6:30 p.m.: Explore experiments in counter-fashion with the cofounders of the Rational Dress Society, who will discuss the intersection of body, identity, fashion, and radical politics. 7:30–8:00 p.m.: Hear from the mastermind behind the home pregnancy test, Meg Crane, and the inventors of Lia, a new flushable version. Offered in conjunction with DesignPhiladelphia3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Free tickets required after Museum admission$20 (members free); includes Museum admission; reception for Collab members to follow
A discussion on place-making with the co-founder of Klip Collective, a Philly-based art shop that integrates projection lighting with storytelling.
Sponsored by Collab in partnership with DesignPhiladelphia.3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Free tickets required after Museum admission$20 (Museum members and WHYY members free); includes Museum admission
Learn about a Philadelphia philanthropist and collector who played an active role in the Museum in this fascinating documentary, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
Presented in collaboration with WHYY2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Damion Thomas, Curator of Sports at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, moderates a conversation about boxing culture and representations of the sport with photographer Larry Fink, Amira Rose Davis (assistant professor of History and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, The Pennsylvania State University), and Donald Hunt (sports writer for The Philadelphia Tribune).
Reception to follow Support provided by The Arnold and Augusta Newman Foundation. Offered in conjunction with the exhibition Larry Fink: The Boxing Photographs2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
For over ten years, artist, writer, and curator Joanna Ebenstein has been excavating the places where death and beauty meet through her blog Morbid Anatomy. In this talk, she searches for beauty and the macabre in our collection of European art.
Reception to follow2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
How have your personal and collective memories shaped who you are today? What are the ways that memories inform your sense of past, present, and future? We'll consider these questions in conjunction with the exhibition Yael Bartana: And Europe Will Be Stunned.
Community Conversations are open discussions about socially relevant topics.6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Free tickets required after Museum admission$10 (members free); includes Perelman Building admission
Writer, filmmaker, This American Life reporter, and FOUND Magazine creator Davy Rothbart shares his favorites from the pages of his cult zine, and reflects on his forays into the lives of strangers, what it means to find something, and what it means to be found.
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center (NCC), moderates a debate about the various ways that citizenship and nationhood are defined today.
Panelists:Jaya Ramji-Nogales, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Herman Stern Research Professor, Beasley School of Law, Temple University John Eastman, Henry Salvatori Professor of Law and Community Service and Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, Dale E. Fowler School of Law, Chapman University Ruth Wasem, Clinical Professor of Public Policy Practice, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin This program is inspired by Yael Bartana: And Europe Will Be Stunned, and realized in collaboration with the NCC.
Courses & Workshops
Drop in and draw from Rodin’s masterpieces. Materials provided.
- Saturday, September 8, 2018, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Saturday, October 13, 2018, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Saturday, November 10, 2018, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Saturday, December 8, 2018, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Saturday, January 12, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (CANCELED)
- Saturday, February 9, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Saturday, March 9, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Saturday, April 13, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., and 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Saturday, May 11, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Visit the exhibition Face to Face: Portraits of Artists, and explore the roles of director and performer in portrait photography as you learn how to navigate the relationship of working with a model. Attendees should bring their own cameras. Participants should have a basic understanding of photography and be familiar with their cameras.
This program is in collaboration with the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center.6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
See how Japanese artists in the late 1800s responded to modernity and change by exploring the gallery installation Philadelphia Collects Meiji. Afterward, create your own designs with Shushi Yoshinaga, Associate Professor of Graphic Design, Drexel University.
6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Gather inspiration from the exhibition Fabulous Fashion: From Dior’s New Look to Now before you embark on your own adventures in crafting headwear.
Wednesday Nights
Play Apples to Apples with friends and other visitors on Wednesday nights in August.
- Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
- Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sip while you sketch with Philly artist Kees Holterman. Materials provided, and all levels welcome.
First come, first served; space is limited.
Practice your poses with Dhyana Yoga outdoors in the Museum’s Sculpture Garden. Class size varies.
Help us keep the sculptures safe—please do not touch them during your visit. Museum admission on Wednesday nights is Pay What You Wish. Paid tickets requiredOnline pricing: $20 ($18 members); Day-of pricing: $25 ($22.50 members)
Museum admission not included
Join us in transforming the Museum’s Great Stair Hall into an Oktoberfest Beer Garden. Enjoy local craft brews and specially priced flights paired with festive foods.
- Wednesday, October 3, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 10, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 17, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 24, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 31, 2018, 5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sip while you sketch with Philly artist Molly Egan. Materials provided, and all levels welcome.
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Join us for two talks with designers who inspire new ways of thinking:
6:00–6:30 p.m.: Explore experiments in counter-fashion with the cofounders of the Rational Dress Society, who will discuss the intersection of body, identity, fashion, and radical politics. 7:30–8:00 p.m.: Hear from the mastermind behind the home pregnancy test, Meg Crane, and the inventors of Lia, a new flushable version. Offered in conjunction with DesignPhiladelphia5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Trick-or-treat through the galleries and make some spooky artwork. Come dressed up and get some more mileage out of your Halloween costume.
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sip while you sketch with Philly artist Lauren Cat West. Materials provided, and all levels welcome.
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Museum admission is Pay What You Wish after 5:00 p.m.
Join us for festive treats and music by York Street Hustle leading up to the 6:00 p.m. countdown. Warm (and adult) beverages and a live choir continue the celebration inside.
For more information, please contact The Division of Education by phone at 215-684-7580, by fax at 215-236-4063, or by e-mail at .
