On Saturday, April 18, 2009, Art After Dark: Vintage Paris celebrated all things Parisian, from le café to les boutiques. The Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building, with current exhibitions Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera and Shopping in Paris: French Fashion 1850–1925, provided an ideal backdrop for a night filled with Old World charm. More than 250 guests were welcomed with roasted chestnuts and Parisian newspapers upon entering, posed for photos à la Matisse, and modeled haute couture hats at the Milliner’s Corner. Delectable food and festive cocktails were served, and partygoers were entertained by Parisian-inspired performances before dancing the night away in the dance club.

Art After Dark: Vintage Paris was chaired by Shelly Brown, Pia Halloran, Patricia Isen, and Helene van Beuren, and supported by a dedicated committee of more than 60 volunteers. All proceeds benefit the Museum's Division of Education, and more than $120,000 was raised to support arts education.

Art After Dark celebrates the Museum, education, and you, a new generation of art lovers committed to connecting with the Museum’s collections, programs, and learning opportunities. Your participation in Art After Dark helps maintain and expand educational opportunities at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Proceeds benefit the Museum’s Division of Education, which serves individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities from throughout the region, across the country, and around the world.

The Museum relies, now more than ever, on the generous support of many donors who make it possible to offer early-childhood initiatives, a series of programs for teens, distance learning for classrooms across the nation, art history lectures, concerts, and studio art classes, as well as special access to the collection for people with a broad range of disabilities—including audio descriptions for the visually impaired, sign language interpretation, and outreach programs to nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Through these varied programs and a mission to bring more art to more people, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a national leader in arts education.

Above: Images from the 2009 Art After Dark event, Vintage Paris. All images © dave di rentis photography, llc.

For more information, please contact Development by phone at (215) 684-7750, by fax at (215) 236-0796, or by e-mail at .