Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

What's On

Now

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Fred Wilson: THE MASTER PLAN or In Between the Big Bang and Modern Art Is the Restroom

Twenty-two photogravures reproducing the floor outlines of major museums' visitor maps, questioning the museum as a neutral repository and how its architecture shapes what we see.

Now showing12 Apr – 4 Apr 2027$25

A Nation of Artists

Reopening the Historic Landmark Building for PAFA's 220th anniversary: over 1,000 works from the late 18th century to today, including 100+ pieces from the Middleton Family Collection.

Now showing12 Apr – 5 Sept 2027$25

Kati Gegenheimer: We've Only Just Begun

A Morris Gallery monographic show in which Gegenheimer's vivid paintings and mixed-media works treat love, familial and romantic, as an aesthetic and political structure rather than a sentiment.

Now showing12 Apr – 31 Dec$25

Proof Testing: The PrintLab Artist Residency at Brandywine Workshop and Archives

Eight interdisciplinary artists pair finished prints with the working materials behind them, showing the PrintLab residency as an incubator for traditional printmaking and emerging technologies alike.

Now showing18 Jun – 15 Feb 2027$25

In This Academy: Selected Works from the Permanent Collection

Prominent American artists who studied or taught at PAFA, from traditional realism to contemporary practice, tracing the visual languages the school has produced since 1805.

Now showing25 Jun – 26 Apr 2027$25

From the School Collection

Plaster casts and cast drawings spanning more than 140 years, showing how classical models have underpinned training at America's oldest art school since 1805.

Now showing6 Aug – 15 Feb 2027$25

To Be Continued...

Unfinished paintings, sketches and studies from PAFA's permanent collection, treating incompletion not as failure but as evidence of experiment and material process.

Now showing27 Aug – 8 Mar 2027$25

Heard: Herd

Ian Butz (MFA '25) paints bison in acrylic on translucent PVC so visitors walk into the herd, drawing on travels through Montana, Wyoming, Utah and South Dakota.

Now showingOngoing$25

Permanent Collections

Markus Linnenbrink: THERIDENEVERENDS

A 118-foot site-specific wall painting curving through the Hamilton Building lobby, its poured acrylic stripes left to drip and run into one another. Installed 2014.

Permanent collection$25

Robert Ryman: Philadelphia Prototype

A major late Ryman: ten buff vinyl sheets fixed to the wall with white acrylic paint, pushing his lifelong enquiry into white and the meeting of painting and architecture. In place since 2005.

Permanent collection$25

Claes Oldenburg: Paint Torch

Oldenburg's 51-foot paintbrush tilts at 60 degrees over Lenfest Plaza, an illuminated glob of paint pooled at its base. Installed in 2011 and free to see from the street.

Permanent collectionFree

Nearby

i

The Fabric Workshop and Museum

DesignFree4 min walk

i

Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Children8 min walk

i

Vox Populi

ArtFree9 min walk

i

The Franklin Institute

Children11 min walk

Visitor Information

How much does Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts cost?

Standard adult admission to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is $25. Seniors 65+ $23, students $10, youth 13-17 $5, children 12 and under and members free. Friday evenings 5-8pm discounted: adults $15, seniors $13.. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.

What are the opening hours of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is open Monday and Thursday-Sunday 10:00-17:00; Friday until 20:00; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The Historic Landmark Building closes early at 15:30 on Monday 21 September 2026 for a private event.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.

Where is Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is located at 118-128 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, United States, in the Center City area of Philadelphia. The nearest stations are Race-Vine (SEPTA Broad Street Line), City Hall (SEPTA Broad Street Line) and Jefferson Station (SEPTA Regional Rail).

What can I see at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?

America's first art museum and school, in Frank Furness's riotous Victorian Gothic landmark on Broad Street. Current highlights include Fred Wilson: THE MASTER PLAN or In Between the Big Bang and Modern Art Is the Restroom, In This Academy: Selected Works from the Permanent Collection and Markus Linnenbrink: THERIDENEVERENDS.

Do I need to book Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in advance?

Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.

When is the best time to visit Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?

Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.