Event – Detail

Join fellow Athenaeum members and their guests for a small-group, guided tour of A Nation of Artists, at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. 

For this landmark show of American art celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary, PAFA and the Philadelphia Museum of Art are mounting simultaneous exhibitions that offer fresh perspectives on the evolving story of American creativity across three centuries. Together, the shows feature more than 1,000 works, including more than 100 iconic paintings and decorative arts from the Middleton Family Collection, one of the country’s most significant private holdings of American art.

At PAFA, the exhibition is curated thematically, grouping artworks as never before assembled to explore new ideas, connections, and interpretations of American art. Through these dynamic juxtapositions, visitors see centuries of American art through a powerful, new lens. The installation also includes contemporary art from the 21st century, placing today's most exciting living artists in dialogue with those of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

The exhibition coincides with the reopening of PAFA's Historic Landmark Building, a masterpiece of 19th-century architecture by Frank Furness and George W. Hewitt. As the first structure in the U.S. designed specifically for both exhibition and art education, its legacy as a museum and school for artistic innovation continues.

Important Information:

• Space is very limited. A reservation is a MUST.
• If you are bringing a guest, please register as 2 members.
• Transportation is not provided. Attendees must make their own travel plans to and from the museum.
• You will receive a know-before-you-go email prior to the date.
• Your ticket includes general admission to the museum, so feel free to stay after the tour to explore the newly reopened Furness building on your own!

Interested in A Nation of Artists at the Philadelphia Museum of Art? Click here to register for the May 1st members tour of that exhibition too!

Founded in 1805 as the first school and museum of fine arts in the United States, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts celebrates the transformative power of art and art-making. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.

All event sales are final.