Today on American Nomad we’re continuing our Philly adventures at The Philadelphia Museum of Art…
Philadelphia is truly a city of arts and culture with over 100 museums ranging from visual arts to science, history, archaeology and more.
In the coming weeks, we’re going to explore several of Philly’s beloved museums, starting with the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art, where you can travel through 2000 years of art history.
Founded in 1876, this iconic institution, boasts one of the world’s finest collections, with over 250,000 masterworks from across the globe. From the delicate beauty of Italian masters like Duccio and Fra Angelico, to the dramatic canvases of Dutch geniuses Rembrandt and Rubens, and the vibrant palettes of Impressionists like Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Van Gogh, and Picasso, the museum offers a breathtaking visual journey. Join me as we explore some of the most captivating pieces in this extraordinary collection.
My Philadelphia Art Museum Story:
For an art history lover like me, a visit to The Philadelphia Museum of Art has been a bucket list dream for years. During a work break in March 2025, my mom and I were finally able to make an ‘art expedition’ to the museum.
Just after ten a.m., our Uber pulled up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which sits majestically atop Fairmount Hill, on the banks of the Schuylkill River. The iconic Greek-Revival building, with its imposing columns, feels like the Parthenon, acting as an artistic guardian of the city of brotherly love.
Anyone familiar with the film ‘Rocky’ will immediately recognize the iconic seventy-two steps that ascend to the museum’s North (front) Entrance. At the summit, a statue of Rocky Balboa stands as a testament to the character’s enduring spirit of perseverance and drive.
Knowing my mom’s mobility challenges, we opted for the convenient handicap entrance. The museum staff was wonderful, quickly arranging a wheelchair that let her enjoy the exhibits without worrying about her knees.
Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Iconic Architecture:
Renowned as one of the finest examples of Greek-Revival architecture in the United States, the Philadelphia Museum of Art commands attention with its majestic facade and pristine classical lines. The grand expanse of steps, though seemingly daunting, serves as an artistic pathway, drawing the viewer’s gaze upward to appreciate the building’s architectural splendor.
The current museum structure was completed in 1928 and designed by two of the pre-eminent architects in Philadelphia, Howell Lewis Shay and Julian Abele. I’m always curious to dig into the history of the architects and their vision, especially when dealing with such a monumental project as the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Interestingly enough Julian Abele who was the primary designer of the museum floor plans and aesthetic has a bit of a ‘Rocky’ overcomer story himself. Abele was born in Philadelphia in 1881, and showed an early talent for architecture and design. He was the first black graduate of what is now Penn’s School of Design. Abele did not let racism and prejudice of his day define him. He graduated from the top of his architectural class at The University of Pennsylvania in 1902 and was recruited to Horace Trumbauer’s prestigious firm, where he spent his entire career. Trumbauer supported Abele’s European studies, and encouraged his growth as an architect. Abele was known for his ingenuity and collaborative nature helping to significantly shape Philadelphia with his designing of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the nearby Free Library, as well as projects at Penn. He also was recruited to design buildings at major universities like Harvard and Duke. I’m based in Raleigh and, despite my UNC-CH allegiance, I’ll be heading to Duke’s campus in a few weeks to explore Julian Abele’s architectural work. It’ll be interesting to see his impact on their campus, even if it’s a bit like visiting enemy territory.
To learn more about Julian Abele’s extraordinary life and career click here.
Planning Your Visit:
The Philadelphia Museum of Art spans over 1 million square feet, and is packed with art from ancient Asia to 19th-century Impressionists and modern masters. With this in mind, I recommend doing a quick study of the museum highlights on the PMA website in order to make the most of your visit.
You can download a map here.
I recommend purchasing tickets in advance for ease of use. Purchase tickets here.
Included in the admission price is entry to The Rodin Museum, a significant attraction we sadly didn’t have time for on this visit. The Rodin Museum features the renowned Thinker and proudly possesses the largest collection of Auguste Rodin’s sculptures outside of Europe.
On this trip, we blocked off an entire day (open to close) to see as much of the museum as possible, but this can be overwhelming. With larger collections it is good to consider breaking up the tour across several days and shifting to another activity in the morning/afternoon. It is also okay to just focus on the museum highlights on your first trip, or one wing that interests you.
A great option for any visitor is to sign up for guided museum tours, which are offered daily. Check out the Museum Tours here
Having studied the collection and being an art history enthusiast, we chose to wander at our own speed. But I have to say, the tours are fantastic! I caught a bit of a tour in the Impressionism gallery, and the guide’s passion for Monet and Van Gogh was infectious. It really made me want to join a tour next time – you can always learn something new and develop a deeper appreciation for the art.
The tour provides a valuable framework for understanding artistic themes and the interconnectedness of art history. This foundation enhances independent exploration, allowing visitors to recognize common themes and styles throughout the collection.
Our Art Adventure:
Third Floor:
We started on the Third Floor and worked our way down. The Third Floor features several important collections including:
- Asian Art
- European Art from 1100 to 1500 (Medieval and Renaissance) to Romanticism
- American Period Rooms – Historic recreations of American rooms like Pennsylvania Dutch Room
- Arms and Armory Exhibit
I have a passion for Medieval and Renaissance Art. On our sister blog, Art Expeditions, I have written numerous articles about Medieval and Renaissance Art Movements, including a course on Venetian Art. For me, it was a priority to spend at least an hour digging deep into the museum’s Medieval and Renaissance collections.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has one of the finest collections of Medieval and Renaissance art in The United States. The collections include works by master artists like: Duccio, Gaddi, Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Pinturicchio, El Greco, Corregio, Rogier van Weyden and so much more. I plan to do a future post (on Art Expeditions, that I will also share on American Nomad) about specific pieces in this collection
A personal highlight for me were the recreated Gothic Abbey walls that were rebuilt inside the museum from French Abbey ruins. Stepping through the arches felt like you were stepping back in time.
PMA is one of only a handful of museums that have works by Duccio. This late Medieval Sienese master whose dynamic paintings help lay the foundation for the Renaissance. He is considered one of the most important Italian artists of the late Gothic era. To put it in perspective, the most expensive painting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC purchased was a Duccio. It was a rare treat to see this magnificent archangel by Duccio at The Philadelphia Museum of Art.
This work by Duccio was originally a part of his renowned Maesta, which is still on display in Florence.
It was incredible to see a Masaccio in the Renaissance wing. Masaccio’s pioneering work with linear perspective changed everything. This innovation brought a new level of realism to Renaissance painting and its impact is still felt today. The double sided panel features Saints Peter and Paul. In religious art you can often identify saints by certain props they carry. This symbols usually indicate their martyrdom or some attribute they had in their saintly life. St. Peter always holds keys as Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom, while St. Paul usually carries a sword, to symbolism ‘the sword of the Spirit,’ as well as indicating his death by a sword.
St. Martin of Tours and St. John the Evangelist appear on the panel’s other side. While I sought their traditional symbols, Masaccio’s interpretation is notably less explicit. I only identified them as specific saints based on the museum guide. In general, St. Martin is often recognized by a cloak, a reference to his act of charity towards a beggar, who was Christ. St. John is usually linked to an eagle or a poisoned cup, stemming from the account of his unharmed consumption of poisoned wine. The chalice, sometimes featuring a serpent, represents the triumph of faith over death.
Also in this wing, you’ll have the joy of encountering Blessed Fra Angelico’s Dormition of the Virgin. What makes Fra Angelico truly unique is that he was not only a Renaissance painter of immense talent, but also a Florentine monk on the path to becoming a saint. His iconic work, ‘The Annunciation,’ can still be experienced in its original context at the Convent of San Marco in Florence.
Fra Angelico’s ‘Dormition’ depicts the Virgin Mary’s passing and preparation for burial. In this painting of her funeral, John the Evangelist (on the right) holds the golden palm that an angel brought to Mary to announce her coming death. Note the vibrant hues and rugged landscape, where angels surround the risen Jesus in the background, creating a spiritual atmosphere that draws the viewer into the sacred narrative. I couldn’t verify it, but the figure left of Jesus (facing painting) resembles The Virgin Mary and I’m assuming that is an foretelling of her assumption as Queen of Heaven in Catholic tradition.
Bernardo Daddi’s masterful triptych, ‘The Virgin Mary with Jesus, St. John the Baptist, Giles, and Two Prophets,’ is a stunning example of Florentine Renaissance art.
Asian Art…
My mom, an Asian art enthusiast, was captivated by the Chinese pottery and found a moment of zen in the Japanese Garden, which truly felt like stepping into ancient Japan.
To learn more about the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s East Asian collection click here.
Second Floor:
On the Second Floor of The Philadelphia Museum, you’ll find a ‘who’s who’ spanning from Impressionism to Modern Art.
Key collections on the Second Floor:
European Art: 1850-1900 (Impressionism and some Post-Impressionism)
As an amateur artist, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism have influenced my own painting style the most. I love the vivid landscapes and use of rich colors to create an ‘impression’ of a setting. In January of 2025, my mom and I were able to visit the 1874 Impressionist Exhibition in Washington DC at The National Gallery, which recreated the original Impressionist exhibit of 1874. You can read more about the history of Impressionism and the exhibit on my Art Expeditions blog.
Philadelphia’s Impressionism Exhibit is a blockbuster wing, where you’ll discover 21 paintings by Claude Monet, a dozen Cezanne, multiple Manets and Renoirs, Sisley, Morisot and so much more. I will also be doing a series on this specific part of the collection for Art Expeditions, and will include the link on a future American Nomad post.
The museum features several key works by Paul Cézanne, one of my favorite artists (and namesake of my cat!). Cézanne, often called the father of modern art, revolutionized painting by moving beyond Impressionism, interpreting landscapes with geometric shapes. His innovative style profoundly influenced Picasso’s Cubism and other modern art movements.
This version of Cezanne’s Bathers (a theme he experimented with, although each rendition is slightly different is scale and imagery) is believed to have been the last work he painted before his death. From the PMA website: “This is the largest, the last, and in many ways, the most ambitious work from Cézanne’s lifelong exploration of the time-honored theme of nudes in a landscape. It is also, perhaps, in its unfinished state, the purest and most serene witness to the man whom Paul Gauguin described as spending “entire days on mountaintops reading Virgil,” dreaming of wooded glades populated with beautiful figures who, if not exactly participants in a narrative as such, are full of animation and interaction. Perhaps it is its grand nobility—its authority as something beyond time, “like art in the museums,” as Cézanne said—that made it so attractive to many artists.”
Another example of Cezanne’s exploration of nudes in a landscape (inspired by classical art) is actually across town at The Barnes Foundation, which we’ll be visiting in an upcoming post.
The Post-Impressionism Wing was a highlight, showcasing works by artists I admire, such as Matisse, Bonnard, and Vuillard. Notably, Cézanne and Van Gogh, the latter a key Post-Impressionist, were also displayed, though interspersed with the Impressionism galleries.
The Sunflowers painting, one of several Van Gogh painted, is an image I’ve seen many times but seeing it in person brought a new depth and appreciation for the work. A museum guide pointed out that the flowers tell the story of life and death, starting off in their infant stage to their full bloom, before the petals begin to die. At first glance, you just think – it’s that a fun and bright painting, but after learning this it really made me pause. It is still vibrant, but is also a reminder to be grateful for every moment of life and appreciate each stage has it’s purpose. Van Gogh painted this work in 1889, only a year before his death.
This wing holds a captivating piece by Winston Churchill, revealing his surprising talent as a painter, a stark contrast to his iconic wartime leadership in planning D-Day and confronting the Nazis.
The Modern Wing invites you to open your mind to creativity outside of conventional notions of art. Here you’ll be immersed into works by Picasso, Leger, Chagall, Duchamp, Kandisky, Warhol and more.
The Modern Art collection presents a vast range of genres and movements, each piece initiating a distinct dialogue with the viewer. Take Picasso’s ‘Three Musicians,’ for example. While the subject is recognizable—three musicians—their forms are utterly abstracted, inviting a dual experience: an immediate emotional connection to the figures and a thoughtful contemplation of the work’s symbolism and surreal nature. In contrast, Kandinsky’s works, rich in color symbolism, actively encourage individual interpretation and personal meaning.
Modern Art always has a dualistic nature for me, highly visual and excites the sensory mind contrasted by the hidden and unknown symbolism of the work. As a painter, the colors and shapes draw me in and help me to suspend focus or specific meaning, versus the order out of disorder. You have cubes and lines but they aren’t in the traditional order you’d expect, but the disorder creates an order of intrigue in itself, which is why you can sit with a work by say Picasso and each time come away with a different meaning.
Some modern pieces are too jarring for my artistic eye and that’s okay. I can still respect the artistic merit and ponder the meaning behind the work. Art, after all, is meant to both delight and provoke.
American Art Gallery: 1850-1900
I was disappointed this wing was not open to the public during our visit, as it includes an abundance of well known American artists like Tanner, Sergeant and Philadelphia’s own Thomas Eakins…Just an excuse to return when it reopens.
Fortunately a few works from the collection including Thomas Eakins’ famous The Gross Clinic, as well as works by fellow Pennsylvanian, Impressionist Mary Cassatt, were mingled with the European 1850-1900 wing (both studied and painted in Europe as well).
1st Floor:
The First Floor’s American Wing is essential for any visit to The Philadelphia Museum of Art, showcasing decorative and visual arts from the Colonial Era through the founding of the United States. This wing immerses you into the art of Pennsylvania and early America from 1650 to 1850.
What I appreciate about this wing is its thoughtful weaving together of diverse perspectives and stories of early Americans in and around Philadelphia. It showcases Native American (Lenape works) and African artists alongside Colonial and Early American portrait masters like the Peale family, as well as an extensive collection of early American folk art, Pennsylvania silver, and German craftsmanship.
Our Revolutionary Philadelphia series highlighted how Philadelphia’s prime location on the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers transformed it into a vital Colonial port and trading center. This strategic advantage, combined with a diverse population fostered by religious freedom and tolerance, ignited a rich arts and culture scene from the city’s earliest days.
Philadelphia nurtured ‘renaissance men’ such as Benjamin Franklin, who championed culture and learning. Arriving as a seventeen-year-old in 1723, Franklin’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish a printing press and create ‘Poor Richard’s Almanack,’ which catapulted him to national renown.
Each part of the exhibit really engages you into the stories behind each work of art. You will have portraits of Philadelphians painted by members of The Peale Family, and in addition to information about the artist, you learn about the person in the portrait and their role in Philadelphia society.
This crossroads of art and history brings alive Philadelphia’s Revolutionary history and impact on early American life.
Getting to Know The Peale Family:
Welcoming visitors at the American Wing’s entrance is The Staircase Group, a painting by Charles Willson Peale, that coyly invites the eye, and the imagination, to ascend its artistic staircase alongside the depicted figures.
The Peale Family, starting with patriarch, Charles Willison Peale (1741-1827), were a powerhouse family of talented artists from Philadelphia. For over 125 years, members of the family documented Philadelphia’s prominent citizens through portraiture and created decorative paintings for their homes. The Peales’ artistic endeavors enriched Philadelphia’s cultural scene, while their work as naturalists and museum founders significantly advanced art, science, and science education in the United States.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has a significant number of works by members of The Peale Family and details their various artistic styles and roles in Philadelphia society. Philadelphia also houses significant collections of Peale paintings at The Second National Bank, now a portrait gallery, and The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (the institution where Thomas Eakins and Mary Cassatt both studied).
I was also excited to see several works by pioneering African American portraitist Joshua Johnson, a leading portraitist out of Baltimore and first recorded African American professional artist in America.
Some other highlights from my American Wing photos:
Lunch at The Cafe:
Visitors to the Philadelphia Museum of Art can choose from three dining experiences: the more formal STIR Cafe for sit-down service, a Frank Gehry-designed cafe offering a full menu and espresso bar, and the relaxed Balcony Cafe for quick refreshments like coffee and snacks.
After a full day of art exploration, my mom and I were hungry for a treat. We were pleased to find out that the cafe had gluten free options including homemade cran-orange muffins which were delicious.
They also served excellent lattes from Philadelphia’s homegrown Ellis roasters, which I found out has been in business in the heart of Philly since 1854. Check out their coffee here.
I cannot wait to return to The Philadelphia Museum of Art and revisit my favorite paintings as well as explore new exhibits next time I’m in Philly.
Next time on American Nomad, we’re continuing our Philadelphia adventures with a stop at world-renowned Barnes Foundation. Don’t forget to subscribe below for the latest blog posts.
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American Nomad is written by travel lover, historian, artist and singer-songwriter Adele Lassiter. Her debut EP, American Nomad (music) is inspired by her travels across the US. Available for purchase on bandcamp: https://adelelassiter.bandcamp.com/album/american-nomad-2
