Museums/Exhibits

Museums and exhibits have varying schedules;please call for exact days, hours and prices.

• ABINGTON ART CENTER , 515 Meetinghouse Rd., Jenkintown, 215-887-4882. ANNUAL JURIED SHOW, Features ceramics, paintings and jewelry by 50 local and regional artists including Bruce Campbell, Jessica Hersh, Paul Gorka, Nancy Reese and Julie Mann. Runs through Jan. 25.
• ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES , 19th St. & the Parkway, 215-299-1000. BUTTERFLIES! Features dozens of types of butterflies from around the world. Ongoing.
• ADOLPH AND ROSE LEVIS SPORTS MUSEUM , 401 S. Broad St., 215-446-3032. PERMANENT EXHIBIT, Features memorabilia from inductees into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Ongoing.
• ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM , 5th & Court sts., Allentown, 610-432-4333. PICASSO AND DELAUNAY: THE BOOK AS INSPIRATION, Features a rare portfolio of 13 prints by Pablo Picasso, which were the result of an attempt to produce an illustrated edition of Honore de Balzac's novel, "Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu." Runs through Feb. 3. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: THE ART OF EXPLORATION, Features more than 100 original paintings and illustrations selected from National Geographic. Runs through May 25.
• AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY , 104 S. 5th St., 215-440-3400. CELESTIAL GARDEN, Features an outdoor installation by Winifred Lutz, which mimics the constellations in the Philly sky and is made up of more than 140 glass demispheres suspended above the grass and illuminated by LED lights. Runs through March 31.
• ART IN CITY HALL , City Hall, Broad & Market sts., 2nd & 4th floors, 215-686-9912. TOYING WITH ART, Features work by 32 local artists including Tad Sare, Karen Stone, Rebecca Gilbert, Martha Knox and Laura Demme. Each piece is inspired by toys or games. Runs through Jan. 25. NATIONAL ARTS PROGRAM EXHIBITION, Features more than 200 pieces by city employees from a variety of departments and their families. Runs through Feb. 15.
• ART INSTITUTE OF PHILADELPHIA , 1622 Chestnut St., 215-246-3302. I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, Featuring a behind-the-scenes look at creating stop-motion and CGI films and the personal animation art collection of claymation guru Will Vinton, best known for creating the California Raisins. Runs through Feb. 29.
• ATWATER KENT MUSEUM , 15 S. 7th St., 215-685-4830. A GREAT COMPANY IN A GREAT CITY, Features highlights from the collection of more than 275 objects, etchings, lithographs and engravings recently transferred from the Insurance Company of North America. Included are painted engine panels, a fire warden's presentation staff and various images of volunteer fire companies in the 1800s. Runs through Aug. 1. EXPERIENCE PHILADELPHIA, Features a 40-by-40-foot Rand McNally map of the region and objects from the collection that help explain the city, its people, its businesses and its recreation. Ongoing. HOW PHILLY WORKS: STREETS AS BAROMETERS FOR URBAN LIFE, Features paintings, photographs, prints, objects and documents that use William Penn's vision to explore Philadelphia street activity over 300 years. Included are objects from City Records, individual city departments and the Atwater Kent Museum collection. Runs through Dec. 31.
• BEAUTY SHOP CAFE , 2001 Fitzwater St., 215-546-1002. GO WEST: ETHNIC MINORITIES IN CHINA, Features photographs by Julia Koprak. Runs through Jan. 24.
• CHAPTERHOUSE CAFE & GALLERY , 620 S. 9th St., 215-238-2626. ILLUSTRATIONS, Features illustrations by local artists Heather Jo Wingate and Leanne Biank. Runs through Feb. 28.
• COFFEE CLUB , 214 W. State St., Media, 610-891-6600. FAIR TRADE POSTER EXHIBIT, Features work by artists competing in the poster contest to promte fair trade and local food. Runs through Feb. 9.
• CRANE ARTS BUILDING , 1400 N. American St., 215-235-3405. CITY WITHOUT EXPRESSWAYS, Features a site-specific installation by Edward Epstein, which incorporates printed imagery on large canvases with transparencies exploring overlays of visuals, memory and meaning. Epstein proposes that the construction of the Vine Street and Schuylkill expressways and I-95 has reshaped public space in such a way that suggests we love cars more than our brothers. Runs through Feb. 29.
• DELAWARE ART MUSEUM , 2301 Kentmere Pkwy., Wilmington, DE, 302-571-9590. IN COMPANY WITH ANGELS, Features stained-glass windows created by Tiffany Studios, which were originally installed in the Church of the New Jerusalem in Cincinnati. Runs through Jan. 31.
• DELAWARE CENTER FOR THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS , 200 S. Madison St., Wilmington, DE, 302-656-6466. SURFACE/DEEP, Features encaustic paintings by Lynda Johnson, abstracted paintings of light-filled rooms by Graham Dougherty and mixed-media work by Anne Oldach. Runs through Dec. 2. EXPANDING CIRCLES, Features work by Salma Arastu, Rosalind Bloom, Peggy Seeney Caranda, Jessica C. Damon and Carla Tudor, which focuses on community, family and the relationships of individuals. Runs through Feb. 10. MENTAL BLOCKS OF TIME, Features video and glass flamework sculptures by Jillian Molettiere, who examines the human psyche under the weight of a mental block and its relation to time. Runs through Feb. 3.
• DELAWARE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY , 4840 Kenneth Pike, Wilmington, DE, 302-658-9111. INVISIBLE INVADERS, AMAZING ALLIES, Features in-depth analysis into the world of micro-organisms. This exhibit explores the beneficial and detrimental roles these tiny creatures play in our daily lives. Runs through Sep. 29.
• DESIGN CENTER , Philadelphia University, 4200 Henry Ave., 215-951-2860. RUMMAGE, Features an installation by textile artist Susie Brandt, who was able to pick and choose from the center's collection of more than 200,000 artifacts. The result is a combination of her contemporary work and the collection pieces: piles of swatches once used in the local textle industry, a variety laces fused into a single complex bedcovering, Barbie clothes and cast-offs. Runs through April 9.
• FABRIC WORKSHOP AND MUSEUM , 1222 Arch St., 215-568-1111. FOREST THROUGH THE TREES, Features work by Cameron Gainer. Runs through March 1.
• FRANKLIN INSTITUTE , 20th St. & the Parkway, 215-448-1200. THE GIANT HEART, Features a gigantic walk-through model of a human heart. Ongoing. IDENTITY: AN EXHIBITION OF YOU, Features an interactive look at how much of who you are is genetically influenced and the physical, psycholgical and social elements in your life that make you up. Runs through April 20.
• FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA , 1901 Vine St., 215-686-5322. WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD, Features imprints and manuscripts from the Rare Book Department that trace the growth and development of religion and spirituality in the U.S. from colonial times through the Civil War. With no official or established faith, the early printing presses of New England focused on religious texts to meet the needs of a new country. Runs through March 28.
• GERM BOOKS AND GALLERY , 2005 Frankford Ave., 215-423-5002. KATABASIS AND THE GROUPIES OF ORPHEUS, Features paintings, drawings and prints by local artist, poet and hypnotherapist David Aronson, who delves into the realms of mythology and psychology. Runs through Jan. 27.
• GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE , 18 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, NJ, 609-586-0616. ENCLOSURES, Features large-scale, abstract sculptures by Jon Isherwood, Wendy Ross, John Ruppert and Foon Sham. Each piece addresses the contrasts between negative and positive spaces and the relationship between texture, symmetry and balance. Runs through April 27. FOCUS ON SCULPTURE 2008, Features a juried exhibition of photographs of sculptures. Runs through April 27.
• INDEPENDENCE SEAPORT MUSEUM , 211 S. Columbus Blvd., 215-925-5439. THE ART OF THE BOAT, Features 40 nautical photographs by Morris Rosenfeld that capture the fusion of man, boat and sea. Runs through April 1.
• INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART , 118 S. 36th St., 215-898-7108. THE PUPPET SHOW, Features a group exhibition that looks at the imagery of puppets in contemporary art. Included is sculpture, video and photography by Guy Ben-Ner, Nayland Blake, Louise Bourgeois, Maurizio Cattelan, Anne Chu, Nathalie Djurberg, Terence Gower, Dan Graham and Japanther, Pierre Huyghe, Doug Skinner and Michael Smith. Runs through March 30. BEYOND KIOSK, Features an installation on the ICA's ramp by Christoph Keller and Conny Purtill, in which periodicals, zines, video and audio projects band the walls on narrow shelves stacked high on the walls. Viewers are encouraged to pull material and peruse it along the way or stop and read in the window seat and lounge. Runs through March 30. TRISHA DONNELLY, Features an installation composed of the San Francisco-based artist's work made between 1998 and 2007. Included are sculptures, drawings, photographs, text, sound, videos and paintings,. Runs through Aug. 3. THE GOOD LIFE, Features a presentation of the documentary by Carlos Motta, which examines the regional history, perception and effects of U.S. interventionist policies in Latin America at a time of global critical awareness of those politics. Runs through March 30.
• LA SALLE UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM , Olney Hall, 20th St. & Olney Ave., 215-951-1221. JIM HANES, Features new work by the local artist. Runs through Feb. 28.
• MENNONITE HERITAGE CENTER , 565 Yoder Rd., Harleysville, 215-256-3020. THE WEAVER'S TRADE, Features an exploration of weaving in Pennsylvania's German rural communities. Runs through Oct. 19.
• MICHENER ART MUSEUM , 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown, 215-340-9800. NORMAN ROCKWELL, Features 40 original covers of The Saturday Evening Post by the American illustrator. Also on display is work by Bucks County illustrator Charles Hargens. Runs through Feb. 10. THE HOLY EXPERIMENT, Features a mural series by Philadelphia artist Violet Oakley, who was commissioned to paint the 13 pieces for the Governor's Reception Room in 1902. Runs through March 30. THE QUICK AND THE CLASSICAL, Features 50 works by Elise Driggs, including abstract studies of women, mixed-media constructions and paintings. Driggs is often associated with the precisionism movement, but the exhibit illustrates how diverse her career was. Runs through April 13. OUTDOOR SCULPTURE SERIES, Features work by John Costanza, who uses abstract geometric forms, porcelain, stoneware and stone fragments. Runs through Feb. 24. 2-4-6-8: AMERICAN CHEERLEADERS AND FOOTBALL PLAYERS, Features photographs of the American subculture of high school football by Brian Finke, who traveled the country for two years documenting top teams, rivalries and competition. Runs through March 2.
• MICHENER ART MUSEUM-NEW HOPE , 500 Union Square Dr., New Hope, 215-340-9800. CREATIVE BUCKS COUNTY, Features the work of visual artists, authors, playwrights, lyricists and composers who have lived and worked in Bucks County. Artists include Pearl S. Buck, Daniel Garber, Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Parker, Jean Toomer and Charles Scheeler. Ongoing.
• NATIONAL ARCHIVES , 900 Market St., 215-606-0100. MELTING POT WOES, Features a look at patriotism and xenophobia on the home front during WWI. Runs through Aug. 31.
• NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER , Independence Mall, 525 Arch St., 215-409-6600. THE STORY OF WE THE PEOPLE, Features film, photographs, text, sculptures and rare historical artifacts, including a letter sent by George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt's "Rough Riders" jacket and items pertaining to Lincoln's assassination, to tell the story of the Constitution. Ongoing.
• NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY , Independence Mall, E. 55 N. 5th St., 215-923-3811. FORSHPEIS: A TASTE OF JEWISH AMERICANA, Features almost 10,000 items meant to capture the daily lives of American Jews from the 1880s to the present, with emphasis on food and food practices. Included are deli menus, matzo ball recipes and bar mitvah cake designs. Ongoing. SHAPING SPACE, MAKING MEANING, Features design sketches, computer-generated images, video and text that offer an inside look into the process of developing a major exhbition. The museum is in the process of developing a 10,000-square-foot, five-story building dedicated to 350 years of American Jewish Life. Runs through March 1.
• NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE MUSEUM , 211 Delaware St., New Castle, DE, 302-323-4453. EMELINE HAWKINS, Features an exhibit chronicling the story of Emeline Hawkins and her family as they escaped slavery in Maryland through the Underground Railroad. Runs through Dec. 31.
• NOYES MUSEUM OF ART , 733 Lily Lake Rd., Oceanville, NJ, 609-652-8848. HOMER'S ODYSSEY, Features visual interpretations of Homer's classic tale by members of the Princeton Artists Alliance. Included is a handmade paper piece by Marie Sturken inspired by escaping Cyclops. Runs through April 13. CARL BURGER, Features watercolors, which were created in southern New Jersey's natural sites including Batsto Village and the Pinelands. Runs through May 9. A CAPE MAY HISTORICAL JOURNEY, Features 42 drawings and paintings by Herbert Pullinger of Cape May's natural and man-made environment during the mid-20th century. Runs through March 9.
• PENN MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY , 3260 South St., 215-898-4000. LEWIS AND CLARK REVISITED, Features 60 black-and-white photographs by Greg MacGregor, who retraced Lewis and Clark's 16,000-mile journey across North America over a period of six years. Included are scenes from the Kansas River, Council Buffs, Rocky Mountains and Great Falls. Runs through Feb. 10.
• PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS , 118 N. Broad St., 215-972-7600. LANDSCAPE WALLPAPER WITH STAR BORDER AND SHROOMS AND FLAME DADO, Features an installation by local artist Virgil Marti in which neon-printed wallpaper is black lit to spoof Victorian excess. Imagery includes PAFA's architecture, the calendar art of Maxfield Parrish and science fiction movies of the '60s and '70s. Runs through March 30.
• PHILADELPHIA ATHENAEUM , 219 S. 6th St., 215-925-2688. WILD IMAGINATION, Features work by self-taught artists from the South including Howard Finster, James Harold Jennings, Nellie Mae Rowe, James Arthur Snipes, Jimmy Lee Sudduth and Mose Tolliver. Curated by Ginger Young. Runs through Jan. 27.
• PHILADELPHIA CATHEDRAL , 3723 Chestnut St., 215-386-0234. THE MANDELA PROJECT, Features a mandela (a circular, 8-foot-diameter sand painting) by Buddhist monk Losang Samten, who spent 15 days on-site constructing it. Also featured are photographs of Tibet by Jeff Donovan. Runs through Feb. 3.
• PHILADELPHIA FOLKLORE PROJECT , 735 S. 50th St., 215-726-1106. ALL THAT WE DO: CONTEMPORARY WOMEN, TRADITIONAL ARTS, Features photographs documenting the experiences of nine local women practicing diverse folk and traditional arts such as flamenco, Jewish klezmer, Liberian song, Ukrainian needlework, African-American crochet and hair sculpture and Lebanese dance and song. Included is work by Antonia Arias, Fatu Gayflor, Vera Nakonechny, Ayesha Rahim, Anna Rubio, Yvette Smalls, Michele Tayoun, Elaine Watts and Susan Watts. Runs through May 10.
• PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART , 26th St. and the Parkway, 215-763-8100. PARIS/NEW YORK, 1949-1959, Features paintings by Ellsworth Kelly from the 10 years over which he abandoned traditional painterly methods and began experimenting with the hard-edged, color field minimalism that came to define his career. Runs through Feb. 24. PORTRAIT OF A PROFESSOR, Features the first in Thomas Eakins' series of portraits of physicians and scientists, which shows Jefferson Medical College professor Benjamin Rand immersed in work in his home office. The painting, which won great critical acclaim after its 1876 unveiling, is displayed alongside related works by Eakins and his contemporaries. Runs through May 31. A CONVERSATION IN THREE DIMENSIONS, Features rare pieces from the museum's extensive sculpture collection, including work by Pablo Picasso and Anselm Kiefer. Runs through May 25. A PASSION FOR PERFECTION, Features costumes by award-winning Philadelphia fashion designers James Galanos, Gustave Tassell and Ralph Rucci. The pieces highlight the detail that is associated with Paris haute couture. Runs through March 9. ALFRED STIEGLITZ, Features work by the 20th-century artist. His photographs, donated by his wife Georgia O'Keeffe, helped create the international photography collection now nearing 29,000 images. Runs through Jan. 31. CLAY, WOOD, AND PAPER, Features a wide variety of Korean arts and crafts made from these simple materials. This exhibit spans over 1,500 years and explores usage in traditional and contemporary art. Runs through July 1. A FLUTE IN THE FOREST: TALES OF YOUNG KRISHNA, Features 25 paintings from the museum's collection as well as sculpture, textiles and ritual arts depicting the Krishna in his early years. Included are 10 Bhagavata Purana illustrations from Gujarat and one of the earliest-known painted depictions of the rasalila, the circular dance of Krishna with the cowherd-girls. Runs through June 1. COSTUME AND TEXTILES: RECENT ACQUISITIONS FROM A TO Z, Features a selection of textiles, historic costumes and contemporary fashions acquired by the museum during the past decade. Included is a a Neoclassical dress with whitework embroidery and a futuristic T-shirt designed by Belgian artist Walter Van Bierendonck in the 1990s. Runs through March 1. 18-CENTURY ENGLISH SILVER, Features 30 pieces of silver by silversmiths as David Willaume and Paul de Lamerie. Runs through March 23. IMAGINING CATHAY, Features 18th- and early 19th-century Chinoiserie textiles and embroideries from the collection. Runs through July 1. MARVELS OF THE MALLA PERIOD, Features rare pieces from the Nepalese Renaissance including Buddhist ritual paintings and Hindu sculptures. Runs through June 1. POP ART AND ITS AFFINITIES, Features works by Pop artists, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Claes Oldenburg from the 1960s and early 1970s, which captures a pivotal moment in the history of American art. Runs through Feb. 29.
• PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF JEWISH ART , Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., 215-627-6747. A KISS FOR THE MEZUZAH, Features mezuzot (the small cases found hanging on an angle on the doorposts of most Jewish homes) by Candy Depew, Jeanne Jaffe, Virgil Marti, Stuart Netsky, Norm Paris, Bruce Pollock, Isaac Resnikoff and Shelley Spector. Each explores the conceptual, cultural and spiritual roles of the mezuzah. Runs through Feb. 1.
• PHILIP & MURIEL BERMAN MUSEUM OF ART , Ursinus College, 601 E. Main St., Collegeville, 610-409-3500. BEGGARS AND CHOOSERS: MOTHERHOOD IS NOT A CLASS PRIVILEGE, Features photographs depicting the complexities of being a young, poor, disabled or unprotected mother in contemporary America. Curated by Rickie Solinger. Runs through March 22.
• READING PUBLIC MUSEUM , 500 Museum Rd., Reading, 610-371-5850. PRE-COLUMBIAN ART, Features 45 pre-Colombian artifacts donated by Luther W. Brady. This exhibit spans from 500 B.C. to 1500 A.D. and displays sculpture from Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico. Runs through March 16. SEA TURTLES: OLDER THAN DINOSAURS! Features photographs of endangered sea turtles by artist and nature photographer Anne Heimann. The exhibit attempts to provide information and create awareness of the many dangers that threaten these ancient creatures. Runs through April 27.
• ROCKET CAT , 2001 Frankford Ave., 215-739-4526. BRUJO DE LA MANCHA, Features work by the local Mexican-American artist. Runs through Jan. 25.
• ROSENBACH MUSEUM & LIBRARY , 2008-2010 Delancey Place, 215-732-1600. REALLY ROSIE, Features original work by artist and author Maurice Sendak, who wrote children's books such as "Where the Wild Things Are," "In the Night Kitchen" and "Outside Over There." Runs through April 1.
• SAMUEL S. FLEISHER ART MEMORIAL , 719 Catharine St., 215-922-3456. CHALLENGE 3, Features work by Billy Blaise Dufala and Steven Dufala, Laura M. Haight and Jury Smith. Runs through Feb. 9.
• SCHUYLKILL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION , 8480 Hagy's Mill Rd., 215-482-7300. TIP OF THE ICEBERG, Features small sculptures by Deb Hoy, Carla Liguori, Keiko Miyamori, Emily Sullivan and Austin Tremellen, which address the impact of climate change on our planet. Runs through Jan. 31.
• ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH , Old York Rd. & Melrose Ave., Melrose Park, 215-635-3465. DIVERSITY IN COMMUNITY, Features a collaborative exhibit highlighting the diversity and connections in the Cheltenham community. Proceeds benefit the Cheltenham Area Multi-Faith Council. Runs through Feb. 9.
• STOCKTON ART GALLERY , The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Jim Leeds Rd., Pomona, NJ, 609-652-4566. STILL LIFE — A TRADITION, Features pastels and paintings by New Jersey artists. Runs through Feb. 15.
• VALLEY FORGE NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK , 1400 N. Outerline Drive, King of Prussia, 610-783-1075. VALLEY FORGE: A NAMESAKE REDISCOVERED, Features original timbers and artifacts excavated from the original iron forge, for which the area was named. Runs through March 30.
• WAYNE ART CENTER , 413 Maplewood Ave., Wayne, 610-688-3553. CRAFT FORMS, Features a juried exhibition of contemporary crafts. Runs through Feb. 1.