Museums/Exhibits

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

• 12 STEPS DOWN , 831 Christian St., 215-238-0379. MEGAN BROWN, Features recent illustrations by the local artists. Runs through Sept. 12.
• ABINGTON ART CENTER , 515 Meetinghouse Rd., Jenkintown, 215-887-4882. JACQUES WILMORE, Features oil paintings exploring various social and political concerns. Runs through April 5. HOVERING ABOVE, Features outdoor sculptures by various artists. Runs through Nov. 30.
• ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES , 19th St. & the Parkway, 215-299-1000. BUTTERFLIES, Features dozens of types of butterflies from around the world. Ongoing. PLANTING THE SEEDS OF GENETICS, Features specimens, instruments and interactive displays that outline the life story and scientific legacy of Gregor Mendell, known as the father of genetics. Runs through Sept. 28.
• 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.
• AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM , 701 Arch St., 215-574-0380. THE AFRICAN PRESENCE IN MEXICO: FROM YANGA TO THE PRESENT, Features paintings, photos, lithographs and historical texts that trace and examine the impact Africans had on Mexican culture. The visiting exhibit from Chicago's National Museum of Mexican Art aims to inspire positive dialogue between African-Americans and Mexicans in the United States. Runs through Oct. 25.
• ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM , 5th & Court sts., Allentown, 610-432-4333. FAY, Features work by William Wegman in celebration of his muse, Weimaraner Fay Ray. Included are Polariods, chromogenic prints, gelatin silver prints and video segments starring Fay and her pups, Battina, Chundo and Crooky. Runs through Sept. 7. A LIFE IN ART, Features 45 pieces by Philadelphia artist Linda Lee Alter, including fiber art, paintings, metal work and illustrations. Runs through Sept. 7.
• AMERICAN SWEDISH HISTORICAL MUSEUM , 1900 Pattison Ave., 215-389-1776. NORSE MYTHOLOGY, Features illustrations of scenes from mythology by artist Dylan Carroll. Runs through Sept. 21.
• ART IN CITY HALL , City Hall, Broad & Market sts., 2nd & 4th floors, 215-686-9912. LIKEABLE ART, Features work by 43 local artists that is popular and accessible to a mainstream audience. Included is Holly Smith's "Son-in-Law of Cerebus," is a painted wood figurine of a happy, three-headed dalmatian. Runs through Sept. 26.
• ART INSTITUTE OF PHILADELPHIA , 1622 Chestnut St., 215-246-3302. NATURE'S GUARDIANS, Features traditional Chinese rice paper paintings by Anita Yan Wong. Runs through Aug. 29.
• ATWATER KENT MUSEUM , 15 S. 7th St., 215-685-4830. 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 explore Philadelphia street activity over 300 years. Included are objects from the City Records department, individual City departments and the Atwater Kent Museum collection. Runs through Dec. 31.
• BARTRAM'S GARDEN , 54th St. & Lindbergh Blvd., 215-729-5281. MY BACKYARD PLANT EXPLORATIONS, Features mixed-media works on paper by Mary Fran Cardamone, as inspired by her love of nature, herb specimens and botanical prints from the past four centuries. Runs through Aug. 29. MARK DION: TRAVELS OF WILLIAM BARTRAM RECONSIDERED, Features an eclectic assemblage of artifacts, drawings and specimens, both natural and manmade, collected by Mark Dion as he retraced the journey of 18th-century naturalists John and William Bartram through the southern United States. Runs through Dec. 6.
• BRANDYWINE RIVER MUSEUM , US Routes 1 & 100, Chadds Ford, 610-388-2700. ALFRED J. MUNNINGS, Features paintings of horses, racetrack and foxhunting scenes, country portraits and rural landscapes by the British artist. Runs through Sept. 1.
• CLIVEDEN , 6401 Germantown Ave., 215-848-1777. BUILDING BRIDGES: LINKING LIVES AND COMMUNITIES, Features work inspired by the Walnut Lane Bridge by Christopher Morley, Troy Sayers and Keith Ragone. Runs through Dec. 31.
• CRANE ARTS BUILDING , 1400 N. American St., 215-235-3405. BETWIXT BETWEEN THESE CROSSED STARS, Features a multimedia installation of paintings, cut paper collages, string and aluminum foil by Tyler Kline, which depicts "kaleidoscopic cityscapes" that connect past and present relationships taking place over great distances. Runs through Aug. 24.
• DA VINCI ART ALLIANCE , 704 Catharine St., 215-829-0466. PHOTO SYNTHESIS, Features winners of the 2008 juried photography competition. Runs through Aug. 31.
• DELAWARE ART MUSEUM , 2301 Kentmere Pkwy., Wilmington, DE, 302-571-9590. THIS IS WAR, Features more than 40 illustrations and posters related to the portrayal of war in visual media from the American Revolution to the end of the 20th century. Runs through Sept. 10. CALL ME CHAIRMAKER, Features 52 sculptural chairs constructed by studio furniture maker Garry Knox Bennett. His work is distinguished by the unconventional use of materials such as yellow satinwood, plywood, aluminum, brass and plastic. Runs through Sept. 21. GIFTED: RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE PERMANENT COLLECTION, Features 30 pieces recently donated to the museum, including 10 minimal and conceptual paintings from the Vogel collection's "Fifty Works for Fifty States" initiative. Runs through Nov. 9.
• 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. PHILADELPHIA COLLECTS: WORKS ON PAPER, Features 51 works on paper on loan from local collectors. Included are portraits by British Pop artist David Hockney; ink drawings by Astrid Bowlby; a five-foot wide lithographic portrait by Chick Close; and a signed print and book by Andy Warhol. Runs through Sept. 22. SQUIGGLELINEAR, Features the interrelated paintings, drawings and sculptures of Creighton Michael, all of which emphasize the transitory movement of lines in space. Runs through Aug. 17.
• 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 Sept. 29. ANIMAL SECRETS, Features five interactive natural settings where children can explore the wilderness from an animal's point of view. Stream, woods, meadow and cave habitats each reveal their own secrets through crafts, demonstrations and games. Runs through Sept. 1.
• FRANKLIN INSTITUTE , 20th St. & the Parkway, 215-448-1200. THE GIANT HEART, Features a gigantic walk-through model of a human heart. Ongoing. AMAZING MACHINE, Features "exploded" views of everyday machines and more than 25 rarely-displayed machines from the museum's collection, including Mailardet's automaton and a model of the Strasbourg cathedral clock. Also included are three kinetic mechanical art installations by sculptor and architect Ben Trautman. Ongoing. REAL PIRATES: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WHYDAH FROM SLAVE SHIP TO PIRATE SHIP, Features treasure chests of coins and gold, jewelry, weaponry such as cannons, pistols and knives and a replica of the actual ship that visitors can board. The three-masted, 300-ton galley Whydah was built as a slave ship in London in 1715 and was captured off the Bahamas by Sam Bellamy in 1717. When it was found by underwater explorer Barry Clifford in 1984, it became the first pirate ship to be discovered in American waters. Runs through Nov. 2.
• FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA , 1901 Vine St., 215-686-5322. BEYOND THIS TIME AND PLACE: CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN ENGLAND, Features an extensive collection of early British children's books, spanning from the 18th through the early 20th centuries. Included are original works by Beatrix Potter, Kate Greenaway and Arthur Rackham. Runs through Sept. 12.
• HAGLEY MUSEUM and LIBRARY , 298 Buck Rd., Wilmington, DE, 302-658-2400. LADIES' HAND FANS, Featuring fans from the 19th century that were designed for both utility and style. Runs through Jan. 1. GIVE IT YOUR BEST, Features more than 70 graphic posters from workplace situations, from the army to corporations, that promote a strong work ethic. Runs through Jan. 4.
• HIGH POINT CAFE , 602 W. Carpenter Lane, 215-849-5153. HOLGA PHOTOGRAPHY, Features the saturated colors and dreamy beach portraits of Ed Snyder's favorite toy camera. Runs through Aug. 15. LYNETTE SHELLEY, Features work by the local artist, who draws influences from Celtic, Asian, Eastern, art noveau, abstract expressionism and medieval artworks, as well as mythological stories and legends. Runs through Sept. 30.
• INDEPENDENCE SEAPORT MUSEUM , 211 S. Columbus Blvd., 215-413-8621. BLACK HANDS, BLUE SEAS, Features art, documents, tools, memorabilia, photographs, editorial cartoons, illustrations, music, videos and literature to trace the maritime heritage of African-Americans. The exhibit focuses on the 19th and 20th centuries but begins with African origins, including West African fishing, diving and boat-building practices. Runs through March 22.
• INFUSION , 7133 Germantown Ave., 215-248-1718. MY PICASSO REPRODUCTIONS, Features Stewart Brodian's reinterpretations of lost paintings reproduced from the film "Mystery of Picasso." Runs through Aug. 31.
• JINXED CLOTHING , 620 S. 4th St., 215-978-5469. TOP SHELF, Features new work by Tim Diet and Shane Jessup. Runs through Aug. 29.
• LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA , 1314 Locust St., 215-546-3181. BLACK FOUNDERS: THE FREE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THE EARLY REPUBLIC, Features a detailed look at the history of the African American struggle for civil rights using resources from the Rare Books department. Runs through Oct. 10.
• 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. DOG DAYS, Features more than 60 black-and-white photographs of dogs from around the world by Elliott Erwitt snapped between 1946 and 2000. Runs through Aug. 31. INTERTWINED, Features contemporary explorations and definitions of the art of basketmaking, as gathered from the holdings of Arizona-based collectors Sara and David Lieberman. The material used to make these baskets defy convention, including everything from zippers to fish skin. Runs through Nov. 2. OUTDOOR INSTALLATION, Features the large-scale outdoor sculpture of James Fuhrman, who uses natural materials and geometric forms to create contemplative spaces that enfold the viewer. Runs through Oct. 26.
• 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.
• MUTTER MUSEUM OF THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS , 19 S. 22nd St., 215-563-3737. EXTRAORDINARY BODIES, Features photographs by 16 contemporary artists who find beauty in the Mutter Museum's unconventional, disembodied and deformed specimens. Runs through Dec. 31.
• 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 CONSTITUTION CENTER , Independence Mall, 525 Arch St., 215-409-6600. BASEBALL AS AMERICA, Features a 6,000-square-foot exhibition examining the relationship between baseball and American culture. Included are pieces from The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Runs through May 11.
• 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, texts, and video that give viewers an inside perspective on the process of creating a major museum exhibition. Viewers can also make their own contribution to this ongoing project, which will culminate when the museum opens its new building in 2010. Runs through Jan. 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. SIGNATURE ARTIST MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Features work by the museum's new artist members. Runs through Dec. 31. FROM CAPE MAY TO CAIRO, Features landscape paintings by George Washington Nicholson created during the late 19th century. Runs through Nov. 9. SEAMS: CONTEMPORARY ART TO WEAR, Features contemporary fashion works with a sense of humor, including a fur coat of crab arms and a bikini cast from iron. Runs through Aug. 24.
• PENN MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY , 3260 South St., 215-898-4000. COUNTERPOINT: ANTHROPOLOGY AND PHOTOGRAPHY IN NEW GUINEA, Features photographs by Austin Supers of Papua, New Guinea natives in traditional face and body decoration and costume. Included is commentary by anthropologist Stuart Kirsch. Runs through Sept. 14. SURVIVING: THE BODY OF EVIDENCE, Features an interactive tribute to the durable genes that have survived millions of years of evolution to shape life as we know it today. A personal perspective on survival of the fittest encourages viewers to examine how evolution has shaped their own bodies and behaviors. Runs through May 3.
• PHILADELPHIA FOLKLORE PROJECT , 735 S. 50th St., 215-726-1106. IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK: WILLIAM AND MIRIAM CRAWFORD'S DINING ROOM, Features an installation of Bill and Miriam Crawford's actual dining room walls, which are collaged with 40 years of social change memorabilia. The dining room records the Crawford's involvement in the Communist Party, civil rights, Black Power and anti-war movements, the "Stop Rizzo" campaign and more. Ongoing.
• PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART , 26th St. & Ben Franklin Parkway, 215-763-8100. TRANSCENDING THE LITERAL, Features more than 40 photographs by Ansel Adams. Runs through Aug. 17. GILBERT AND GEORGE, Features large-scale photographic art by Gilbert and George, English artists who have been working together since the late 1960s. Runs through Nov. 2. RHYTHMS OF INDIA, Features the work of Nandalal Bose, a 20th-century Indian artist considered "the father of Indian modernism." More than 100 of Bose's luminous paintings and drawings explore India's struggle for political independence, and the parallel struggle to develop a new, uniquely Indian modern art. Runs through Sept. 1. CALDER JEWELRY, Features the private jewelry works of American sculptor Alexander Calder (1898-1976). Included are some 100 pins, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and tiaras. Runs through Nov. 2. THE FIX ON COLONIAL PHILADELHIA FURNITURE, Features the only remaining copy of the world's first published furniture price book, alongside 23 pieces of of the colonial furniture that it lists. Runs through April 1. AMERICAN FOLK PAINTINGS FROM THE COLLECTION, Features work by untrained 18th- and 19th-century folk artists. These self-taught painters left behind little historical record besides their depictions of middle-class farm and family life. Runs through Oct. 31.
• PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF JEWISH ART , Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., 215-627-6747. INFINITE PLACE, Features site-specific works by Elyce Abrams, Paul Oberst and Rebecca Rutstein, who explore the relevance of "place" in Judaism, Jewishness and humanity. Abram's paintings revolve around light as a beacon or portal; Oberst's tent-like portable temple recalls the Israelite's desert tabernacle; and Rutstein's paintings of unfamiliar landscapes suggest underwater and celestial spaces. Runs through Aug. 15.
• PHILIP AND MURIEL BERMAN MUSEUM OF ART , 601 E. Main St., Collegeville, 610-409-3500. IN THE MOMENT, Features paintings by Richard Goldberg that touch on issues surrounding ocular disorders and visual interpretation. Runs through Aug. 17. EVERYTHING I SEE IS NEW AND STRANGE, Features 59 watercolors, drawings, oils, block prints, ceramics and carvings by Walter Inglis Anderson. Runs through Aug. 24. ICESCAPES, Features photographs of the Antarctic's stark, monolithic landscapes, as captured by Richard Ellis in December 2002. Runs through Aug. 29.
• READING PUBLIC MUSEUM , 500 Museum Rd., Reading, 610-371-5850. LENAPE: THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE, Features an exploration through art and artifacts of the Lenape people native to the Delaware Valley. In collaboration with Kutztown University's archaeology department, the exhibit presents Lenape history both through artifacts and through storytelling traditions. Runs through Sept. 14.
• ROSENBACH MUSEUM and LIBRARY , 2008-2010 Delancey Place, 215-732-1600. THERE'S A MYSTERY THERE: SENDAK ON SENDAK, Features original artwork, rare sketches, never-before-seen working materials and interview footage of Maurice Sendak. Runs through April 30. A MAD TEA PARTY, Features an installation honoring "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," including place settings for the Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse and Alice from the museum's collection of ceramic and silver tea service pieces. Runs through Sept. 1.
• ROTUNDA , 4014 Walnut St., 215-573-3234. COLLECTIVE IMPRINTS, Features an installation collectively created by Rotunda patrons and community members celebrating the life and history of the space, local history and folklore, and visions for the neighborhood's future. Ongoing.
• SCHUYLKILL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION , 8480 Hagy's Mill Rd., 215-482-7300. SWARM, Features work by B.A. Bosaiya, K.T. Carney, Talia Greene, Lisa Murch, Richard Ryan, Matt Stemler and Rosalind Sutkowski. Runs through Aug. 29.
• SMALL WORLD CAFE , 14 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ, 609-924-4377. HAL STUDHOLME, Features amusing and satirical collage, photography and digital art by the Jersey native. Runs through Sept. 2.
• SWEET JANE VINTAGE , 1742 E. Passyunk Ave., myspace.com/ilovessweetjane. MINUTIA, Features Polaroids by Matthew Williams. Runs through Sept. 1.
• TYLER ARBORETUM , 515 Painter Rd., Media, 610-566-9133. TOTALLY TERRIFFIC TREEHOUSES, Features one-of-a-kind treehouses built by local architects. Runs through Sept. 28.
• WHARTON ESHERICK MUSEUM , Horseshoe Trail, Valley Forge, 610-644-5822. WHARTON ESHERICK OUTHOUSE, Features a reconstruction of Wharton Esherick's three-sided outhouse, which was inspired by the 1919 film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligary" and reflects his interest in expressionist and cubist forms. Ongoing.
• WHEATON ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER , 1501 Glasstown Rd., Millville, NJ, 856-825-6800. TREASURES FROM THE COLLECTION: MUSEUM OF AMERICAN GLASS, Features various glass pieces that document the growth of American glass manufacturing. Runs through Jan. 5. LIVING TRADITIONS PORTRAYED: INDIAN FOLK ART AND CRAFTS, Features work that reflects the values and spirituality of Indian artists. Runs through Dec. 31. HIGHWATER SCULPTURE INVITATIONAL, Features some of the gallery's favorite former collaborators from the past 25 years, mostly from the Delaware Valley area. Runs through Sept. 1.
• WINTERTHUR MUSEUM and COUNTY ESTATE , 5105 Kennet Pike, Winterthur, DE, 800-448-4907. SILVERSMITHS TO THE NATION, Features the innovative work of the 19th-century Philadelphia silversmith firm Fletcher & Gardiner. Runs through Sept. 21.
• WOODMERE ART MUSEUM , 9201 Germantown Ave., 215-247-0476. EDUCATION AND LIFE, Features sketches and studies for the lost murals of Depression-era painter Leon Siturchak. Runs through Sept. 7.
• ZAHAV RESTAURANT , 237 St. James Place, 215-625-8800. JOURNEY THROUGH ISRAEL, Features photographs by CP staff photographer Michael T. Regan of his journey with the staff of Zahav through Israel. The collection of silver gelatin prints chronicles different aspects of the trip, including landscapes, street scenes and compositions. Runs through Sept. 1.