Museum Community Celebration Offers Full Weekend of Events Beginning Friday, June 16

May 22, 2023 - From Friday, June 16 through Monday, June 19, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will host a celebration of the many, diverse communities of Philadelphia featuring live performances during Friday Night Lounge, a rousing Saturday Night House Party, and a pull-out-the-stops Sunday Block Party on the East Terrace at the top of the “Rocky Steps.” Look for a special 
Art Kids family program, guided tours highlighting the architecture of the museum, including the recent additions by Frank Gehry, and much more. Capping the extended community weekend, the museum will observe Juneteenth with a special dedication ceremony at nearby Mount Pleasant on Monday. Throughout the weekend special food and drink items will be curated by Constellation Culinary Group in partnership with local artisan makers and chefs. Museum admission will be Pay-What-You-Wish during normal operating hours from Friday night through Monday and admission to the Saturday Night House Party will be $15. 

“PMA loves all the communities that make up our great city, and our doors are wide open. Join us for a weekend-long series of celebrations for everyone! Students in the School District of Philadelphia will have finished the school year on June 13, so this weekend represents the start of summer,” said Sasha Suda, the George D. Widener Director and CEO. “Experience the spectacular Frank Gehry-designed transformation of the museum and discover your PMA!”

Highlights of the weekend’s activities include:

Friday, June 16
Friday Night Lounge
5:00–9:00 p.m.
Pay-What-You-Wish

Rashaan Rich & The JuneB All Stars will headline Friday Night Lounge in the spirit of Juneteenth with a lively performance in the Great Stair Hall. With Pay-What-You-Wish admission and food and beverage available for purchase, the museum will partner with the Philadelphia Juneteenth Family African Cultural Alliance of North America as it celebrates Black Music Month. 

Saturday, June 17
Saturday Night House Party 
6:00–10:00 p.m.
Ticketed ($15)

Make a night of musical performance by REVIVAL!, including Rashid Zakat, lil’ dave, and Oluwafemi as they fill the Williams Forum with an audio-visual mix of joy and resilience at the Saturday Night House Party. Also in the Forum, see the performance by Great on Skates, with a mix of dance and DJing. Look out for Botanic Village’s striking artist takeover in the Great Stair Hall and try your hand at botanic collage. Also planned are screen printing on-site with Fleisher Art Memorial, selfie-stations, a Chill Zone, and local distillery tastings.

Sunday, June 18
Sunday Block Party
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Pay-What-You-Wish

Music, artist-designed Mini Golf, story time, yet another artist takeover, and more are in store, as visitors can experience the museum inside and out at the Sunday Block Party. Tee off on the East Terrace where the artists of the museum’s collection—from Marcel Duchamp to Augustus Saint Gaudens—provide inspiration at every hole. Artist Richard Gabriele on his golf course hole “Fountain (handmade and golfable): Inside Joke for Marcel Duchamp” said, “The mini golf hole that I made is a nod to the Dadaist movement and I think that Duchamp, with his sense of humor, would have appreciated someone turning his work into a mini golf hole that people got to play on—the notion of “play” was so important to the Dadaists!” 

Enjoy the colorful artworks by Lauren Cat West placed playfully around the Terrace. Storyteller/author Thembi Palmer will captivate young listeners in a journey of movement and the imagination. DJs, Rana Ransom, Yolo Ono, and the Snacktime brass band will bring the music, and the younger set can kick start summer break with an Art Kids summer teaser. Also enjoy screen printing with the Fleisher Art Memorial.

Monday, June 19
Mount Pleasant Historic House
Historic Marker Plaque Dedication Ceremony: 2:00 p.m.
Guided tours: 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Enjoy free admission to Mount Pleasant, a historic mansion in Fairmount Park, and join us for a plaque dedication to honor the enslaved people of African descent who both lived and worked there. Built in the 1770s and overlooking the Schuylkill River, Mount Pleasant was long known as a Pre-Revolutionary War summer retreat for the wealthy, but not often remembered for the work of enslaved Black people to sustain it. They will be commemorated with a Historic Marker Plaque Dedication Ceremony authorized by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.  

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About the Philadelphia Museum of Art 
We are Philadelphia’s art museum. A world-renowned collection. A landmark building. A place that welcomes everyone. We bring the arts to life, inspiring visitors—through scholarly study and creative play—to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone. We connect people with the arts in rich and varied ways, making the experience of the Museum surprising, lively, and always memorable. We are committed to inviting visitors to see the world—and themselves—anew through the beauty and expressive power of the arts.

For additional information, contact the Communications Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art: pressroom@philamuseum.org.

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