Philadelphia Museum of Art to Welcome Philadelphia School District Community to a Free Family Day

Wednesday, December 29, 2021, 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Art Kids Family Studio in the South Vaulted Walkway. Photo by Elizabeth Leitzell, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
The Great Stair Hall with "Diana" by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Photo by Joseph Hu, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021.

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
Art Kids Family Studio in the South Vaulted Walkway. Photo by Elizabeth Leitzell, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
Art Kids Family Studio in the South Vaulted Walkway. Photo by Elizabeth Leitzell, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
Art Kids Family Studio in the South Vaulted Walkway. Photo by Elizabeth Leitzell, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
Art Kids Family Studio in the South Vaulted Walkway. Photo by Elizabeth Leitzell, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
The Williams Forum. Photo by Joseph Hu, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021.

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
Lenfest Hall with "Generation," 1988, by Martin Puryear. Photo by Joseph Hu, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021.

Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.

Download hi-res images here.

On Wednesday, December 29, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will host a special free day for students, caregivers, and staff of the Philadelphia School District community. Visitors can enjoy collaborative art-making projects, self-guided tours in the galleries, a musical performance by Philadelphia percussionist Jello Vibes, and a 10% shopping discount on all books, crafts, toys, and games for children in the museum stores.

Barbara Bassett, Interim Head of Education, said: “Our free family day for the Philadelphia School District community is the museum’s holiday gift to our public schools, including our charter schools. We have missed the students being in the building during this challenging time, and although we have continuously offered educational experiences online during the pandemic, there is nothing like having our K-12 students in the museum to engage with the art in person. The art museum is a place for endless discovery and creative inspiration, and we are here to be a resource for our community. We hope the kids will enjoy making art together with their school friends and family.”

The museum is offering a variety of creative art-making experiences, inspired by the critically acclaimed current exhibition Emma Amos: Color Odyssey. In the Artist Connect corner, visitors can meet locally based printmaker Lisa Jungmin Lee, whose innovative printmaking techniques are inspired by Emma Amos. Families can join Lisa in the Williams Forum from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The Art Kids Studio is where visitors of all ages can try their hands at making a hanging art piece, much like Amos’s beautifully woven textiles. Drop into the studio, in the South Vaulted Walkway, any time between 10:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Families can also embark on the museum’s playful Art Kids Tours, in which visitors are invited to look, discover, and talk about what they see together. Meet in the South Vaulted Walkway at 11 a.m. and at 1:00 p.m. for this experience.

Families will discover more activities on the museum’s third floor. In Art-Making: Circle Space, teaching artist Susan Lideke will lead a collaborative project in the medieval cloister (Knight Foundation Gallery 304) from 10:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. No experience is necessary. And in Arms and Armor (Gallery 347), the Knight-time Sketch program offers metallic drawing materials for kids and adults to draw what they see gleaming in the collections, including armored horses. Visitors can also enjoy the experience of actually handling real pieces of armor with museum educators. It all takes place from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Fusing together multiple musical genres, Jello Vibes—also known as Angelo Outlaw Jr.—will perform on vibraphone from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the Great Stair Hall. Jello Vibes has performed and taught in worldwide championship percussion ensembles such as The Blue Coats and Music City Mystique.

Visitors can also enjoy the four special exhibitions currently on view in the Main Building including: Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror through February 13, 2022; Emma Amos: Color Odyssey through January 17, 2022; Richard Benson: The World is Smarter Than You Are through January 23, 2022; and Circus: Bouroullec Designs through May 30, 2022.

Visiting the Museum

Walk-up registration is available. To register in advance, interested families should check with their school for details.

Health and Safety Guidelines

Help us keep the museum safe and enjoyable for everyone. In accordance with the City of Philadelphia guidelines, every visitor is required to wear a mask while visiting the museum. Before visiting, review our health and safety guidelines: visitor tips and policies.

Special Holiday Hours and Offer

The museum is open to all visitors on December 29. From Sunday, December 26, through Sunday, January 2, the museum is open every day, and visitors from anywhere can enjoy one-of-a-kind art, food, and shopping experiences, with the museum aglow in seasonal décor. Admission is Pay-What-You-Wish on Sunday, January 2, and people ages 18 and under are admitted free at all times. Check our website for more information.

At the museum, visitors can enjoy self-guided gallery tours, shop for gifts in the stores (including distinctive items made by more than 75 local artisans), and also consider making the gift of Membership, which never goes out of style and lasts an entire year. (Gift memberships can be redeemed easily online; just use promo code MGIFTWFB to save 10% through December 31.)

Visitors can also enjoy family friendly fare at the museum, with festive holiday treats provided by Constellation Culinary Group.

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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 by phone at 215-684-7860, by fax at 215-235-0050, or by e-mail at pressroom@philamuseum.org. The Museum is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street. For general information, call 215-763-8100.