It’s only January, but before you know it blossoms will be popping up all over the city. And with a unique partnership between the Museum and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, you’ll be able to take it all in “up close.” Veritable bouquets of ticketing packages are now available, letting you combine the experience of Van Gogh Up Close and this year’s Philadelphia International Flower Show, Hawaii: Islands of Aloha, running from March 4 - 11.

Purchase your ticket to the Flower Show online (at www.theflowershow.com), and you’ll receive an email confirmation with instructions on how to receive 10% off your ticket to Van Gogh. Or save on a combined Van Gogh timed ticket and Flower Show general admission ticket. Of course, discounted tickets are just the beginning. Imagine taking in the tropics with a before-hours tour of the Flower Show, or enjoying the bountiful blooms of Van Gogh on a day when the Museum is closed to the public? City-wide fun passes, gift packages, and more also abound, so there’s sure to be something to thrill you or the flower-lover in your life.

Who knows - between Van Gogh’s passion for nature and the lush beauty of Hawaii, winter’s chill may be thawed before you know it.

Visit the Van Gogh Up Close ticketing page or check out the Museum's Press Room for all the details.

Turn your Zoe Strauss Billboard Project experience into a chance to win! From January 14 through March 31, 2012, the Museum is running a unique social media contest around the 54 billboards scattered throughout Philadelphia. The grand prize will be a private tour of the Zoe Strauss: Ten Years exhibition, including lunch with Zoe Strauss herself and curator Peter Barberie.

Here's how to enter:

1. First, make sure your foursquare and twitter accounts are linked.
2. Each of the 54 billboards is a foursquare location. So when you see one, check in and snap a photo.
3. Share your location and photo with twitter, using the hashtag #zscontest.
4. Visit another billboard, and repeat! The winner will be selected at random, so the more billboards you visit, the better your chances of winning.

Enjoy this unique display of public art while you explore the city. Winners will be announced on April 2.

Prizes:

• The Grand Prize winner will receive a private tour of Zoe Strauss: Ten Years with Zoe Strauss and curator Peter Barberie. The day will include two general admission tickets to the Museum, a signed exhibition catalogue, and lunch with the artist and curator.
• The Second Prize winner will receive two general admission tickets to the Museum and a signed Zoe Strauss exhibition catalogue.
• The Third Prize winner will receive two general admission tickets to the Museum.

Fine Print:
Contest is open from January 14 - March 31, 2012. Submissions must include a photo of the billboard and be posted on twitter with the hashtag #zscontest. Participants may submit one photo per billboard. Winners will be selected at random and contacted via twitter on April 2, 2012.

As an extension of the much-anticipated exhibition Zoe Strauss: Ten Years, a city-wide Billboard Project is being launched to bring Zoe’s striking work to the community beyond the walls of the Museum. Fifty-four billboards, loosely based upon Homer’s The Odyssey, are scattered at points all around the city, from South Philly to Fishtown. They present an epic story about journey and homecoming and focus upon a variety of subjects: a woman laughing outside a lounge in Morgan City, Louisiana, for example; a view of the Pacific Ocean from Venice, California; a home sitting atop a trailer in Fairbanks, Alaska. Local faces and places feature as well—in fact, a shot of the Museum’s iconic steps, covered in snow, can be found at Front and Tasker streets.

The billboards, which were generously donated by Clear Channel Outdoor and Krain Outdoor Advertising, are pure imagery—no logos, text, or branding of any kind. Indeed, they are not even signed by the artist. Their themes include migration and immigration, fortune, hospitality, conflict and resolution, decision-making and mystery, but perhaps most important, they allow viewers the chance to draw their own individual interpretations while inspiring Philly's neighborhoods with public displays of artistic expression.

View all 54, along with specific location information, additional contextual images, and extra anecdotes, on the Zoe Strauss web page, and be on the lookout as you set out on your own epic journeys this winter.

There’s no better time of year to celebrate the magic of childhood, and at the Museum Library, there’s no better place to celebrate the magic of children’s book illustration. Now on view, The Artist in the Nursery features a colorful and charming collection of little-known children’s books illustrated by artists who, in many cases, held careers in other fields and forms of art. These books came into the Library largely through a gift by Carl Zigrosser, the Museum’s Curator of Prints from 1940 to 1964.

You’ll see vibrant music lessons and language primers, coloring and cut-and-paste books, and, appropriately for the season, a 1960 book illustrated by Barbara Neustadt called The First Christmas: From the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew. Animal lovers will be delighted by Wanda Gág’s Millions of Cats, and for those who have been more naughty than nice, there’s always The Bad Child’s Book of Beasts. Also on view is A Hole in the Wall, written and illustrated by Rene d’Harnoncourt--father of the Museum’s late Director Anne d’Harnoncourt. In fact, among the holdings there’s even an activity book with color added by a young Anne.

So while visions of sugarplums are still dancing in your head, don’t miss this chance to see some dancing frogs, fish, and birds…and be enchanted by this rare collection.

The Artist in the Nursery
December 20 – May 2012
Library Reading Room, Perelman Building

Since 2007, the Museum has been working to bring its collections to a growing and ever-savvy community on the web. Searchable online objects are nothing new--indeed, you’ve been enjoying zoomable images, insightful text descriptions, links to an interactive map, and features such as social tagging and My Museum for some time. But now a milestone has been reached, and as the 50,000th object was just added to the online collection on December 1, it’s the perfect time to announce ART 24/7--a recent initiative that will keep growing, enhancing, and giving users new and interesting ways to interact with the Museum’s outstanding works of art…24/7.

A fundraising effort was just launched in the fall with the goal of raising one million dollars over the next two years. By supporting ART 24/7, you'll enable the behind-the-scenes efforts necessary to share the collection with you like never before. For example, gifts to ART 24/7 may support the conservation, research, or photography of an object before it goes online. Or, they could go towards resources to create educational tools, audio clips, and video to accompany each object. Above all, gifts help ensure that the collection’s online presence can continue to increase--right now, about 1,500 objects are added monthly.

As the movement is gaining momentum, so too are the possibilities. Be sure to stay tuned as the Museum develops and shares new features, opportunities for engagement, and ways to use the collections that suit your life and interests. It is a Philadelphia treasure, but it is truly your museum.

Discover more about ART 24/7, and make a gift that will support this exciting initiative.

Back in May, an exhibition opened in the Perelman Building to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Collab, the Museum’s Group for Modern and Contemporary design. This collection ranks among the largest and most important in any American museum, so to commemorate its special milestone, the group decided to choose a gift to add to the collection and to place on view in Collab: Four Decades of Giving Modern and Contemporary Design.

Of four chairs, Collab enlisted in the help of the online community to determine which one should be accessioned. The choices were: the "Madame Dakar" Chair, designed by Ayse Birsel and Bibi Seck, which envelops users like a hammock and draws on both the traditional and modern aesthetics of Africa; the "Clay" Dining Chair, designed and made by Maarten Baas, made from synthetic clay hand-molded over a metal frame and then lacquered for a spontaneous, almost childlike quality; the "Showtime" Armchair with Hood by Spanish designer Jaime Hayon, which is both futuristic and reminiscent of the Hollywood Regency style; and finally, the "Wood" Chair by Marc Newson, an elegant, sculptural design made of bent, intertwining strips of beechwood.

In an online discussion forum, guests left comments as to which chair they liked best and why--with colorful, often entertaining observations and opinions. For several months the feedback came pouring in, and it was just announced that, despite numerous votes for each of the chairs, Marc Newson’s was the clear popular winner. Newson, who hails from Australia, created the "Wood" Chair not long after he graduated from Sydney College of the Arts in 1984. It was then commissioned for a Crafts Council of New South Wales exhibition intended to encourage interaction between crafts practice and industry. The simple, abstract double-curve form of the chair is composed of slatted bent beech strips strengthened with horizontal bracings at each end and around the curve of the seat. In 1995, Italian manufacturer Cappellini put the chair into serial production. It, along with several other unique chairs, clocks, posters, lamps and more, is now installed in the Collab Gallery, and will be on view through fall 2012.

And if your personal favorite chair was one of the other three? Not to worry, in the end all four chairs were accessioned--broadening the scope of Collab’s collection all the more and ensuring that your choice may very well be on view in an upcoming show.

All things merry and bright are coming to the Museum this holiday season, beginning this week and continuing until it’s time to ring in 2012! November 17 - 20 are Member Appreciation Days--the perfect opportunity for the Museum to give thanks to its members with additional discounts in the stores and Granite Hill, as well as other perks.

After Thanksgiving, the holiday happenings really take off, both in the galleries and in the Great Stair Hall--which will be decked with fresh greens and twinkling lights thanks to a collaboration with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. As you click through the online calendar, be on the lookout for a decorative red motif denoting seasonal events to get you in the spirit. Among them are an array of festive Fridays with Art After 5--from a Holiday Klezmer in honor of the Festival of Lights to a ‘50s-inspired Mistletoe Hop, a Jazz-Age revelry in Toyland, and a swanky New Year’s Eve Pre-Party. The Education Department has kids and adults alike covered with a host of activities including guided tours focusing on the Christmas Story and a day-long Winter Wonderland family event. There will also be caroling--the Pennsylvania Girlchoir will be singing in the galleries on December 10 and 11. Every day during Holiday Week (December 26 - 30), there will also be 2 p.m. performances from a number of area singing groups. A beloved holiday tradition is returning to the Fairmount Park Houses as well, with tours of Mount Pleasant and Cedar Grove that will transport you back to Decembers past.

And, of course, there is this season’s exhibition in the Dorrance Galleries, Dutch Treat: A Glimpse of Holland’s Golden Age, featuring the work of Gerrit Dou and other related highlights from the collection. Dutch treats of a different sort will be available in the Museum Store, from hand-painted tiles to Delft-inspired figures to chocolates and candies that are sure to take care of all your gift-giving needs.

It’s a month of merriment at the Museum – and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Baby, it’s getting cold outside. So while you’re unpacking last year’s woolies and taking stock of what you might need before it snows again, why not check out some truly Great Coats at the PMA? Now on view in the Perelman Building’s Costume and Textiles Study Gallery, this selection of women’s coats from the 1920s to the early 21st century focuses on inventive lines, interesting shapes, and ingenious uses of materials and embellishment.

Among the most worn (and seen) garments, coats often make a bold fashion statement. They can also be an important indicator of fashion’s evolution: take the straight-line wraps of the 1920s, for example, or the full skirts of the “New Look” of the late 1940s, or even the sculptural forms of the late 20th century. Designers may also reinterpret traditional styles, from the military tunic to the famed trench coat, or take their inspiration from the diverse repertoire of styles and decoration found in cultures around the world.

Take a peek at our online gallery for a preview, then be sure to stop by and see the entire selection in person. Keeping warm has never been quite so inspiring.

November is just around the corner, which means it’s almost time for one of the most anticipated and acclaimed events of its kind: The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. Presented annually by The Women’s Committee, this premier show and sale of contemporary American craft is the single largest fundraiser for the Museum—with proceeds supporting exhibitions, educational programs, conservation and publication projects, and the purchase of art and contemporary craft for the collection.

The year, the Craft Show runs from November 10th through the 13th, with a preview party on the 9th. You’ll find uncommonly beautiful works by 195 of the most dynamic craft artists working today, carefully selected from more than 1,300 applicants. One-of-a-kind and limited edition objects in ceramics, fibers, glass, furniture, jewelry, wood, metal, clay, and more will be available for you to view, admire, and purchase. This year, twenty-five guest artists from Scotland will also be highlighted.

If you can't make it in person, be sure to check out the Craft Show's online auction of vintage and contemporary treasures generously donated by artists featured in the show. Benefiting the work of the Women's Committee on behalf of the Museum, the auction is open for bidding from November 9th at 9 p.m. to November 15th at 9 p.m. EST.

Location:
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Streets, Hall F (formerly Hall D)

Dates and Times:
Thursday, Nov 10th, 10a.m. – 8p.m. Friday, Nov 11th, 10a.m. – 8p.m. Saturday, Nov 12th, 10a.m. – 6p.m. Sunday, Nov 13th, 10a.m. – 5p.m.

Admission: $15.00 for adults, $5.00 for children 12 & under

…in gallery 271! Now on view, embroideries, printed textiles, and fans--exquisite in detail and guaranteed to put you in a romantic state of mind. Glimpse these objects of affection in our new online slideshow before you visit them in person, and get swept away in amorous tales of gods and goddesses, tragic tales of lovers torn apart, and comedic tales of love that transcends social rank.

Representing an 18th-19th-century interest in classical antiquity as well as the art, literature, and theatre of the period, these objects appealed to an increasingly literate and sophisticated public. Innovations in printmaking brought these detailed images to life, allowing fabric manufacturers to render complex designs on their textiles in entirely new ways. Fans were often given as tokens of affection and used in courtship to send messages between lovers, while printed cottons were fashioned into bed hangings, wall coverings, and upholstery.

Discover the fates of Orpheus and Eurydice, Heracles and Omphale, Cupid and Psyche, Helen and Paris…and see what captures your own heart.

Love Stories: Romance and Tragedy in 18th- and 19th-Century Textiles and Costume Accessories is currently on view in Gallery 271, main building

The current Berman and Stieglitz exhibition, Here and Now: Prints, Drawings, and Photographs by Ten Philadelphia Artists, is full of captivating works of art on paper created by ten contemporary local artists. While each wall is hung with something different and uniquely thought-provoking, it’s hard not to notice one in particular--a wall by Isaac Lin that is a work of art unto itself.

Featuring a bold yellow background covered in overlapping calligraphic marks in black, red, and blue, as well as white airbrushed spots that almost evoke stars, the wall is a striking backdrop to the four painted photographs by Lin that are on view in the exhibition. It serves as a second frame for his works, helping the viewer to focus their gaze and enhance their overall experience.

Take a look at the wall in its various stages of creation in a new slideshow just posted online. You’ll see Isaac Lin at work, transforming a traditional gallery wall into a masterpiece of freehand designs in airbrush ink. Be sure to stop by and visit in person as well, not only to see the final product, but to check out all of the work from these up-and-coming Philadelphians.

Celebrate the art of India, this weekend and beyond! Begin with Exhibiting India’s Art in the 21st Century, the Third Annual Anne d’Harnoncourt Symposium. Tickets are still available for Saturday’s not-to-be-missed line-up of speakers sharing their recent work and discoveries. Join us for an array of fascinating lectures, followed by a panel discussion. Tickets are also available for Sunday’s educational and family-themed programming, concluding with a talk from the Museum’s Assistant Curator of Indian and Himalayan Art, Yael Rice, on the PMA’s own hidden art treasures of India.

Get your symposium tickets today, and afterwards indulge your love of India's art some more with two focused installations in the Main Building. At Home in the World: Rabindranath Tagore and the Modernist Impulse takes a look at the magnificent connections between the art of Bengali poet-activist Rabindranath Tagore and the works of other early 20th-century avant-garde artists. A few galleries away, The Natacha Rambova Collection of Lamaist Art features paintings and sculpture from over 70 works donated by Natacha Rambova--one time ballerina, Hollywood set and costume designer, Egyptologist, and friend to both photographer Dorothy Norman and the Museum's former curator of Indian art Stella Kramrisch.

Whether you’re an art professional, a collector, or just in the mood to be inspired, you won’t want to miss out!

Exhibiting India’s Art in the 21st Century is generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The newest exhibition to open in the Perelman Building, Zaha Hadid, Form in Motion, will delight you with its bold innovation and all-encompassing interior landscape--but how did it all come to be? Check out two new videos that just went online to get a glimpse into how the many pieces of this architectural puzzle fit together.

The first is a 6-minute time-lapse video that shows Museum staff members, Associated Fabrication staff as well as several others building Form in Motion from the ground up. You’ll have a birds-eye view of the Exhibition Gallery’s transformation from an empty space to a sleek environment of light, curving lines, and breathtaking engineering.

The second video takes you on a 3-minute journey to Brooklyn, where staff at Associated Fabrication show you how the unique materials used in the show were created before being brought to Philadelphia.

After viewing, be sure to visit in person to see the space for yourself…and be awed by Hadid’s shapes, spaces, and designs.

Zaha Hadid: Form in Motion is on view in the Perelman Building through March 25, 2012

Although the Museum’s upcoming exhibition Tristin Lowe: Under the Influence doesn’t open for another month, it isn’t too early to fall under its spell. A new online slideshow takes you on a cosmic journey into the techniques that Philadelphia artist Tristin Lowe used to create the breathtaking focal point of the show--a giant felt rendering of the moon entitled Lunacy.

Check out images of Lowe at work on this inflatable sphere, which measures twelve-and-a-half-feet in diameter. Get a close-up view of the indentations, patterns, and swirls--created by Lowe with extraordinary attention to detail and a variety of unique tools--that make the surface of Lunacy so unusual, and so evocative.

And don’t forget to visit in person come late October, when Under the Influence opens in the Perelman Building’s Spain Gallery.

Who says that back to school is just for kids? This fall, the Museum is offering an array of art history courses to stimulate the mind and inspire the imagination--whether you're a dedicated art scholar or a casual museum goer. Classes are also a great way to make new friends, not to mention get to know the Museum's collections and exhibitions like never before.

For the architecturally inclined, take an up-close look at the Philadelphia skyline and other important buildings, explore the work of Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Zaha Hadid, or delve into the characteristics of medieval French religious structures. Other offerings include a look at ancient Greek and Roman art (which qualifies for ACT 48 credit), modern Japanese painting with European influences, and the work of American masters such as Jackson Pollock, Ellsworth Kelly, Andy Warhol, and Jeff Koons.

The full schedule and registration information has just been posted in the online calendar, along with other programs including lectures, tours, workshops, films, and concerts. Reserve your space today, and get ready for a fall full of learning at the PMA.

In parallel galleries on either side of the Japanese teahouse, you’ll find two exciting installations of Asian art exploring vastly different aspects of life…and the afterlife.

First, set sail for Kobe, and discover its history as one of Japan’s key port cities in Kobe: Japan’s Window on the World. Exquisite porcelains, screens, scrolls, paintings, and other objects, on view in galleries 241-243, examine Kobe’s history both as a seaport and as a nurturer of cross-cultural influences in Japanese art.

In galleries 237 and 238 (the Baldeck Gallery), you’ll find Heavenly Bliss: Korean Art for the Afterlife. This installation takes a look at the ways in which Korean societies have responded to death, loss, and ideas about life after death with objects spanning over 1,500 years. Religious pieces, such as Buddhist paintings and sculptures, as well as secular burial objects, such as celadon dishes, porcelain, metalwork, and stoneware, are on view in this calming, soothing space.

Click through the online galleries and get a glimpse of some of these fascinating objects before you see them in person!

Now that Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus is just about to open, it’s the perfect time to get to know more about one of the greatest master painters of the Dutch Golden Age. But Rembrandt was actually known for much more than his astonishing paintings--in particular, his prints.

In "Rembrandt and Printmaking", a new video just posted online, you’ll go behind the scenes into the age old, multi-step technique that Rembrandt perfected. Learn the differences and similarities between etching and dry point, and see demonstrations of each. Discover how Rembrandt’s extraordinary drawing skills, experimental spirit, and unique application of ink created interesting shades and tones that made his prints as expressive as his paintings. The video focuses on one masterpiece in particular, The Hundred Guilder Print (c. 1649)--a work in which Rembrandt combined both etching and dry point to dramatic effect.

Produced by the Museum’s Division of Education and Audio/Visual Department, “Rembrandt and Printmaking” was filmed on location in the Fleisher Art Memorial’s printmaking studios. It offers a rare glimpse at the equipment and materials used today--the same types used hundreds of years ago in Rembrandt’s own studio.

Watch the video now!

Relax in the Main Building’s cafeteria with a coffee, a sandwich, and some extraordinary photos. Now on view, a selection of black and white images from the PMA archives that offer visitors a whole new kind of art appreciation.

Highlighting special moments, distinguished visitors, and historic exhibitions, these photos go back to the 1920s with early construction views of the Main Building and the Parkway. You’ll also see Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III meeting with officials at the Museum, Lauren Bacall discussing Picasso’s Three Musicians with former Director Henri Marceau, and artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude standing before the “wrapped” steps of the Great Stair Hall as part of the groundbreaking 1970 Peace exhibition. A photo of Queen Elizabeth II taken during the Museum’s 1976 Bicentennial celebration is especially significant, as photography was closely regulated at the event. And Rocky fans will certainly enjoy a shot of Sylvester Stallone giving direction to extras on the East Terrace set of Rocky 3. Marcel Duchamp (pictured here with The Large Glass), John Cage, Mick Jagger, The Grateful Dead, and so many others decorate the walls as well, offering a glimpse into the social and cultural history of the Museum that the public doesn’t normally have the opportunity to see.

Discover more images, as well as the Cafeteria's hours of operation, on the Museum's dining page.

Let your online Museum experience enhance your in-person Museum experience in an all-new way now that general admission tickets can be purchased online. No more lines--just ease of planning and convenience like never before.

Online admission covers access to all the treasures of both the Main and Perelman buildings. Ticketed special exhibitions (such as the upcoming Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus) are not included in general admission but may also be purchased online. Plan early, and your tickets will be mailed to you. Otherwise, you may pick them up at Will Call when you arrive.

Online buying is going to keep getting better and even easier--soon, members-only programs, family events, teacher workshops and symposia, lectures, and so much more will be available for purchase, allowing you to schedule your perfect Museum day right from your computer.

Learn more about hours and prices, and start your planning now!

For more than 40 years, The Associates of the Philadelphia Museum of Art have been integral in bringing the Museum’s mission to life – by helping to support special exhibitions, groundbreaking educational programs, extensive conservation efforts, and so much more. They’ve also been having quite a bit of fun along the way. Now online, a new video celebrates this important anniversary with a glimpse not only into all that the Associates do, but also how you can be a part of it.

Meet a few of the current members who are experiencing lifelong learning and discovery on a daily basis, and hear first-hand how their partnership with the Museum has thoroughly enriched their lives. In addition to the unrivaled travel opportunities and special behind-the-scenes access to which Associates are privy, there are also the life-long friendships members have made and the joys of seeing their support make a tangible difference in the Museum’s growth. From breakfast tours to the popular Lunch and Learn series, from Family Days to elegant receptions, from short day trips to far-off overseas adventures, the Associates always have something exciting going on.

We invite you to enjoy the video, learn more, and join us!