Japan at the World's Fairs
Jul 25, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026
World’s fairs have been an important stage for Japan to present itself globally as a progressive nation at several turning points in its early modern and modern ages. Japan’s first official participation in a world’s fair at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris took place the year before the dissolution of the country’s feudal system. At the subsequent 1873 Vienna, 1876 Philadelphia, 1893 Chicago, and 1904 St Louis expositions, Japan under the Meiji-government was one of the nations who showed the largest number of items. In the postwar era, Japan was the first Asian country to host a world’s fair in 1970. In 2025, Japan hosted the Expo 2025 in Osaka. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial – and the inception of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Japanese collection – the installation "Japan at the World’s Fairs" features Japanese objects from the museum’s collection, including ceramics, lacquerware, metalwork, and sculpture. These items were either exhibited at one of the aforementioned world’s fairs or are close examples of items that were on exhibit. One section shows video footage of the Expo 2025 in Osaka, bringing the presentation into the 21st century.
- Workshop of the World: Arts & Crafts in PhiladelphiaMultiple artists, past and present, including works by Roberto Lugo, Mark Burns, Syd Carpenter, Samuel Yellin, and Judith Schaechter.Jul 23, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026
- A Nation of ArtistsApr 12, 2026 – Jul 5, 2027
- Marcel DuchampMarcel DuchampOct 10, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
- Sketching in the GalleriesFri, Aug 7
Sketch in the galleries with us every Friday & Saturday! Each session meets in a different gallery and focuses on a specific work theme from the museum's collection. Materials provided and participants enjoy a 10% discount on art supplies from the museum store. The Baroque Masters | Gallery 358 | August 7, noon–1:30 p.m. & August 8, 10:30 a.m.–noon Sketch from the masterful art of Baroque painters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Luca Giordano, and Domenico Fetti.
- Author Talk: Patrick Bringley on "All the Beauty in the World"Thu, Sep 24
Patrick Bringley tells the story of his decade working as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as recounted in his New York Times bestselling memoir, All the Beauty in the World. Blending personal reflections on art and grief with insights on the inner workings of the Met, Patrick's talk explores the role of great museums—including the Philadelphia Museum of Art (with which he shares a special bond). His presentation will be followed by a conversation with Daniel Weiss, the George D. Widener Director and CEO at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. All the Beauty in the World won the 2023 Marfield Prize for outstanding writing about the arts and was named a best book of the year by institutions including the New York Public Library and NPR. Copies of All the Beauty in the World will be available for purchase and signing by the author following the talk.