#IPW2025

 THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART, THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES AND RENOWNED MURALIST MEG SALIGMAN ANNOUNCE MAJOR ART INSTALLATIONS FOR 2026

Philadelphia will unveil once-in-a-generation art exhibitions and experiences in honor of America’s 250th anniversary.

 Representing the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), President and CEO Gregg Caren addressed attendees of the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2025 to spotlight Philadelphia as a top international destination, as the city prepares for the nation’s 250th anniversary and full slate of special events in 2026. In advance of the Semiquincentennial in 2026, Philadelphia’s arts community is announcing groundbreaking new art highlighting American creativity past and present.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Middleton family will present the most expansive collection of American Art ever mounted in Philadelphia in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary

In the press conference held for global travel media at U.S. Travel’s IPW 2025, Sasha Suda, the George D. Widener Director and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA), announced A Nation of Artists opening in April 2026, a dual-venue exhibition that will unite three extraordinary collections of American art. This collection will feature more than 1,000 unique pieces on exhibit in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, one of the largest art museums in the country, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), the first art school and museum founded in the U.S.

The collection will be carefully divided across the two institutions for display. At PAFA, the exhibition will highlight how American artists learn and develop. At the PMA, the exhibition will highlight the evolution of American identity and visual culture through art.

“What makes American art so powerful is not only where it was made, but who made it—and why,” said Sasha Suda, a native of Canada. “A Nation of Artists will highlight the creative contributions of women, immigrants, Indigenous makers, self-taught artists, and academic painters alike and present a broad and vibrant picture of artistic expression that was happening across the country through both familiar icons and voices that have historically been overlooked. We couldn’t be happier to partner with PAFA and the Middleton family on this once-in-a-generation exhibition and we look forward to welcoming everyone—from neighbors down the street to visitors from across the region, the country, and around the world—to be part of this celebration.” 

To enrich the collection, the majority owner of Philadelphia’s Major League baseball team, the Phillies, John S. Middleton and his family will contribute pieces from their private art collection that have never been seen by the public. The Middleton Family Collection, one of the most significant private holdings of American art, will be integrated across both venues, promoting deeper reflection through the collaborative process.

“This exhibition is for everyone—no prior knowledge of art or history required,” said Middleton. “As someone who believes in the power of storytelling to connect people, I’m thrilled to partner with these two storied institutions to share the works that have brought our family so much joy and inspiration. Just like baseball, art has the power to bring people together and surprise us when we least expect it. With every viewing, there’s something new to discover. It’s an honor to help bring American art to life in a new way during this very special commemoration of our country’s 250th anniversary.”

Muralist Meg Saligman to launch Ministry of Awe —a six-story immersive art experience housed within a 19th-century bank

Renowned muralist Meg Saligman has produced over 40 permanent public works worldwide, but her works in Philadelphia have been considered a catalyst for the contemporary mural movement. At IPW, Saligman revealed new details about her latest project, Ministry of Awe, opening in 2026. Housed in the former Manufacturer’s National Bank in Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood, Ministry of Awe will be a traversable, living work of art, dedicated to inspiring awe. With six stories and over 8,500 square feet (nearly 750 square meters) of interactive space, including immersive exhibits, live performances, and soundscapes for visitors to explore, Ministry of Awe will be unlike any other arts destination in the region

Ministry of Awe will also function as a hub for community participation and imagination, teeming with opportunities for visitors to engage with the space in a hands-on manner, which will evolve the artwork’s look and feel over time. For Saligman, the Ministry of Awe’s home in the former bank, which was built in 1870 and designed by Frank Furness, is a key part of the story—redefining the conventional cultural experience by bringing the unexpected and the sublime to a seemingly mundane space. “We’re creating a living, walkable piece of art that’s deeply rooted in Philly’s rich history, right in the birthplace of American democracy and finance.”

Like Philadelphia itself, both A Nation of Artists and the Ministry of Awe projects are grounded in history but reaching for higher levels of creativity and self-discovery.

Philadelphia is well-known to the world as the birthplace of American democracy, but audiences are now recognizing the city as a destination rich in history, culinary innovation, walkable outdoor spaces, and now especially, arts and culture. Philadelphia is home to some of the world’s finest museum collections as well as the largest collection of public and street art. Mural Arts Philadelphia, which has helped created over 4,000 street murals in the city since 1984, and the city’s 1 percent for public art law have helped make access to art in Philadelphia as democratic as the ideals laid down by the founders in the city in 1776.

“Art is absolutely part of who we are in Philadelphia. From the sculpture of William Penn by Alexander Milne Calder that sits atop Philadelphia City Hall, to the thousands of murals found through city neighborhoods, Philadelphia makes sure that experiencing art is part of our daily routine,” said Caren. “And we’re always looking for ways to bring new art into the public sphere: new museums, new murals, and new ways to experience it. Visitors are going to see that on another level in Philadelphia in 2026.”

Art lovers visiting Philadelphia can also enjoy works throughout the city, both in museums and galleries and on public display in the neighborhoods. In addition to the PMA and PAFA, the Barnes Foundation, Rodin Museum, and Calder Gardens (opening September 2025) are located within steps of one another on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, ensuring that hundreds of works by Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso, and more are easily accessible.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens in South Philadelphia, the Ministry of Awe, the various walking and bus tours offered by Mural Arts Philadelphia, the hundreds of pieces of public art around the city, and the galleries dotting the neighborhoods allow visitors plenty of opportunities to connect with local and emerging artists and enjoy innovative forms of art, including immersive and interactive experiences.

Philadelphia is conveniently located between New York City and Washington, D.C., making it an essential stop for travelers to the East Coast of the U.S. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) welcomes nonstop flights from over 120 cities worldwide and features a direct light rail link to the city center. Philadelphia’s William H. Gray 30th Street Station is a key connection point on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, with links to New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston and additional cities.