2025 promises to be a milestone year at Woodmere with the opening of Frances M. Maguire Hall. Not since 1910 when Charles Knox Smith opened Woodmere to bring art and nature together, has there been such a dramatic moment of change. Sculpture is going up on the grounds of Maguire Hall, the porch is being restored, new windows are being installed, and the first licks of paint are starting to make interior spaces look like galleries.
In fact, 14 new galleries in Maguire Hall will create an entirely new level of visibility for Woodmere's permanent collection—one of the very great …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
You can also purchase this individual item for $1.50
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
2025 promises to be a milestone year at Woodmere with the opening of Frances M. Maguire Hall. Not since 1910 when Charles Knox Smith opened Woodmere to bring art and nature together, has there been such a dramatic moment of change. Sculpture is going up on the grounds of Maguire Hall, the porch is being restored, new windows are being installed, and the first licks of paint are starting to make interior spaces look like galleries.
In fact, 14 new galleries in Maguire Hall will create an entirely new level of visibility for Woodmere's permanent collection—one of the very great collections of American art—dramatically escalating our ability to showcase the artists of Philadelphia. Galleries for the jewelry arts of Philadelphia are starting to sparkle, and we'll be offering new kinds of experiences and programs that touch the lives of our visitors.
The lead gift from the Maguire Foundation is itself an astonishing act of generosity, and we are deeply honored to undertake our renovation in the beautiful spirit of Frannie Maguire—artist, nurse, parent, friend, teacher, philanthropist, and Woodmere trustee—for whom our new building is named. It's also a collective achievement that we are able to transform the 1855 mansion, which served first as a gracious family home and then as a residence for the Sisters of St. Joseph, into a contemporary public facility, with all the amenities, technology, and accessibility that an art museum of today requires.
Insofar as Woodmere is presenting itself anew to local and national audiences, we are working in partnership with a marketing consultant called ALBC (A Little Better Company) and asserting a new level of energy in our appearances and communications. We've adopted a vibrant pink as the identifying color of our graphics, proclaiming our name as Woodmere, plain and simple, as a hub for art, music, and nature. A dynamic new website is in production, with fresh introductory videos, and a new series of our podcast Diving Board. Still welcoming but newly bold, our mission remains to celebrate the arts of Philadelphia and empower our visitors to find their creativity and shape the future they envision. Maguire Hall is on schedule to open in the fall of 2025 and we hope you'll join us to explore, reflect, and grow together.
Happy New Year with gratitude and thanks from Woodmere.
