Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia will unveil a $20 million expansion on November 1, adding the Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education—a converted 19th-century mansion with 14 galleries and an education studio. The project, which also includes four acres of new green space, was funded in part by a gift from the Maguire Foundation and follows the museum's acquisition of the adjacent building in 2021. The expansion allows the museum to display more of its 8,000+ works by regional artists, including Pennsylvania Impressionists and Violet Oakley's preparatory sketches.
This expansion matters because it dramatically increases the museum's capacity to showcase its collection, which has long been under-displayed due to space constraints. The project also represents a cultural victory for the institution, which had previously faced funding uncertainty under the Trump administration but ultimately secured the support needed to complete the project. By dedicating five of its largest galleries to living artists, Woodmere signals a commitment to contemporary regional art while honoring founder Charles Knox Smith's vision of art and nature as a spiritual experience.