Philadelphia has never been short on museums, but 2026 has given the city an extra reason to show off. With the Semiquincentennial, America's 250th anniversary, bringing a wave of new and reworked exhibitions to town, this is a genuinely good year to build a trip around what's on the walls rather than just what's on the itinerary.
Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition, at The Franklin Institute
Running through 7 September 2026, this world-premiere exhibition takes visitors behind the scenes of Universal's theme parks, from the earliest days of the Studio Tram Tour through to the brand-new Epic Universe. Expect original artwork, detailed models and genuine replicas alongside a look at the careers behind the scenes, a good one for anyone who's ever wondered how a rollercoaster or a themed land actually gets built.
A Nation of Artists, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
On through July 2027, A Nation of Artists is a landmark exhibition built around more than 120 masterpieces on loan from the private Middleton Family Collection, part of a joint effort between the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Across both venues, over 1,000 works trace three centuries of American art, placing familiar names like Mary Cassatt and Mark Rothko alongside long underrepresented Indigenous and African American voices. It's a genuinely comprehensive look at what American art has actually been, rather than the abridged version.
Sky Hopinka: Red Metal Dust, at the Barnes Foundation
Commissioned specially for the Barnes Foundation's Annenberg Court and running through January 2027, this site-specific installation from Native American artist Sky Hopinka consists of eleven panels forming a meditative landscape series exploring Indigenous homelands and wider American history. Access to see it is free, which makes it an easy add-on to a Barnes visit rather than a separate trip.
The First Salute, at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Through April 2027, The First Salute tells a lesser-known story from the American Revolution: how the 18th-century Jewish community on the Dutch island of St Eustatius, and a daring 1776 cannon salute to a US naval ship, marked the first time a foreign power formally recognised American sovereignty. It's an unexpected angle on the Revolution, and a reminder of how far its story genuinely reaches.
The Declaration's Journey, at the Museum of the American Revolution
Marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, The Declaration's Journey runs through January 2027 and traces the global impact of the Declaration of Independence, including how its ideals went on to influence independence movements elsewhere in the world. Rare documents, artwork and artefacts make the case for why it remains one of history's most influential political texts, on through early 2027 for anyone planning a longer visit.
Posted by: Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Posted on: 01/09/2026