Happening

There’s always a lot happening at Woodmere! Beyond our exhibitions and classes, we have a wide variety of public programming, including music performances, events for the whole family, and deeper dives into art with our lectures & talks.

family programs

Looking for a way to engage your whole family in art & community programs? Explore the world of art together through hands-on activities, storytelling, and interactive special events designed to spark imagination and connection. A time for families to learn and create together!

Showing 1-3 of 52 events
View the calendar
Family Program
Maguire Hall

The Joy of Juneteenth

2 - 4 pm
-
Jun 19, 2026
FREE; Registration encouraged
Join Woodmere Art Museum for our 2026 Juneteenth Celebration, The Joy of Juneteenth, an afternoon of art, storytelling, music, and community honoring Black history, culture, and joy on Friday, June 19th, 2-4 pm. From 2–3 PM, families can enjoy drop-in artmaking and storytelling activities exploring themes of freedom, legacy, and self-expression. From 3–4 PM, the celebration continues outdoors, weather permitting, on the front porch and pavilion with performances by students from local schools, including the DC DIAMONDS Step Team, and storytelling, poetry, music, and dance with Mama Nzinga, affectionately known as “The Poet.”
Register
Free Admission Day
All ages
Smith Hall and Maguire Hall

Wawa Welcome America Free Admission Day

10 am - 5 pm
-
Jun 24, 2026
Free
Celebrate Indepndence Day with Wawa Welcome America, a festival of events and activations throughout the city. As part of Welcome America, guests will enjoy free admission days to museums throughout the city, including Woodmere! Learn more at https://july4thphilly.com/events/
Register
Family Festival
All ages
Maguire Hall

Cascarones Spontaneous-Crack-A-Thon at Woodmere Art Museum!

10 am - 3 pm
-
Jul 25, 2026
FREE; Registration encouraged
Join Woodmere on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM–3:00 PM at Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education for the Cascarones Spontaneous-Crack-A-Thon, a family festival celebrating the colorful tradition of cascarones, confetti-filled eggs cracked over the heads of friends and loved ones for good luck. In partnership with Philadelphia artist Marta Sánchez and Cascarones Por La Vida, the day will feature free cascarón decorating workshops, community celebration, and a large-scale participation event at 2:00 PM that will serve as an official Guinness World Record attempt for the largest simultaneous cascarón cracking. This free event is open to all ages, and registration is encouraged.
Register

PERFORMANCES at woodmere

Woodmere celebrates music & community in Philadelphia with Jazz and Classical performances, along with occasional choir and gospel concerts, and dance productions. With exceptional performers, an acoustically astounding space, and amazing works of art, the concert experience at the Museum is like no other.

WRTI is a partner for Music at Woodmere.
Friday Night Jazz is offered in partnership with LifeLine Music Coalition.

Listen with your Eyes: Charlie Parker

6 pm
-
Sep 25, 2026
Celebrate the groundbreaking music of alto saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker in a performance honoring artist Moe Brooker, an avid admirer of Parker and bebop. Emerging in the 1940s, bebop transformed jazz through its bold improvisation, rhythmic complexity, and revolutionary spirit. Saxophonist Michael Clay brings Parker’s music to life with classics such as “Now’s the Time,” “Confirmation,” and more.
Learn more

Conversations: Motown Jazz Cafe

6 pm
-
Oct 2, 2026
Vocalists Warren Cooper and Kim Payton come together for an engaging musical dialogue inspired by the sounds of Motown. Through timeless songs, expressive harmonies, and playful exchanges, the two artists explore how music can create connection, spark conversation, and tell the story of the ups and downs of a relationship.
Learn more

Miles Davis: Intention and Improvisation

6 pm
-
Oct 9, 2026
Trumpeter Miles Davis was driven by a lifelong desire to create music that felt spontaneous, honest, and new. Trumpeter Daud El-Bakara channels Davis’s restless creative spirit through selections from his vast repertoire, including “So What,” “Milestones,” and “Tutu.”
Learn more

tuesday nights at the movies

On Tuesday nights, Woodmere’s main gallery is transformed into an intimate setting for screenings of rare and underseen films as well as classics. Tuesday Nights at the Movies is presented with the Chestnut Hill Film Group and sponsored by the Chestnut Hill Local.

Donations suggested.

Lectures & talks

Our lectures, talks, and panel discussions provide enriching experiences that deepen your understanding of art and culture. Engage with curators, artists, writers, and scholars  who offer insightful perspectives on exhibitions, the Museum's collection, and historical and cultural contexts that spark discussion and invite audiences of all backgrounds to explore art in meaningful ways.

Showing 1-3 of 52 events
View the calendar
Lecture
Maguire Hall

Illustrated Art Talk with Laura Polucha and Bill Valerio

6 pm
-
Oct 7, 2026
$20 Members | $30 Non-Members
Bill and Laura of the Illustrated Gallery talk about the fascinating history of illustrated arts in Philadelphia. A light supper will be served following the lecture.
Register
Lecture
Smith Hall

Nature Has Something to Teach Us: Reframing American Landscapes at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2 - 3:30 pm
-
Oct 17, 2026
FREE with Registration
For generations, the American landscape has brought joy and inspiration to its human inhabitants. Today, amid uncertain environmental futures, how might visitors to The Met’s American Wing experience nineteenth-century landscape paintings? Caroline Gillaspie’s recent reinstallation of the American landscape galleries at The Met aims to foreground historic and present-day environmental concerns, Indigenous perspectives and ecological knowledge, and varying attitudes toward our responsibility to the land. The galleries include the loans of a Frederic Church homage to Thomas Cole (Above the Clouds at Sunrise) and a Kay WalkingStick painting (Thom, Where are the Pocumtucs (Oxbow)). Dr. Gillaspie will discuss her display and interpretive strategies for this refresh, and how the work is always ongoing. Caroline Gillaspie joined the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum in 2025 as a specialist in American painting and drawing. She received her BA from Mount Holyoke College and her PhD in Art History from the CUNY Graduate Center, focusing on Art of the United States and Latin America, particularly hemispheric landscape painting and environmental approaches to art history. Formerly an Assistant Curator at the Brooklyn Museum, she contributed to the transformative reinstallation of the American Galleries (Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art) and its accompanying publication.
Register
Panel Discussion
Smith Hall

Knowing Joy: Remembering Moe Brooker

2 - 3:30 pm
-
Oct 24, 2026
FREE, pre-registration encouraged
Join us for a lively panel discussion celebrating the life, work, and joyful spirit of Moe Brooker. Artists, colleagues, and friends who knew Brooker will share personal stories and reflections on his creative practice, influence, and enduring legacy.
Register

school trips &
private tours

Woodmere offers tours with our docents and a variety of educational events. Explore the options today!

Learn more