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Native Philadelphian Mary Ellen Mark presents a touching and stark look at an important milestone of American adolescence. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

Photographer and Philadelphia native Mary Ellen Mark goes to prom — and lets us relive some of our most treasured adolescent memories — at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, Prom: Photographs By Mary Ellen Kelly.

Featuring 60 black and white photographs of teenagers in their festive dress at their most anticipated event of the year, Prom captures a quintessential adolescent, American experience.

The large-format print photographs were taken with a 20-by-24-inch Polaroid Land Camera at 13 high school formals across the country during the first decade of the 2000s.

Together, they delicately chronicle a vivid rite of passage shared by young Americans with otherwise remarkably different lives.

The exhibition also include a 33-minute video featuring interviews with the photographed subjects, created by Mark’s husband and filmmaker, Martin Bell.

It’s on view at the Perelman Building starting July 1.

Prom: Photographs by Mary Ellen Mark
When: July 1-October 28
Where: Julien Levy Gallery, Perelman Building, Fairmount and Pennsylvania Avenues
Cost: Adults $8, Seniors (ages 65 & over) $7, Students $6, Children ages 13-18 $6, ages 12 & under Free
More info: www.philamuseum.org