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Philadelphia Museum of Art (photo by M. McClellan)

Traditionally, many of our area museums close their doors to the public on Mondays. However, over the course of the last year, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has been bucking that trend on Mondays that happen to coincide with national holidays, in order to give people who are off from work an additional opportunity to enjoy the museum.

This Monday, September 6 is no exception. The PMA (both the main building and the Perelman) will be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday also happens to be the final day to see Late Renoir, the museum’s current special exhibition. It’s a gorgeous show that we highly recommend! To see a few preview pics from the exhibition, check out our post from June.

Granite Hill will be the name of the new Starr-operated restaurant at the Museum. (Photo courtesy The PMA)

Granite Hill will be the name of the new Stephen Starr-operated restaurant at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The new restaurant is replacing the former, very literally-named Museum Restaurant, and is scheduled to open on Friday, September 3rd.

Back on August 1, Starr Events took over the day-to-day food and catering operations at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its four main eateries: The Museum Cafe, the Balcony Cafe, the Perelman Cafe, and the Museum Restaurant.

While the three cafes have been open for business, The Museum Restaurant (the Museum’s signature dining destination) has been closed since August 1 to allow for the transition and a new concept.

And now Starr is ready to debut the new restaurant.

Beginning on September 3rd, Granite Hill will be open for lunch on Tuesday through Sunday, dinner on Friday evenings (starting on September 10), and Sunday brunch (starting on October 3).

Granite Hill will offer upscale, irreverent twists on approachable French fare. You can expect menu items like Fried Wianno Oysters, with Madras curry remoulade, petit vegetable slaw, & preserved lemon; a Le hot dog on brioche: a D’Angelo Bros chicken boudin blanc sausage with toasted gruyere, onion confit, tarragon mustard & house made kettle chips; a Filet Frites, with Merlot tarragon butter, twice-fried Kennebec potatoes, Minus 8 vinegar; and entrée-sized salads such as the Warm Shrimp Salad with Mesclun greens, avocado, & lemon beurre blanc.

Granite Hill is intended to be the pinnacle of Starr Events’ European vision for all the museum’s eateries (they’re operating all four) and will inspire seasonal menu items at the other Museum cafes. Starr Events wanted the restaurant to have a vibe that feels like a café at Harrods in London or Barney’s New York.

We’re definitely eager to check it out.

Museum Cafés Get the STARR Treatment [Philadelphia Museum of Art]
Earlier:
Stephen Starr’s Reign at The Philadelphia Museum of Art Begins, French Influences Abound in New Cafe Menus

(Image courtesy of slashfilm.com)

Tonight’s forecast calls for clear skies — perfect for this evening’s Rocky-thon on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The appropriately located Rocky marathon begins just after sunset (roughly 8:20 p.m.) and will feature the first three movies of the series.

Make sure you arrive early for a good spot on the steps and don’t forget to bring snacks, chairs, blankets and anything else you’ll need to make yourself at home.

When: TONIGHT, August 19, 2010 at 8:20 p.m.
Where: The stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Cost: FREE

Rocky-thon in Philadelphia [Rolling Roadshow]

Don't miss the Rocky-thon at the Art Museum steps on August 19th! (Image courtesy of slashfilm.com)

An iconic figure returns to an equally iconic location when Levi’s brings its Rolling Roadshow to steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the form of a Rocky movie marathon.

The Thursday, August 19th “Rocky-thon” will include the first THREE Rocky movies in their entirety for the affordable price of… free! Bring a comfy blanket or chair and snacks, and settle in on the Art Museum stairs for a fist-pumping, cheer-inducing good time.

Check out these movie trailers if you need a Rocky refresher (although I can’t imagine you would).

Start time is around 8 p.m. but you’ll probably want to arrive early to get all the Rocky-steps running out of your system before it gets too crowded.

Details:
- This event is FREE! and open to the public
- Seating is not provided – bring your own blankets
- The film will start just after sunset (8:20pm) – please arrive early for a good spot

Levi’s Rolling Roadshow – “Rocky-thon”
When: August 19, 2010 – 8 p.m.
Where: The stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Cost: FREE

Rocky-thon in Philadelphia [Rolling Roadshow]
Rolling Roadshow 2010: ROCKY-THON [Facebook]

 
The Late Renoir exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art runs through September 6th.

Meanwhile, with 181 Renoir works in their permanent holdings, The Barnes Foundation has the largest collection of Renoirs in the world.

Late Renoir: A Master Ages, and Shuns Reality [CBS News]
Late Renoir Exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art [Visit Philly]
The Barnes Foundation [Visit Philly]

Stephen Starr is now running the food operations at the world famous Art Museum. (Photo by E. Savaria for the PCVB)

On Sunday, August 1, Starr Restaurants Catering Group took over the day-to-day food and catering operations at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, including its four main eateries: The Museum Cafe – the main visitor cafeteria at the Museum; the Balcony Cafe – a smaller cafe overlooking the West Entrance Foyer; the Perelman Cafe – the main cafeteria in the Perelman Building Annex; and the Museum Restaurant – the Museum’s fine dining destination.

The Museum’s three cafes are currently open and feature new menus by Starr Catering, while the Museum Restaurant is currently closed for renovations and will re-open at the end of the month with a new design and a new menu from Starr. (Targeted opening date: August 31.)

All four eateries will be tied together by a common theme: the cafes and restaurant as well as their respective menus will all have a distinct French and European influence.

The Museum Cafe is going to become a kind of gourmet market, with subways tiles and chalkboard art to accentuate that feel. The new menu, which is already rolling, plays to that theme.

There is an all day made-to-order omelet station (e.g. The Florentine, with artichokes, spinach, herbs and gruyere); composed salads like tuna nicoise, duck and farro, or a seasonal market chopped salad; and hot and pressed sandwiches like the Baguette Provencal that’s so popular at Parc, a Le Club sandwich with turkey and bacon, or a roast beef with a horseradish aioli and watercress.

Enjoy a en plein air luncheon inspired by Renoir. (Photo by M. McClellan)

There is also a cheese and charcuterie option, where guests can get fresh cut cheeses, just-sliced cured meats with fresh breads, gourmet mustards and pickled vegetables.

Read more about a new dining options including a special Renoir-inspired “en plein air luncheon” below.

(more…)

The Gross Clinic (photos by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

Thomas Eakins is one of Philadelphia’s most beloved and acclaimed natives. He spent the bulk of his life living, studying and working right here in the city. Several years ago, when Thomas Jefferson University attempted to sell his most renowned work, The Gross Clinic, to an out of state buyer, art lovers from across the region leapt into action.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts were able to secure the funds to match the distant offer and now own jointly own the piece. It has undergone extensive cleaning and restoration and will be on display at the Perelman Building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art through January 9, 2011, in an exhibition called Seeing ‘The Gross Clinic’ Anew.

The exhibition include other works by Eakins, as well as artifacts from the 1876 American Centennial Exposition, where the work was originally shown. Most notably is The Agnew Clinic, a painting commissioned by medical graduates from the University of Pennsylvania to honor their professor, Dr. D. Hayes Agnew.

This piece was done 14 years after The Gross Clinic and allowed Eakins the opportunity to work on the largest canvas of his career. It is the first time that these two paintings have hung together in Philadelphia in nearly 80 years.

Next year, The Gross Clinic will move to Pafa, where it will become part of an exhibition designed to explore the relationship between Philadelphia’s arts and medical communities. That show is entitled Anatomy/Academy.

Special tickets are not required for Seeing ‘The Gross Clinic’ Anew. Admission is included in the museum’s general admission fee. To see more images from this exhibition, visit our Flickr set from the press preview.

Fourth of July Fireworks @ Penn's Landing, Photo by R. Kennedy

Hooray! It’s almost time for those July 4th fireworks, which will be lighting up the sky over Penn’s Landing and the Philadelphia Museum of Art this weekend. Where will you be, as the eleven-day Wawa Welcome America festival comes to an end?

Well, I’ve got a couple picks for you, for some stellar fireworks-watching locations.

Saturday, July 3rd @ Penn’s Landing

The first batch of fireworks this weekend hits Penn’s Landing on Saturday, July 3rd. The magic begins at 9:30pm, immediately following the free performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Here are a few good spots to catch the fireworks.

Of course, there’s Penn’s Landing. Grab a spot before the Orchestra plays (maybe go to to the Ice Cream Festival?), and hold onto it until the fireworks begin.

As I mentioned earlier this week, the Adventure Aquarium in Camden is offering up visitors the opportunity to explore the Aquarium after-hours, and watch the fireworks from the waterfront.

The Battleship New Jersey is hosting a Surf & Turf event, complete with live music, food, and entertainment.

The Fireworks seen from Martin Luther King Drive; Photo by R. Kennedy

Sunday, July 4th @ the Philadelphia Museum of Art

The fireworks on the 4th will begin immediately after the free Goo Goo Dolls concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The fireworks are expected to start at around 10:30pm.

First pick? Well, there’s the Benjamin Franklin Parkway! Bring some blankets and show up early. Due to the concert, there will certainly be a lot of people. Try to grab a spot at the baseball fields at 22nd and the Parkway.

Why not check out the Schuylkill River Park & Banks? Lots of grass along the banks, with a beautiful view of the Art Museum.

Martin Luther King Drive is another great place, right across the the Schuylkill River from Boathouse Row.

Ever visit Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park? Now might be a great time. Fireworks, a gorgeous mansion, and lots of space to set up your lawnchairs. Get there early though.

Ah, Kelly Drive. There are many places along the river with great views of the display. Maybe scout ahead of time, and plan where you’ll sit.

Wawa Welcome America! Fireworks [ www.visitphilly.com ]

The Philadelphia Museum of Art (photo by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

ArtBites, a mix of culinary and art history founded by art historian and trained chef Maite Gomez-Rejón, hits the Philadelphia Museum of Art this Tuesday, taking visitors on a grand tour of the museum, followed by a cooking class and dinner.

The tour of the museum will guide you through the PMA’s collection of British, French, and Italian paintings and decorative arts, followed by a feast “fit for a British aristocrat.”

Tickets for this event are priced at $130 per person, which includes museum admission, tour, van transfer from the museum to the kitchen, ingredients, recipes, and wine with dinner. If you’re a WHYY or Philadelphia Museum of Art member, you can score 15% off the ticket price.

Registration is required and space is limited. Visit ArtBites’ official website to register.

ArtBites @ the PMA
Tuesday, June 22nd, 10:30am – 2:30pm

Philadelphia Museum of Art
26th Street and the Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 763-8100
www.philamuseum.org

Late Renoir, the latest exhibition to arrive at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, opens to the public tomorrow, June 17th. This show centers itself around the work done by Pierre-Auguste Renoir during the last three decades of his life and features 92 pieces, 79 of which were done by Renoir. The pieces by other artists are included in the exhibition to show the ways in which Renoir influenced many of the artists who followed him.

This is the final stop for the show and the PMA is the only east coast venue. Before it came to us, it was in Los Angeles and Paris. The show is larger in Philadelphia than it’s been anywhere else, thanks to the fact that the PMA can enhance the show’s collection with works from their collection, as well as loans from area collectors (there are 181 Renoir works alone in the Barnes collection).

This show will be on display June 17 through September 6, 2010. Tickets cost $24 for adults, $22 for seniors, $20 for students and $14 for children ages 5-12. Kids ages 4 and younger are admitted for free. Museum members are eligible for discounts, click here for more details. There’s also a discounted rate of $19 for week-day, afternoon tours.

For more of our photos of the exhibition, click here.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art (photo by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

Though it’s hard to believe, it’s been two full years now since long-time Philadelphia Museum of Art Director Anne d’Harnoncourt passed away. She was with the museum for more than forty years, and her presence is still felt there (and throughout the city) in many ways.

In order to honor her memory, the museum is offering a free day of general admission to all comers on Saturday, June 19, 2010. The museum doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. While this offer does not include admission to the Late Renoir exhibition, visitors will be invited to explore more than 200 other galleries, both in the Main Building and the Perelman Building.

Laura Anderson Barbata's Please Touch the Art

Kicking off today, Art in the Open Philadelphia brings a new kind of open-air art festival to the city of brotherly love. Through June 12, this free citywide event will present 35 unique artists–from sculptors, musicians and knitters, to dancers and photographers– on the banks of the Schuylkill, from the Fairmount Water Works and the Philadelphia Museum of Art to Locust Street and Bartram’s Garden.

Inspired, but not re-framing, the tradition of painting “en plein air” (creating art outside, on site), artists will work in a variety of media, inspired by their urban environment. A fun twist: Visitors will get to participate in the festival, as they create their own art pieces at designated stations, as well as help with various artists’ projects along the riverbank.

Diedra Krieger's Plastic Fantastic

Featured artists include local Diedra Krieger who will create a dome-shaped immersive environment for play made from over 6,000 post-consumer water bottles entitled “Plastic Fantastic,” exhibited on the lawn next to the Water Works. (Talk about recycling!) And New York artist Laura Anderson Barbata will create an outdoor costume and sculpture-making workshop entitled “Please Touch the Art,” in which brightly colored raffia skirts will be created that will be assembled in a totem-like sculpture throughout the four-day festival– again, with the help of visitors!

After Art in the Open ends on June 13, the University of the Art’s Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery will display and sell selected works created during the festival through June 30. Plus, the public is invited to a free opening reception at the Gallery on Saturday, June 13 from 3-6 pm. Check out their official website for more details.

Art in the Open Philadelphia [ www.artintheopenphila.org ]