This exhibition continues the collaboration between ICA and New York-based textile studio Maharam, which invites artists to reimagine the windows of ICA’s façade. For the 2025-26 edition, Philadelphia-based artist Xenobia Bailey created a design that reflects her “Funktional” aesthetic and rooted in her decades-long fiber arts practice.
Part of America 250 at Penn programming, this exhibit explores the overlooked yet essential role of nurses during the American Revolution, whose vital work helped shape early American healthcare. It challenges the widespread belief that nursing began in the 19th century with Florence Nightingale by providing rare evidence of a world of nursing and caretaking that thrived before, during, and after the American Revolution. Free and open to the Penn community.
“A World in the Making: The Shakers” explores the design legacy of the Shakers, a religious group whose values of community, labor, and equality shaped their furniture, architecture, and everyday objects. Through works by contemporary artists influenced by the Shakers, alongside original Shaker-made pieces, the exhibition invites reflection on how Shaker ideals continue to inform conversations around inclusion, gender, and intentional living in the 21st century. Free and open to the public.
Part of America 250 at Penn programming, this exhibition surveys the revolutions that shook the Atlantic world in the 1790s—and the profound changes that resulted—from France to Haiti to Philadelphia. The books, documents, objects, and images on display will challenge visitors with the questions posed during that revolutionary era. Free and open to the public.
On view for the first time in the U.S., this exhibition—blending arts with archeology—features century-old watercolors documenting Egyptian tomb paintings. Created by Egyptian artist Ahmed Yousef during Penn Museum excavations in the early 1920s, these paintings vividly record elaborately decorated funerary chapels from Dra Abu el-Naga, a key burial ground of elite officials and priests during Egypt’s New Kingdom (ca. 1550–1070 BCE). Included with Museum admission.
This exhibition, on view in the Annenberg Center lobby and curated by the Arthur Ross Gallery inaugural faculty director Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, will present a selection of recent paintings by Penn alum Allison Zuckerman that exemplify her exuberant, layered approach to image-making. Using paint and collage, Zuckerman creates densely constructed compositions that draw from art history, popular culture, and the internet. Her paintings celebrate the history of the image-making medium while reimagining who has the power to shape its future. Free and open to the public.
Participants of all ages and backgrounds are invited to this Common Press workshop to print a copy of the Declaration of Independence. The composition will be set in Caslon metal type and ready to print on the studio’s 1889 cast-iron handpress. These hour-long demonstrations are part of America 250 at Penn programming. Groups of up to 20 people are welcome. Reserve a time slot.
1776: The Musical will immerse audiences in the behind-the-scenes debates and discussions leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence—expressed in song and rapid-fire dialogue. Theatre students from across the Philadelphia area will bring these debates, decisions, and personalities to life on stage. Shows will be at various times. Reserve tickets in advance. Penn students receive a discount with Penn ID.
Across three virtual panel discussions, leading historians and contemporary nursing researchers will examine how today’s most pressing nursing challenges—including the often “hidden” value of nursing, workplace safety, and nursing as a pathway for advancement—have deep historical roots dating back to the nation’s founding. This webinar highlights the lasting importance of nursing while exploring opportunities for innovation, policy advancement, and a stronger future for the profession. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.
Participants will join an experienced guide to explore the beauty of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens through their “great trees” collection—including trees over 100 years old, trees from faraway places, and native trees that provide habitat for insects and other local wildlife. Free with Penn ID.
As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, multidisciplinary artist Holly Wilson, Delaware Nation Lenape and descendent of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, was commissioned to transform the Penn Museum’s East Entrance lobby with a large-scale mixed-media installation themed “Native Futurism.” During this public dedication, attendees will learn how the new installation centers an Indigenous-led perspective, offering a layered and thought-provoking addition to the nation’s evolving story. Free with Penn ID.
Participants in this workshop will learn how to create a visually compelling poster, communicate their research more effectively, and practice their “elevator pitch” skills. This program, free and open to the public, is primarily geared toward undergraduate and graduate students. Register to attend.
Participants in this workshop, led by student engagement librarian Alexandrea Glenn, will learn best practices for finding and selecting appropriate sources through the Penn Libraries web portal. Attendees will learn key strategies for identifying and organizing information. This program, free and open to the public, is primarily geared toward undergraduate and graduate students. Register to attend.
This talk will share the results of a carbon footprint assessment of Penn Libraries’ digital collections environments. Participants will learn how storage decisions, redundancy, and system design can shape environmental impact. The session will also introduce a framework for measuring and tracking sustainability in digital preservation over time. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.
Freedom Now Fest returns to West Philadelphia bringing together live music, art, film, food, family activities, local businesses, and community celebration on the same streets where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his Freedom Now Rally speech. Visitors are invited to spend the afternoon exploring Lancaster Avenue, supporting Black-owned businesses, discovering local artists, enjoying food, connecting with neighbors, and experiencing one of Philadelphia’s most significant cultural celebrations. Free and open to the public.
This symposium—the culmination of the 2026 Penn LDI Summer Undergraduate Mentored Research Program (SUMR)—will spotlight the participating SUMR scholars and their faculty mentors, featuring presentations about their mentor-directed research work. Free and open to the public.
This program brings together dozens of student performing arts groups for a series of short, get-to-know-you performances. Organized by the PAC Executive Board with support from Platt Student Performing Arts House and the PAC Shop, this event invites all students to get a taste of the various performing clubs at Penn.
This opening reception will mark the launch of the Arthur Ross Gallery’s fall exhibition “At Liberty: Life in the City of Brotherly Love During the Early Republic,” which will explore Philadelphia during the nation’s formative years through paintings, sculptures, and works on paper drawn from major regional and national collections. Guests can enjoy special remarks from the curator and distinguished guests, themed refreshments inspired by the era, and a live performance by the Penn Shabbatones, the University’s premier Jewish a cappella group. Free and open to the public. Reserve tickets in advance.