DAILY VACATIONER: PMA: Art Splash

Fine art and children might not the traditional pairing we often think of, but at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, children are invited and encouraged to be a part of fine art through Art Splash. This summer, Art Splash is focusing on the museum’s exhibit of Wild, a wildlife photo exhibit by Michael “Nick” Nichols.

Each three week period focuses on a different aspect of wild life. See the chart below to see what you can expect when you go.

July 25 – August 6: Climb [Monkey see, monkey do. Watch for climbing critters.]

August 8 – August 20: Fly [Get a bird’s-eye view and soar through the treetops.]

August 22 – September 4: Play [Meet animal families who love, share, and stick together.]

(When we went, we got to explore prowling.)

Our visit began with a walk through the Wild exhibit. The photography was very striking, and we learned more about certain photos through the audio guide that was handed out. Most of photos had adult tracks, but there were about 15 photos that had information geared towards kids.

Then it was off to Art Splash. We were greeted by a friendly worker who walked us through what our craft for that day would be. We got to make landscapes using rubbing mats, crayons, and markers. Then, to get the prowl aspect, we added footprints! The open-ended craft was enjoyed by all of us, from age 2 to 32. After our craft, we explore the book nook where we could read storybooks about animals like the ones we had seen in the exhibit. It was a nice space to sit and get cozy in the museum, especially after having to keep our hands to ourselves during the exhibit. There was also building blocks and a magnet sticker wall for more hands-on exploration.

At the end of our time in Art Splash, we were invited to get our pictures “matted” and photographed in the on-site phone photo studio. It was a great way to remember our time in Art Splash. Art Splash runs from now until September 4, 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. As always, admission for kids 12 and under is free.