6 Imaginative Exhibits at Philly Museums This Season
Our picks for the most compelling shows across Philly right now, from radical ceramics to Shaker simplicity.
An illustration from Eric Carle’s The Tiny Seed / Image courtesy of Penguin Random House LLC, The World of Eric Carle
Museums aren’t just places to look — they’re places to see differently. This week, we’re rolling out a full guide to Philly museums that are asking questions, sparking ideas, and surprising visitors at every turn. Consider this your first stop, and stay tuned all week as we spotlight how there’s so much more to Philly museums than just the galleries.
Right now, museums across Philadelphia are quietly doing what they do best: helping us see familiar stories in unfamiliar ways. Artists and curators are rethinking everything from American art and craft to childhood classics and our relationship to the natural world. And as the country edges toward its 250th birthday, some of these exhibits ask the harder, more interesting questions about who gets to shape the American story. Consider this your guide to the shows worth making time for this season.
“Botany of Nations”
In a partnership with Indigenous-led nonprofit Local Contexts, this greenery-centric exhibit uses the history of Lewis and Clark and the Natives they encountered to examine the relationship between plants and people. Through February 14, 2027, at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Logan Circle.
“Small Living Things: The Magical Art of Eric Carle”
This retrospective examining the work of author and illustrator Eric Carle (of The Very Hungry Caterpillar fame) is sure to intrigue the kids, as well as the nostalgia-inclined. February 14th through May 24th at the Michener Art Museum, Doylestown.
“A Nation of Artists”
This mighty collab coinciding with the Semiquincentennial is so expansive, it’ll take place at two venues. Focusing on the evolution of American art between 1700 and 1960, the exhibit looks at more than 1,000 works spanning countless media and movements. April 12th through July 5th at Philadelphia Museum of Art and through September 5th at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Fairmount and Center City.
Edward Hopper’s The Lee Shore is part of “A Nation of Artists” at the Art Museum and PAFA. / Image courtesy of PAFA
“American Crib: What’s Happening?”
For a different take on the Semiquincentennial, consider “American Crib,” focusing on Philly native, ceramicist, and activist Roberto Lugo. His bold pieces combine traditional pottery forms with motifs like graffiti, hip-hop imagery, and scenes from the city, as well as figures from his own family life. The show is part of the Radical Americana series of exhibitions by the Clay Studio and other local art institutions. April 9th through July 5th at the Clay Studio, Kensington.
“Abundance/Excess: A Contemporary Eye on Still Life”
In this reevaluation of the still-life genre, 10 contemporary artists display works exploring themes of wealth, overconsumption, and impermanence. March 14th through June 7th at the Brandywine Museum of Art, Chadds Ford.
“A World in the Making: The Shakers”
Expect new and contemporary artworks alongside more than 100 artifacts attributed to the Shakers — an 18th-century English religious separatist group that emigrated to the American colonies and became known for their simple living. Through August 9th at the Institute of Contemporary Art, University City.
Published as “6 Worth Seeing” in the February 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
