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= offers a family guide sheet or other self-guided tour activity for kids
= audio tours for kids available
Barnes Foundation
Merion, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: Thirteen galleries featuring 19th & 20th century paintings by famous artists including Renoir, Cézanne and Picasso. The upstairs galleries are closed as the museum prepares for its 2012 move to Philadelphia, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Before Your Visit: Make a reservation, which is required.
$15 admission, ages 2 & younger free. Open Thurs.-Sun. through May. 610-667-0290, www.barnesfoundation.org
Brandywine River Museum
Chadds Ford, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: American art, with a focus on works from the Brandywine Valley and the Wyeth family
Don’t Miss: “Den Den,” a pig depicted in life size in Jamie Wyeth’s Portrait of Pig, a permanent painting at the Museum, or N.C. Wyeth’s Civil War battle scenes and paintings of Abraham Lincoln, through March 20
Just for Kids: Read-Aloud Tours, stories and art activities for preschoolers, Thursdays through March 17 at 10:30am
Before You Leave: Go for a walk and take a quick family photo on the Museum’s scenic riverside grounds.
$6-$10 admission, ages 5 & younger free. Free admission on Sundays, 9:30am-12noon. 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org
The Crayola Factory
Easton, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: How Crayola crayons are made. Kids are encouraged to make art — and even draw on walls — in dozens of hands-on displays and activity areas.
Don’t Miss: Eco lessons that can be learned in “A Green Idea,” an exhibit focusing on Crayola’s use of solar energy
Birthday Fun: The Factory turns 15 this year. To celebrate, the first 15 families to visit on the 15th of each month receive a box of 64 crayons. Every third Saturday through July, the Factory hosts a birthday party. A storybook-themed celebration on March 19 features Alice in Wonderland, cake, music and games. Call the museum for fee and to RSVP.
$9.75 admission, ages 2 & younger free. Closed most Mondays. 610-515-8000, www.crayolafactory.com
Fabric Workshop & Museum
Philadelphia, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: “New work in new materials,” including sculptures and textiles. Tours are only guided, on a walk-in basis, and last about an hour.
Don’t Miss: The Fundred Dollar Bill Project. Kids can draw their own version of a hundred dollar bill to participate in this national initiative. The bills will be hung on a giant gallery wall, then traded for a real $3 million to help stop lead poisoning across the U.S.
$3 admission, ages 11 & younger free. 215-561-8888, www.fabricworkshopandmuseum.org
James A. Michener Art Museum
Doylestown, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: Art of Bucks County and Pennsylvania. There are more than 2,500 pieces total, including a collection of almost 60 Impressionist paintings, plus other paintings, photographs and drawings, along with sculptures in an outdoor garden.
Don’t Miss: The largest painting at the Museum, the 22-ft. A Wooded Watershed mural of the Delaware Water Gap by Daniel Garber.
Before Your Visit: You can find ideas for facilitating a family tour, including good conversation-prompting questions and simple game ideas, from www.learn.michenerartmuseum.org. Kids can create their own digital art and art exhibits at www.kids.michenerartmuseum.org.
$5-$10 admission, ages 5 & younger free. Closed Mondays. 215-340-9800, www.michenermuseum.org
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Philadelphia, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: 19th and 20th century American paintings, sculptures and works on paper
When To Visit: Current main collections appeal most to older teens and adults, so plan to go on Sunday afternoons for the Family Arts Academy. The art workshops are free for Philadelphia School District students and their families, and free with admission for other families. Topics of the art workshops include mardi gras mask-making (March 6), hip-hop dance performance and drawing (March 13), wood folk art (March 20) and papermaking (April 3).
$8-$10 admission, ages 12 & younger free. Closed Mondays. 215-972-7600, www.pafa.org
Philadelphia Museum of Art
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Philadelphia, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: More than 225,000 objects, spanning ancient art to contemporary pieces from America and around the world
Don’t Miss: The life-size Japanese Teahouse structure in the Asian Art gallery on the second floor, part of the permanent collection and a favorite experience for kids. Starting March 16 and continuing through June 5, the Museum exhibits Roberto Capucci: Art Into Fashion, featuring colorful dresses and pieces incorporating abstract materials, like glow-in-the-dark beads.
Just for Kids: Guided family tours by age (from toddlers to elementary students), open studio and drawing time in the galleries, every Sunday. Programs vary each week; visit the Museum website for a schedule.
Before You Leave: Check out the new children’s book, Art Museum Opposites ($16.95, ages 4-8), in the Museum Store. Paintings and objects from the Museum’s collections illustrate the differences between night and day, big and small and other opposites.
$12-$16, ages 12 & younger free. Pay-what-you-wish admission every first Sunday of the month. Closed Mondays. 215-763-8100, www.philamuseum.org
Woodmere Art Museum
Philadelphia, PA Map it >>
What You’ll See: Works primarily by Philadelphia area artists, in the setting of a historical Victorian mansion
Don’t Miss: Student art in the Helen Millard Children’s Gallery. Rotating exhibits are usually collaborations with local schools. In March you can see works by children who attend Project Learn School. For kids who aren’t featured, the pieces could inspire them to create their own projects.
$10 admission, all students and children free. 215-247-0476, www.woodmereartmuseum.org
