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If you’ve ever driven down Germantown Pike in Chestnut Hill, you’ve probably seen Woodmere. Even if you didn’t know exactly what was inside, the sculptures across the lawn are nearly impossible to miss.
What’s not immediately apparent is that behind the doors of this Victorian mansion is one of the top collections of work by artists of the Delaware Valley. With 8000 pieces in the permanent collection, thought-provoking rotating exhibits, and plenty of architectural details, Woodmere is worth exploring.
We’ve visited this creative space several times and recently returned to see the works and learn about what will be a new era for the museum later this year.
A bold display of eye-catching sculptures
The art starts before you step inside. From the abstract rainbow-colored aluminum on the property’s far edge to the rust-colored Spring & Triangle that stretches 30 feet tall, the sculptures around the museum’s six acres invite visitors to take a closer look.
More than 20 works line a path that circles the museum along with a “rot road,” which includes wood chips, rotting stumps, and timber bridges that were made from trees removed from the grounds. Collectively, they are Woodmere’s Outdoor Wonder (WOW) and are easy to visit using an interactive map that includes information about the stops and questions designed to make you think more deeply about what you’re seeing.
We’re always drawn to the fountain sculpture, Free Interpretation of Plant Forms. It appears to change shape and morph like waves, flowers, or seashells. Plus, the water is nice on a hot day. In October 2024, it served as the dramatic foreground for us to capture the outstanding display of the northern lights that streaked across the sky, so it will forever be a favorite of ours.
Another area that never fails to catch our attention is the group of six sinewy bodies that all appear to be mid-movement – Untitled by Viorel Farcas. Directly in front of the museum’s entrance, the strange body parts always make me think of dancing and stretching, though I’m not sure if the body parts are disassembling or coming back together.
Signature works from the permanent collection
For over a century, Woodmere has showcased the collection of its founder, Charles Knox Smith, who was a lover of paintings, sculpture, and antiques. He carefully displayed them in his home, which is now the museum.
As a result, the original architectural details of the home are almost as much a part of the museum experience as the artwork. There are several fireplaces, decorative arches and columns, and a large wooden staircase, but the feature we love most is the pressed tin on the walls and ceiling.
One of the most extraordinary pieces in the Founder’s Gallery is a marble bust of Abraham Lincoln made by Sarah Fisher Ames. The artist knew the president, who was gracious enough to sit for her to sketch his features. After Lincoln’s assassination, Ames carved five marble busts based on her sessions with him. It’s an outstanding piece—so important that one of the other four sits in the US Capitol. Woodmere displays the bust beside an 1780s anti-slavery medallion made by Josiah Wedgewood, whose ceramics company still carries his name nearly 250 years later.
Another gallery is dominated by a magnificent stained glass window that we can’t help staring at each time we visit. The piece by Nicola D’Ascenzo is over 12 feet long and was once installed in a Center City fast food restaurant (very high-end fast food, apparently) in the 1930s. Flowers and multi-colored birds cross its nine panels with a stag depicted at the center. It essentially takes up one whole wall of the gallery—you can’t miss it.
Other large-scale pieces include works by internationally recognized painter Violet Oakley whose 60-year career was unparalleled for a woman in the early 20th century. The works—The House of Wisdom—come from a commission she did for a private home in Philadelphia. The dozen murals are stunning in their detail and color, over a century after they were originally installed.
Unnmissable featured exhibits
When you enter the museum, the first spaces you see are filled with pieces from temporary exhibits. During my most recent visit, that included Eye of the Beholder: Two Philadelphia Collectors’ Visions of Beauty in Art.
It featured works from two local collectors—activist Robert A. Schoenberg and painter Bill Scott—with a focus on pieces that expressed “goodness and/or beauty.” Schoenberg’s collection has queer themes, which fits with Woodmere’s prioritization of diversity and inclusion in everything it does, including the pieces it displays.
On past visits, we have seen ink drawings by Germantown-born artist Roland Ayers that were so intricate it’s hard to believe they were done by hand as well as a retrospective of the works of Larry Day, an influential teacher at the Philadelphia College of Art whose paintings focused on ordinary life moments.
Beyond the professional exhibitions, the Helen Millard Children’s Gallery features the work of local children from kindergarten through high school. The themes of the works change frequently, so there’s always something new to see.
Changes on the horizon
Woodmere is in the middle of some of the largest changes in its history. In late 2025, it will open the Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education. Housed in a 19th-century building that was formerly the residence of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, the Hall will feature some of the best of the permanent collection and provide space for a sculpture garden and a hands-on art studio for kids. Some of Violet Oakley’s works will take center stage. The new addition is less than one-quarter mile from Woodmere’s front door.
How to visit
Woodmere is located at 9201 Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill. Opening hours are 10am-5pm Wednesday through Sunday. Parking is available on site, and it is accessible by SEPTA bus #23.
Typically, museum admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors 65+, and free for children and students. However, for the remainder of this summer, admission is free for all. Check the website for updates.