Information
Landmark: Allentown Art MuseumCity: Allentown
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
Founded in 1934 and expanded more than once over the decades, the Allentown Art Museum in Pennsylvania has become the Lehigh Valley’s leading spot for visual arts, where sunlight spills across gallery walls.In its bold modernist home at Fifth and Court Streets, the museum showcases a global collection stretching across five centuries, yet still finds time to welcome the neighborhood in for hands-on workshops and lively talks.The museum’s Samuel H. collection features standout works by European Old Masters, including Rembrandt’s rich, shadowed portraits, Zurbarán’s luminous still lifes, and vivid pieces from El Greco’s workshop.The Kress Collection gleams with paintings you could almost smell the oil on.From Benjamin West’s stately portraits to Georgia O’Keeffe’s sun-bleached desert blooms, works by Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, and Franz Kline chart America’s artistic journey from the 18th to the 20th century.Textiles and Costume - over 13,000 works of fabric art from around the world and across America, from the bold patterns of Pennsylvania German quilts to striking pieces of contemporary wearable art.Prints and Drawings - a rich collection that spans Dürer’s razor-sharp engravings, the soft, layered colors of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblocks, and bold modern works by Warhol and Rauschenberg.Contemporary and regional artists take the stage in rotating shows, shining a light on emerging and mid-career talent from the Lehigh Valley and far beyond, whether it’s a bold abstract canvas or a delicate ceramic bowl fresh from the kiln.Signature Installations & Features: the “Frank Lloyd Wright Library,” a full room preserved from Wright’s 1923 Francis W., with warm wood paneling that still smells faintly of cedar.The Little House was taken apart in Minnesota, hauled east, and rebuilt in Allentown, with Prairie-style chairs and leaded-glass windows that caught the afternoon light.“Trexler Hall” – The museum’s soaring central court hosts large-scale sculptures and community events.Trexler Hall, the museum’s lofty central court, showcases towering sculptures and buzzes with community gatherings.Interactive Art Ways is a lively, hands-on gallery where families can try out the same brushstrokes and textures they’ll spot in the latest exhibits.Each year, the AAM puts on 8 to 12 special exhibitions, from the shimmer of Renaissance tapestries to the glow of cutting‑edge digital art.You can join curator talks, hands-on studio workshops, cozy film nights, mindfulness tours, and the much-loved “Free Sunday” program-free entry every week, courtesy of corporate sponsors.The museum works with local schools to bring art kits into classrooms, train teachers, and lead guided visits that match state learning standards-like a watercolor set in a fourth-grade art lesson.Teen apprenticeships, bilingual tours, and hands-on projects with local nonprofits open doors and bring more voices to the table.Museum Shop – Browse art books, vibrant prints, handcrafted jewelry, and unique design pieces from local makers.Café @ AAM serves light bites and fresh coffee, with a view of Arts Park where the trees sway in the breeze.The Library and Archives operate by appointment, offering a research space devoted to art history and the region’s culture, where you might leaf through fragile, century-old manuscripts.Accessibility means fully ADA-compliant entrances, smooth elevators, large-print labels you can read at a glance, and sensory-friendly hours once every quarter.You’ll find us at 31 North Fifth Street in Allentown, PA 18101.We’re open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays from noon until 4, with the doors shut Monday to Wednesday and on major holidays.Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and free for kids under 12 - and on Sundays, everyone walks in without paying a cent.You can park in the museum’s lot on Linden Street or in nearby garages, and the Allentown ArtsWalk is just a quick stroll past the coffee shop on the corner.Website: allentownartmuseum.org • Phone: (610) 432-4333 Summary The Allentown Art Museum pairs Old Master gems with bold, contemporary programs, creating a welcoming cultural center for the Lehigh Valley where a Rembrandt might hang just steps from a modern art installation.
