Join one of the MLA’s cultural excursions and discover some of the many gems of Philadelphian history. You can take a break from the convention’s hectic pace and join a small group of like-minded colleagues to explore aspects of the recent and distant past that have marked this city through the years. Then return to the convention refreshed and renewed for more fascinating sessions and networking opportunities. Sign up when you register for the convention, or you can write to Michael Reilly if you have already registered.
History through Murals
A Love Letter for You (c) 2009 Steve Powers. Photo by Steve Weinik.
Are you arriving early? Explore the city’s diverse neighborhoods and cultural history from the warmth and comfort of a trolley ride with a tour of masterpieces from the iconic Philadelphia Mural Arts program, the largest public arts program in the United States. Tour director Ellen Soloff will explain the history behind each mural, provide information about the artists, and describe how they relate to their locations. Wrap up the tour at the Mural Arts workshop, talk with one of the muralists, and learn more about the process and program.
Fine Art Firsts
Philadelphia is home to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the first fine-arts school and first art museum in the country. Trace our nation’s history through pieces by Thomas Eakins, Charles Willson Peale, and Benjamin West and explore Philadelphia’s past through works that detail the founding of the first museum, the creation of the first public waterworks and public fountain, the launch of the first steamboat (on the Schuylkill River), and the establishment of the first medical school and university. Monica Zimmerman, Director of Museum Education, will lead a tour through the museum and art school, including private access to the Historic Cast Hall, which is not normally open to the public. Your excursion ticket includes a complimentary return visit over the weekend.
Revolutionary Arts
Explore the art, literature, and other forces that shaped Mexican culture in the first half of the twentieth century. Join curators from the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a special tour through the landmark Mexican modernism exhibition, Paint the Revolution: Mexican Modernism, 1910–1950, the most comprehensive exhibition of Mexican modernism to be shown in the United States in more than seventy years. Following that, enjoy a special visit to the museum’s collection of works by Thomas Eakins, Philadelphia’s own bad boy whose revolutionary approaches to painting and teaching are still evident today.
Literary History
Located in historic Rittenhouse Square, the Rosenbach Museum and Library houses the personal collection of books and artifacts by renowned book dealer and art collector A. S. W. Rosenbach and his brother and business partner Philip Rosenbach. Enjoy a guided tour of this landmarked townhouse (formerly the brothers’ home) along with a rare and in-depth look at journals, letters, and other writings by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. The second Rosenbach excursion focusing on banned books is already sold out, but there is still space on the wait list.
