Grand Opening of Frances M. Maguire Hall

Woodmere is excited to mark the opening of Frances M. Maguire Hall with a public celebration weekend, November 1-November 2, 2025. Free to the public and full of festivities, this weekend will include highlights such as tours of the building, refreshments, entertainment, and commemoration of this occasion. 

Marking the most significant expansion since its founding in 1910, Woodmere announces the grand opening of its second location—an ambitious transformation of a 19th-century residence into a dynamic, 21st-century museum. Opening to the public on November 1, the expansion adds 14 new galleries, a children’s art and education studio, and new public spaces for events and programs—encompassing 17,000 square feet of interior space and four additional acres of preserved greenspace.

Just seventy steps from Woodmere’s original Charles Knox Smith Hall, Maguire Hall extends the Museum’s mission to celebrate Philadelphia’s artists by showcasing previously stored and newly acquired artworks. Highlights include galleries dedicated to Philadelphia’s distinctive schools of American Impressionism, modernism, mid-century abstraction, and figurative realism; a new “vault” for the city’s historic jewelry arts; series by Violet Oakley and the Red Rose Girls; and a study-center and galleries for works on paper. The two buildings are now enhanced by a newly designed “art trail”, weaving through sculpture installations and immersive “art + nature” garden experiences, known as WOW (Woodmere’s Outdoor Wonder). Among the highlights are two major works by Robinson Fredenthal—White Water, 1977, and On the Rocks, 1978—continuing Woodmere’s ongoing dedication to create an inspiring environment where art, nature, and community converge.

Nestled in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood, Woodmere—now comprised of the original Charles Knox Smith Hall site and the new Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education expansion—offers a unique museum experience that centers on the art and artists of Philadelphia. Vibrant exhibitions explore the achievements and social ideas of the city’s artists in the broader context of American art. 

With the opening of Maguire Hall, Woodmere affirms its position as a must-see destination for art and nature for both local and international audiences. The opening weekend will include free public admission with a variety of festivities, Saturday, November 1, from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Sunday, November 2, from 10 AM – 5 PM. This expansion is made possible through a lead gift from the Maguire Foundation, in honor of the late Frances M. Maguire, an artist and philanthropist who served on Woodmere’s board of trustees.