Chadds Ford, PA, June 23, 2020—The Brandywine River Museum of Art is pleased to announce it will be reopening to the public on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. In order to protect its visitors, volunteers and staff, the Brandywine will be implementing a variety of safety protocols when it reopens, including facemask requirements, timed ticketing and capacity limits. A complete list of new procedures, safety protocols and FAQs can be found at https://www.brandywine.org/reopening. 

On view when the Museum reopens, special exhibitions will include Votes for Women: A Visual History (extended to run through September 27, 2020) and Witness to History: Selma Photography of Stephen Somerstein (extended to run through November 1, 2020). As a tribute to Betsy James Wyeth, who recently passed away in April 2020, a memorial display of 20 Andrew Wyeth works—depicting his wife and muse—created over the decades will also be on view. All works are from the Andrew and Betsy Wyeth Collection—many of which have never been exhibited before. 

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Votes for Women: A Visual History examines the compelling imagery of the suffrage movement and how the suffragists spread their message through magazines, political cartoons, posters, plays, protests, parades and fashion. Presenting an inclusive historical narrative, Votes for Women recognizes the significant contributions of women of color and their community networks—which have been largely overlooked due to racial injustice. As part of the exhibition, the Brandywine commissioned a diverse group of women artists to create a mural of illustrated portraits featuring some of the women whose role in winning voting rights has been historically minimized because of their race or ethnicity.  

While the 19th amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920, ongoing voting struggles persisted for marginalized groups in the decades following its ratification. The accompanying photography exhibition, Witness to History: Selma Photography of Stephen Somerstein, documents the continued struggle for voting rights with 55 photographs taken during the historic 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama—a turning point in the civil rights movement that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965.  

Virtual lectures, gallery talks, performances, family programs and a summer art camp for kids will continue to be offered online for the foreseeable future as part of the “Brandywine at Home” initiative. Upcoming virtual events can be found at www.brandywine.org/events.  

About the Brandywine River Museum of Art: 

The Brandywine River Museum of Art features an outstanding collection of American art housed in a 19th-century mill building with a dramatic steel and glass addition overlooking the banks of the Brandywine. The Museum is located on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors ages 65 and over, $6 for students and children ages 6 and up; free for children 5 and younger and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members. The Museum is open Wednesday–Monday (closed Tuesdays); current hours of operation can be found at brandywine.org/hours or by calling 610.388.2700. Guided tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio, N. C. Wyeth House & Studio, and the Kuerner Farm—all National Historic Landmarks—are currently closed due to COVID-19 safety precautions. They will reopen for tours in April 2021. The Museum is one of the two programs of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. 

About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art: 

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands throughout the Brandywine Valley, developing new conservation approaches and assuring access to majestic open spaces and dependable water supplies for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences. 

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