In keeping with its mission to expand public knowledge and enjoyment of its collections, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is an active lender of works of art to exhibitions and institutions across the United States and around the world and maintains a long-term loan program with certain museums and historic sites.
We welcome requests from institutions for scholarly exhibitions at qualified venues.
All loans are subject to the approval of the Director and review of the Board of Trustees.
With the volume of requests received, it is unfortunately impossible to approve every request.
Thank you for your interest in our collection.
Submitting a Request
Please submit a formal request letter on letterhead to the attention of the Director at the earliest opportunity and email a copy to loans@philamuseum.org.
Sasha Suda
The George D. Widener Director and Chief Executive Officer
Office of the Director and CEO
Philadelphia Museum of Art
P.O. Box 7646
Philadelphia, PA 19101-7646
The request should include:
- Organizing name
- Exhibition title, dates, and venue(s)
- Exhibition summary
- Works requested, including PMA accession numbers (view collection)
- Relevance of requested object(s) to the exhibition
- A completed facility report for each venue (American Alliance of Museums standardized version), which must include satisfactory environmental readings for the same period of the loan request from the previous year
- Contact information for the borrower’s curator and registrar
Borrowers should submit requests at least twelve (12) months prior to the exhibition opening date to allow adequate time for consideration and approval of the request, for conservation treatment and preparation of the object(s), and for approval of the borrowing institution and venue's facility reports and environmental conditions.
Timeline and Process
Upon receiving the request, the PMA will send an email of acknowledgement.
Borrower must meet certain standards of security, staffing, and environmental control.
If the loan passes curatorial and conservation approval, the loan request will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval.
If approved, the Registrar’s Office will send a formal approval letter and Loan Agreement.
In addition to fees, the Borrower shall bear all expenses of the loan, which may include but are not limited to:
- Loan fee: $250 per object ($500 per object when the loan request arrives six (6) months or less before shipment)
- Packing/Crating
- Shipping via expedited air-ride climate-controlled art shipper (not a shuttle)
- Courier costs
- Insurance
- Conservation/framing/mounts
- Condition report/photography
- Other costs related to the loan as applicable