Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

It may still be winter, but Philadelphia is set to bloom a little early this year thanks to a blockbuster Van Gogh exhibition that pays special attention to the artist’s floral works, the largest indoor flower show in the world and the American debut of Bruce Munro’s imaginative garden light display. Here’s a look at what’s flourishing in Philadelphia even before spring has sprung:

• 2012 promises to be a banner year for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, hosting the sure-to-be blockbuster Van Gogh Up Close, running from February 1-May 6. The exhibit explores the painter’s deep immersion into nature, including “close-ups” that bring familiar subjects such as landscape elements, flowers and still-life portraits into the extreme foreground of the composition or focus on them in ways that are entirely unexpected. Visitors to the exhibit can opt to purchase a combination ticket, which also permits them access to the famed Philadelphia International Flower Show (see more below). Another option is the specially created Van Gogh hotel package, an offer that includes overnight accommodations, two tickets to the exhibition, 15% off regular adult rail fare on Amtrak, a special celebratory Van Gogh dessert in the museum’s Granite Hill restaurant and other amenities that vary by hotel. 26^th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org
• The Pennsylvania Convention Center is the site of the Philadelphia International Flower Show, the oldest and largest indoor show of its kind. This year’s theme, “Hawaii: Islands of Aloha,” draws from the tropical colors and atmosphere of Hawaii to immerse visitors in towering waterfalls, waves of orchids, a glowing volcano and brilliant sunsets. The annual floral celebration features top-of-the-line horticulture and landscape design, internationally renowned speakers, informative demonstrations, music and dance performances, wine and spirits tastings and more than 150 vendors. Hotel packages, which include overnight accommodations and two tickets for the show, are available at more than a dozen Center City properties. Rates at premier hotels start at $209. March 4-11. 12^th & Arch Streets, (215) 988-8800, theflowershow.com
• When the Barnes Foundation opens its Philadelphia campus on May 19, art lovers will have greater access than ever before to one of the world’s greatest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings. They’ll also get a closer look at the strong relationship between art and nature thanks to the light-filled design of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. The Barnes’ historic tie to horticulture is manifest in landscaping by the Olin Studio, whose work lines the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Even in the galleries, visitors will see that nature is the subject of much of the collection—filled with paintings of flowers, landscapes and outdoor scenes. 20^th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 640-0171, barnesfoundation.org
• Just up the street from the Barnes Foundation, visitors can check out the Rodin Museum, which reopens in summer 2012 after an extensive renovation both indoors and out. There they’ll find many pieces returned to their original space in the outdoor sculpture garden for the first time in more than 40 years. Among them: The Burghers of Calais, a monumental bronze, and The Age of Bronze and Eve, free-standing life-size sculptures. These changes allow the gardens and the collections to complement one another and work in harmony as part of an integrated whole. 22^nd Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 568-6026, rodinmuseum.org
• The earth and sky will light up with the first American show of Bruce Munro, a British artist and light designer, at Longwood Gardens from June 9-September 29. Light Installations by Bruce Munro places site-specific lights throughout the indoor and outdoor gardens in arrangements that depict tangible objects like flowers, raindrops and multi-hued towers. 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, (610) 388-1000, longwoodgardens.org

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit visitphilly.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to HearPhilly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):

• Cara Schneider, (215) 599-0789
• Donna Schorr, (215) 599-0782