Palmer Museum of Art
Penn
State's Museum of Art opened in 1972 with almost no permanent collection
and less than half of the square footage it has today.
In 1988 it was renamed the Palmer Museum of Art in honor of James and Barbara Palmer, who two years earlier had donated $2 million to help upgrade the facility.
After more than two years of renovations costing $5.6 million, the museum reopened in 1993 with 10 galleries totaling 9,814 square feet. The museum also contains the 150-seat Palmer Lipcon Auditorium, a gift shop, a spacious lobby and more than 2,000 square feet of storage space. The Hamer Sculpture Garden and an inviting outdoor piazza complement the building's facade, designed by noted architect Charles W. Moore.
The museum's permanent collection of more than 4,000 pieces covers 35 centuries of painting, sculpture, ceramics and works on paper from the United States, Europe, Asia and South America. Lectures, gallery talks, touring exhibitions, films, symposiums and special tours are part of the extensive education program designed for Penn State students, faculty and the public.