palmer museum of art

Dukesnyder

My Very Good rating is based on the fact that there is some pretty good art in the middle of Pennsylvania. The museum is quite attractive, has a shop, and nice wide galleries. The collection is OK; I got the sense that someone is making an effort to get this museum on the map. As university museums go, it is not bad. Certainly not cosmopolitan, but then again it's free. Exhibitions are clearly done by an accomplished curator. Great location on campus.

petern157

The major traveling show we saw was an exhibition of Goya's prints. We had recently seen a much larger show of Goya's work at the MFA in Boston. Still this smaller exhibit didn't seem like an addendum, but rather stood well on its own. The permanent exhibit, mostly modern and contemporary, featured less well known artists.

vFNG

One can spend as little as an hour, or as much as an afternoon, exploring excellent exhibits ranging from American Hudson River Valley paintings and to world class ceramics and prints and photographs. There is a sea-inspired glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly and breathtaking Tang Dynasty figures of camels and people. Traveling exhibits also are well done; currently, there is an exhibit of photos documenting communities affected by Marcellus Shale. If nothing else, the architecture is whimsical and fun: the paws sculpture in front of the museum, the lobby with the colored glass, and the upstairs windows near ceramics peeking onto the lobby. Lovely window seats on the stair case for reflection. Parking: Nittany Lion Inn deck and a quick 2 block walk, or at the East Deck and 3-block walk.

quantum99

Very modern design, average sized collections. Many people don't know about this place and that's a shame, as out-of-towners seem to think that central PA is a backwards thinking, bigoted landscape with nice mountains. Well, the mountains and valleys ARE nice, and so are the people (open-minded, friendly), and so is the museum. Lots of small, precious historic art from around the world, and some edgier modern pieces, too. And, it's FREE.

isilwath

Palmer has several new exhibits every year to keep it from becoming stale. A small museum, it nevertheless is a great place to visit. Only downside is the proximity of parking since it is on Penn State's University Park campus.

14Art14Trout

I visited the Palmer with my aunt while we were vacationing in PA. It is a lovely museum with an eclectic collection of art which ranges from Renaissance paintings to contemporary works. Their ceramic collection is wonderful as well with many renowned potters represented. There was a special exhibition of Western art which is ironic since we are from AZ. It was a good small show. There is no entrance fee but parking can be an issue especially since the road in front of the museum was under construction.

joyceTL4

No charge for this little gem of a musuem. Perfect for a rainy day or to break away from studies or sports. Coat room and lockers available at the entrance. A nice gift shop with some unique clothing, gift items and jewelry. The first floor has some European paintings which transition into pottery over the years and lands. The second floor had a comtemporary room and permanent collections. While we were there the special exhibit was western pieces from the American frontier - oils, water colors, mixed media, sculpures. A nice variety throughout. Clean, well spaced, contemplative.

LLH2133

Nothing super fancy, lots of American art and and they have an American west exibit which I don't think I have experienced before but it was a nice little stop on our day at Penn State.

OrangeCat2013

Palmer is a very nice small museum. People who have been to larger museums might not find it as impressive, but it's the largest art museum in this somewhat barren portion of PA, so it's definitely worth a visit. You can see everything within an hour and admission is free. Everything is spaced out quite nicely thus, making it feel less crowded and both handicap-friendly and great for larger groups that want to walk around together. They will ask to hold larger bags. If you want to bring a camera or phone into the museum galleries or wish to keep money and credit cards with you, make sure you wear something with pockets or bring a very small purse or clutch.

PSU79

Located in the middle of campus with an impressive collection. Special exhibits have been very good. I have enjoyed the museum and always plan to visit when I am in State College.

JanWill

A large amount of space is devoted to modern art, which really isn't our cup of tea. The current exhibit of Judy Chicago is OK, don't hate, didn't love it. I was disappointed in the museum since the other reviewers gave it rave reviews. I guess we have much different taste.

DmitriPortland_OR

The museum's building is interesting architecturally. The collection of the museum is displayed really well. I would like to compliment the staff of the museum for their work on displaying temporary exhibits, as well.

scgrayz

Great atmosphere, friendly employees, enjoyed displays and was able to see all (taking our time) in less than 2 hours.

XersizeMom

Always a beautiful collection of artwork. The museum has changed through the years, but it always offers really unique and interesting collections.

kerilynnk

The Palmer is much smaller than other museums we've been in, but it has a very diverse collection for a building its size and many interesting things on display. The information provided on the pieces was perfect.