Discover the Michener Art Museum

It's hard to imagine that a museum that celebrates the beauty and creativity of the art world was once a place of fear and despair. The James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, which opened in 1988, began more than 100 years earlier in 1884 as the Bucks County Prison. After extensive renovation, the prison's massive stone walls and warden's house were transformed to make up the core of the museum, which today is dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting the art and cultural heritage of the Delaware Valley region. The museum is a short 25 minute drive from the Inn at Bowman's Hill.

Named for the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and Doylestown native, the James A. Michener Art Museum showcases its permanent collections and nationally touring exhibitions in distinctive galleries throughout its 35,000 square feet of space. Outside, there's a landscaped courtyard, a lush sculpture garden and terrace built in the original prison yard. The museum also hosts special events including classes, lectures and performances aimed at nurturing a lifelong interest in the arts.

Among its permanent exhibits, the Michener Art Museum houses the finest collection anywhere of Pennsylvania Impressionists. Led by painters William Lathrop and Edward Redfield, members of this art movement left urban centers in the early 20th century and concentrated in New Hope to paint landscapes in short brush strokes of bright colors. One of the highlights of the museum's collection is a spectacular 22-foot mural by Daniel Garber, titled "A Wooded Watershed."

One of the Michener's current rotating exhibits makes a compelling social-justice statement in response to the museum's past as a prison. The exhibit, "Flight of the Dreamer," pairs original writings published by former Bucks County prison inmates with selections from renowned Nigerian/American photographer and fashion designer Walé Oyéjidé’s existing body of work. The exhibit features vibrant garments and regal portraits of inspiring individuals to transform the gallery space into an empowering, imagined escape from the difficulties of imprisonment.

Coming to a close later this month is the touring exhibit, "Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes." The exhibition presents more than 100 pairs of shoes from the iconic shoe designer’s extensive private collection, assembled over three decades – from a pair of satin wedding shoes worn in 1838 to a pair of glam-rock platform sandals from 1970s London. The exhibit explores the story of the shoe beyond its function and fashion, focusing on the role of women in one of the first mass production industries, and their participation in the forming of organized labor.

James A. Michener Art Museum
138 S. Pine Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-340-9800