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Minerva Parker Nichols: The Search for a Forgotten Architect

University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design
Millwood Justice Residence, designed by Minerva Parker Nichols, Narberth, PA. Photo by Elizabeth Felicella.
Millwood Justice Residence, designed by Minerva Parker Nichols, Narberth, PA. Photo by Elizabeth Felicella.
Portrait of Minerva Parker Nichols, ca. 1880. Image courtesy of the collection of Carrie Baker. 
Portrait of Minerva Parker Nichols, ca. 1880. Image courtesy of the collection of Carrie Baker. 
New Century Club, designed by Minerva Parker Nichols, Philadelphia, PA. Image courtesy of the collection of Carrie Baker.
New Century Club, designed by Minerva Parker Nichols, Philadelphia, PA. Image courtesy of the collection of Carrie Baker.

The first exhibition to survey the work of architect Minerva Parker Nichols (1862–1949) reexamines her significant contributions to Philadelphia’s built environment at the turn of the 20th century and spotlight the broader legacy of women in design. The exhibition is co-curated by architectural photographer Elizabeth Felicella, historian Molly Lester, and the Weitzman School of Design’s archivist Heather Isbell Schumacher and curator and collections manager of architectural archives William Whitaker. An accompanying publication features newly commissioned photographs by Felicella of Nichols’ surviving buildings along with drawings and archival materials. In addition to presenting a deeper understanding of Nichols’ work, the project aims to address erasures in historical collection, preservation, and interpretation. 

The total grant amount represents project funding plus an additional 20% in unrestricted general operating support.

Primary EventsEvents & Exhibitions
Frank Wallace Munn residence, 1890-91, designed by Minerva Parker Nichols, Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Elizabeth Felicella.

Minerva Parker Nichols: The Search for a Forgotten Architect Exhibition

Mar 21–Jul 22, 2023
University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design Harvey & Irwin Kroiz Gallery of the Architectural Archives 220 South 34 Street Philadelphia, PA 19104

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Touring Exhibitions Minerva Parker Nichols: The Search for a Forgotten Architect at UMass

Oct 11–Nov 3, 2023
University of Massachusetts, John W. Olver Design Building #180, 551 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002

Recipient
University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design

University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design

The University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design prepares students to address complex sociocultural and environmental issues through thoughtful inquiry, creative expression, and innovation. As a diverse community of scholars and practitioners, the school is committed to advancing the public good—both locally and globally—through art, design, planning, and preservation.

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News

The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage Announces Over $10.5 Million for Philadelphia Artists, Organizations

Oct 19, 2020
Explore Connections
Adebunmi Gbadebo and Odili Donald Odita, 2022 Pew Fellows.

Fellow to Fellow: Adebunmi Gbadebo and Odili Donald Odita on Meaning in Materiality 
Interview Practice & Process
Pew Fellows Maia Chao and James Maurelle. Photos by Neal Santos.

Fellow to Fellow: Artists Maia Chao and James Maurelle on Artistic Origins and Why They’ve Made Philadelphia Home
Interview Practice & Process
The Barnes Foundation, Returning to Before, performed as part of William Edmondson: A Monumental Vision exhibition, choreographed by Brendan Fernandes. Photo by Daniel Jackson for Embassy: Interactive.
Choreographer Brendan Fernandes on Dance in Museums
Video Site-Specific Performance
Terence Nance, film still from Swimming in Your Skin Again, 2014. Courtesy of Terence Nance.
Artist Terence Nance on Presenting Film in a Gallery Space
Video Cross-Disciplinary Practices
The Barnes Foundation, Returning to Before, performed as part of William Edmondson: A Monumental Vision exhibition, choreographed by Brendan Fernandes. Photo by Daniel Jackson for Embassy: Interactive.
How Dance Converges with Sculpture in Barnes Foundation Exhibition
Video Site-Specific Performance
Cesar Viveros and Ada Trillo

Fellow to Fellow: Artists Cesar Viveros and Ada Trillo on Art Created from Memory and Cultural Identity
Interview Social & Community-Based Practices
Maeng Wookjae, Secret Forest, 2019; porcelain, gold, paper, wire frame, elastic band, light, sound; 110" x 67" x 67". Photo courtesy of Korea Ceramic Foundation.
The Shape of Time: Korean Art After 1989
Project Grant Exhibitions & Public Interpretation
TOWN, 2022, Theatre Horizon, Norristown, PA. Photo by John C. Hawthorne.
Building a Sense of Belonging through Community-Centered Theater
Essay Social & Community-Based Practices