Philadelphia Art Museum Celebrates 100 Years of Surrealism
Step into ‘Dreamworld,’ now through February 16, 2026.
Summary
- Philadelphia Art Museum presents Dreamworld:Surrealism at 100, a sprawling survey tracing surrealism from its origins to contemporary iterations
- On view through February 2026, the Philadelphia show features an exclusive section dedicated to European surrealists that sought refuge in North America after World War II
In 1924, poet and artist André Breton issued his Manifesto of Surrealism, which outlined a “crisis of consciousness” — the abandonment of imagination in favor of the kind of decorum and judgement that came with adulthood. To aid this condition, he proposed surrealism as an artistic rebellion that reclaimed wonder, embraced intuition and pushed the limits of creative possibility.
At Philadelphia Art Museum (PhAM), the movement comes into focus with Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100, following its European tour. Featuring nearly 200 works by more than 70 artist, the exhibition charts the evolution of surrealism, and the voices who shaped, challenged and expanded its reach over the last century.
Curated by Matthew Affron and Danielle Cooke, Dreamworld unfolds across six thematic sections arranged chronologically. “Waking Dream” explores the movement’s earliest experiments in form and technique, as it was cultivated in Paris; “Natural History” and “Desire” draw out a fascination with nature’s mysteries and eros. Elsewhere, “Premonition of War” introduces creatures and monsters born from rising global tension, while “Exiles,” a section unique to the PhAM installation, spotlights European surrealists who fled to North America during World War II. The journey concludes with “Magic Art,” tracing the movement’s mid-century turn toward mysticism and esoterica.
With gems from René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Lee Miller, Hans Bellmer, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Mark Rothko anchoring the showcase, the exhibition promises both a comprehensive and speculative dive into the power of human imagination. Check out the exhibition for yourself through February 16, 2026. Visit PhAM’s website for more details.
Philadelphia Art Museum
2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Philadelphia, PA 19130
