Frances Maguire Hall celebrates its grand opening

susan November 3, 2025

Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education celebrated its grand opening on November, 1 and 2, 2025. The Victorian mansion and former convent near Woodmere’s main building on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill has undergone extensive renovations since it was purchased by the Woodmere in 2021. William Valerio, is the director and chief executive officer of Woodmere. and he said that it was an “extraordinary opportunity” for the museum. Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education added fourteen new galleries. a children’s art and education studio and new public spaces for events and programs as well as four acres of greenspace are featured at the new museum

Here is a pictorial of the grand opening event on November 1

1. Alice Parker, Myrna Nizen, and Woodmere Director and CEO, Bill Valerio.

2. Bill Valerio stands in between Portrait of Frances Maguire, by artist Kassem Amoudi, painted in 2024, and Portrait of Maria Louisa Farr Trotter (for whom the original home was built), painted by Thomas Sully.

3. Zabeth Teelucksingh of Global Philadelphia stands with artist Peter Paone, Bill Valerio, and Alma Alabilikian, in the Snowpeople exhibition.

4. Artist Peter Paone poses with the Snowpeople catalogue in the namesake exhibition in the Works on Paper gallery.

5. Bill Valerio and Doug Bucci, Assistant Professor Program Head, Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM, Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University, stands next to Doug’s Islet | White Sectional (Neckpiece) on display in the Jewelry Vault.