Public Art Decoded
Guided Walking Tours
The Association for Public Art is over 150 years old and we have stories to share. Take a walk with us and hear them!
Public Art Decoded is a series of annual walking tours that take an in-depth look at the sculptures and installations that exist in popular Philadelphia locations. The tours explore how and why the artworks exist, the artists behind them, the untold stories, and provide both historical and contemporary context. Check our events page for current tour listings.All 2026 Public Art Decoded tours are free and open to the public, funded, in part, through the Powering the Arts initiative. Support is provided by PECO, Team Pennsylvania, and PA Creative Industries.
Private tours are also available to book for any kind of social or business occasion. Email jperciasepe@associationforpublicart.org to inquire.
Past Tours
Public Art on the Parkway: American Perspectives | May 2026 – Co-led by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) curator Lea Stephenson as part of A Nation of Artists
Louise Nevelson’s Bicentennial Dawn | May 2026 – Led by Maria Nevelson, Louise Nevelson’s granddaughter. A collaboration between the Louise Nevelson Foundation, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the Association for Public Art.
Parkside Perspectives: Public Art in the Centennial District | May 2026 – Co-led by Mike Burch, creator of the Parkside Journal
Old City: Public Art in the Birthplace of America | October 2025 – Co-led by Old City District’s executive director, Job Itzkowitz
Rittenhouse Square: Urban Design & Visual Art | September 2025 – Co-led by the Friends of Rittenhouse Square
Ellen Phillips Samuel Memorial: Icons & Myths | May 2025 – Co-led by curator and professor Brittany Webb
Horticulture Center: Art Meets Nature in an Urban Park | April 2025 – Co-led by Mike Lewis, Program Manager at Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center
