Moore College of Art & Design / A Vibrant Visual Arts College

Moore College of Art and Design, also, A Vibrant Visual Arts College. Parkway Museums District. , Moore College of Art and Design , 1848 , Moore College of Art and Design, founded in 1848, is the nation's first, and only, visual arts college for women., Sarah Worthington Peter, a Philadelphia philanthropist, founded the school to educate women in the fields of textile and fine arts. Her aim was to help women achieve financial independence through careers in art and design., In the mid-1800s, Philadelphia was at the center of the Industrial Revolution. Factories here made textiles, wallpapers, floor coverings and upholstery fabrics. The school prepared women to work as designers in these new industries, giving them economic opportunity and independence., Today, Moore's accredited college programs continue to educate women to be independent and creative, and to excel in fine art and design careers., Moore Moves to the Parkway , The school's earliest location was in founder Sarah Worthington Peter's home in Society Hill. In 1875, the school moved to the Forrest mansion on North Broad Street., In 1959, Moore College moved to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where students could benefit from the many cultural institutions along this grand boulevard., In 2000, Moore expanded to the adjoining building, now called Penelope P. Wilson Hall., [Captions:] , The College was once located on Broad Street in the former home of actor Edwin Forrest., Moore's unique mission: to educate women for careers in the visual arts., Designs by 1923 Moore graduate Edna Leonhardt, a pioneering woman business owner and leading tapestry designer of her day., A Vibrant Visual Arts College , Moore College of Art and Design sets the standard of excellence for educating women for careers in the visual arts. Founded in 1848, it is the first and only women's visual arts college in the nation. , Public Spaces at Moore , The Galleries at Moore offer contemporary art exhibitions free of charge. The Goldie Paley Gallery showcases international artists, while the Levy Gallery for the Arts in Philadelphia features regional emerging visual artists., Visitors are also welcome in The Art Shop. The Sculpture Park and the Diamond Café., [Captions:] , The Art Shop, selling artwork by alumnae and students (right), and the Galleries at Moore (below) are open to the public., Excellence, exploration and innovation are highly valued at Moore., Moore offers a wide range of art and design majors (above) illustration by fashion major Sophie Wu, '06.