Philadelphia Art Museum Changing Its Name

PHILADELPHIA — After intense community backlash due to a beloved Philadelphia institution changing its name, the iconic destination for tourists and locals alike has reversed course.

The Philadelphia Art Museum has officially changed its name back to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, according to Dan Weiss, the museum's Chief Executive Officer and George D. Widener Director.

Officials with the museum in the fall announced a rebranding effort, which included changing the name from "Philadelphia Museum of Art" to "Philadelphia Art Museum" and included the museum’s iconic griffin in its logo.

The former was more well received than the latter, Weiss said.

"We’ve taken this feedback to heart, and to this end, in the coming days you’ll see a refreshed logo with the griffin and a return to the Philadelphia Museum of Art name," Weiss said in a statement. "And, as I know many of you are veritable museum insiders and will always call us PMA, this update works for that too!"

He and the museum team "are ever committed to providing the exceptional exhibitions and programming that people of all ages in our communities rely upon," the statement reads.

"I look forward to seeing you in the galleries and sharing this new chapter ahead," Weiss said.

The museum will soon open new exhibits, such as "A Nation of Artists," " Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments," "Van Gogh's Sunflowers: A Symphony in Blue and Yellow," as well as a major retrospective of Marcel Duchamp.