STATE COLLEGE — The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State was recently named to a USA Today nomination list for the 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards as the Best New Museum in 2024.
The Palmer Museum, located at 650 Bigler Road, opened its doors in June of this year after multiple years of planning and construction. Originally located on Curtin Road, the new location is a 73,000-square-foot building next to the Arboretum at Penn State. The museum is home to 11,000 pieces in its permanent collection.
“We are thrilled that the Palmer Museum continues to be nationally recognized for its distinctive design and innovative and accessible approach to sharing our collection with the public,” Joyce Robinson, interim director of the Palmer Museum of Art, shared. “We need all of our Penn State fans to vote — and vote again and again — to make sure we land in the top 10.”
The USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards are created to provide recommendations for quality attractions and businesses for its readers. A panel of experts helped select the top museums in the country that had the best new or recently remodeled facilities.
Some of the Palmer Museum’s competitors in the category include the People’s House: A White House Experience in Washington, D.C.; the Dolly Parton Experience at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; the Stonewall National Monument in New York City; and the National Museum of Women and the Arts in Washington, D.C.
According to a release, the goal of the Palmer Museum is to become “a cultural hub and gateway connecting communities through art has been realized through re-envisioned installations that invite visitors to reflect on what they know about art and the world around them.”
To cast a vote for the Palmer Museum, 10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-new-museum-2025/palmer-museum-of-art-at-penn-state-university-park-pennsylvania. One vote per person can be cast each day. Voting will remain open until 11:59 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 23. Winners will be announced at noon on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
