From ancient Korean treasures to contemporary fashion, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) is set to transform the cultural landscape in 2025 with an ambitious series of exhibitions and programs celebrating human creativity across continents and centuries.
A New Home for Korean Art and Culture
The crown jewel of PEM’s 2025 season is the Yu Kil-Chun Gallery of Korean Art and Culture, opening in May. This permanent installation showcases the museum’s exceptional collection of Korean artifacts, including rare musical instruments from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and masterworks from the late Joseon dynasty.
The gallery honors Yu Kil-Chun, a pioneering Korean reformist scholar who lived in Salem and helped forge early cultural connections between Korea and the United States. Visitors will journey through centuries of Korean artistic excellence, from traditional textiles to contemporary works by Korean and Korean American artists.
Global Fashion Meets Artistic Heritage
Fashion enthusiasts and art lovers will be captivated by “Andrew Gn: Fashioning the World” (September 13, 2025–February 16, 2026). This North American premiere celebrates the Singaporean designer’s 25-year legacy with nearly 100 stunning pieces that bridge Eastern and Western artistic traditions. The exhibition showcases Gn’s masterful blend of contemporary fashion with Asian decorative arts through clothing, accessories, and original illustrations.
American Art Through a Fresh Lens
“Making History: 200 Years of American Art” (June 14–September 21, 2025) reimagines the American art narrative through 85 masterworks from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This groundbreaking exhibition celebrates diversity in American art history, featuring works by women artists, artists of color, and LGBTQIA+ creators alongside renowned names like Edward Hopper and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Nature and Innovation
The museum continues its commitment to environmental awareness with “Knowing Nature: Stories of the Boreal Forest” (July 26, 2025–September 27, 2026). This bilingual, family-friendly exhibition explores Earth’s northern forests through stunning photography, interactive experiences, and Indigenous perspectives.
Artist Residencies and Live Performances
PEM’s expanded programming for 2025 includes:
- Shayok Misha Chowdhury’s innovative performance memoir “RHEOLOGY”
- The New York Neo-Futurists’ dynamic theatrical experiment “The Infinite Wrench”
- American Modern Opera Company’s groundbreaking “Zarabanda Variations”
- Regular curator conversations offering behind-the-scenes insights
- The continuing “Moby-Dick Read-a-thon” and PEM Reads series
Plan Your Visit
Experience these extraordinary exhibitions and programs at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. Visit pem.org for tickets and detailed information about each event.
Peabody Essex Museum
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The mission of the Peabody Essex Museum is to celebrate outstanding artistic and cultural creativity by collecting, stewarding and interpreting objects of art and culture in ways that increase knowledge, enrich the spirit, engage the mind and stimulate the senses. Through its exhibitions, programs, publications, media and related activities, PEM strives to create experiences that transform people’s lives by broadening
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