Nelson-Atkins Museum Faces Philadelphia Museum in Super Bowl Run-up

It’s the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection versus the BBQ Capital of the World. As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on February 12, a battle for the masterpieces will also be at play, accompanied by a pigskin scramble on social media as two major art museums stake a precious work of art on the likelihood of their city’s Super Bowl victory.

Sasha Suda, the George D. Widener Director and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, has wagered a master painting on the Birds’ success. Julián Zugazagoitia, Menefee D. and Mary Louise Blackwell CEO & Director of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, has eagerly taken up the challenge on behalf of the Kansas City Chiefs. In the wager, the winning city’s museum will receive the other’s painting on loan.

A Chiefs victory would bring a delegation from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to the Nelson-Atkins with a Philadelphia master work in hand. An Eagles triumph would bring a delegation from the Nelson-Atkins along with a master work to Philadelphia.

Sasha Suda stated: “When the Eagles soar to victory, we will warmly greet our friends from the Nelson-Atkins and treat them to unforgettable cheesesteaks here in Philadelphia. They have such a remarkable collection, and we will be thrilled to share a piece of it with our visitors, in a very special Point After Touchdown (PAT). We’ll make it feel right at home in our galleries and display it with Philly pride.”

Julián Zugazagoitia said: “We expect to offer our Philadelphia friends something they’ll long remember after the Chiefs make short work of the Eagles. Philadelphia’s museum has so many amazing works, and they will see how wonderful the PMA loan will appear in our beautiful galleries. We won’t let them leave, of course, before they can taste the best of our Kansas City barbeque.”

#MuseumBowl is on. Let the games begin. Join in the fun by following #MuseumBowl on FaceBook and Instagram February 6. Philadelphia Museum of Art is @philamuseum and the Nelson-Atkins is @nelsonatkins.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art have storied art collections, each filled with enviable works of art that would make especially choice loans. The names of the contending #MuseumBowl masterworks will be revealed after curators at the respective museums huddle to consider the potential spoils of victory.

About The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City is recognized nationally and internationally as one of America’s finest art museums. The museum opens its doors free of charge to people of all backgrounds.

The Nelson-Atkins serves the community by providing access to its renowned collection of more than 42,000 art objects and is best known for its Asian art, European and American paintings, photography, modern sculpture, and Native American and Egyptian galleries. Housing a major art research library and the Ford Learning Center, the Museum is a key educational resource for the region. In 2017, the Nelson-Atkins celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Bloch Building, a critically acclaimed addition to the original 1933 Nelson-Atkins Building.

The Nelson-Atkins is located at 45^th and Oak Streets, Kansas City, MO. Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission to the museum is free to everyone. For museum information, phone 816.751.1ART (1278) or visit nelson-atkins.org.

For media interested in receiving further information, please contact:

Kathleen Leighton, Manager, Media Relations and Video Production

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

816.751.1321

[email protected]

About the Philadelphia Museum of Art

We are Philadelphia’s art museum. A world-renowned collection. A landmark building. A place that welcomes everyone. We bring the arts to life, inspiring visitors—through scholarly study and creative play—to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone. We connect people with the arts in rich and varied ways, making the experience of the Museum surprising, lively, and always memorable. We are committed to inviting visitors to see the world—and themselves—anew through the beauty and expressive power of the arts.

For additional information, contact the Communications Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 215-684-7860 or [email protected].