SALEM, MASS.- The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) announces an exciting lineup of new exhibitions and programming for 2025, ranging from a new gallery dedicated to the museum’s historically significant collection of Korean art and culture to a globe-trotting fashion retrospective of Andrew Gn and a new series of artist residency programs.

“The upcoming year at PEM provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in art and culture through exhibitions and programs that celebrate human creativity across the globe,” said Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, PEM’s Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Executive Director and CEO. “Our public programming is expanding with our community in mind as we introduce a new artist residency program that underscores PEM’s role as an energetic incubator and a magnetic center for creative expression.”

Upcoming Exhibitions

The Yu Kil-Chun Gallery of Korean Art and Culture
Opening May 17, 2025

PEM’s superlative collection reflects Korea and Korean life during the late Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) and early 20th century, a period of time when Korea first opened its doors to the West. PEM’s early Korean collection was primarily formed by Edward Sylvester Morse, director of the Peabody Academy of Science (a predecessor organization to PEM), who proactively pursued Korean acquisitions during his tenure (1880–1914). One of the most important groups of works Morse acquired is a set of eight Korean musical instruments that were exhibited at the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. PEM’s connection with Korea was also strengthened by Yu Kil-Chun (1856–1914), the reformist scholar and politician who came to the U.S. as a member of the first Korean delegation and lived near Salem for nearly a year.

Yu Kil-Chun and other early travelers between the U.S. and Korea donated many meaningful and foundational works to the museum’s collection. The fascinating stories of these early pioneers is explored in PEM’s Yu Kil-Chun Korean Art Gallery alongside masterworks from the museum’s renowned Korean textile collection, superb 19th century paintings and the work of contemporary Korean and Korean American artists.

Jung Yeondoo: Building Dreams
May 17, 2025–January 25, 2026

Do you ever wonder about the people next door? Who they are and what they dream about? Artist Jung Yeondoo invites you to look closer at your neighbors — the strangers you might pass in an apartment elevator or a busy street — and imagine their dreams. This exhibition in PEM’s Jeffrey P. Beale Gallery highlights two major series of photographic works: Evergreen Tower (2001) and Bewitched (2001). After attending art school in London, Jung returned to Seoul in the early 2000s and discovered that the city had become a “concrete forest” of high-rise apartment complexes.

Among his new neighbors, Jung observed that the comforts of urban, middle-class life had also produced a sense of anonymity and isolation. Driven by curiosity, Jung began to ask the people around him about their hopes and aspirations and began using photography to connect with others.

Making History: 200 Years of American Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
On view June 14–September 21, 2025

Discover a formidable collection of iconic works alongside stellar pieces by traditionally underrepresented artists. Making History presents 85 works from the historic collection of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, taking you on a journey across time, medium and identity. The exhibition offers new narratives of the history of American art and reveals American artists as they have always been: a diverse group that includes women, artists of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Since the founding of the United States, these artists have played a vital role in crafting and continually retelling the nation’s history. Enjoy iconic American works in a new light and find new favorites. Featured artists include Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer, Gilbert Stuart, Georgia O’Keeffe, Horace Pippin, Childe Hassam, Thomas Hart Benton, Mary Cassatt and Stuart Davis, among others.

Knowing Nature: Stories of the Boreal Forest
On view July 26, 2025–September 27, 2026

Did you know the boreal forest covers 33% of the Earth’s forested area? Home to 3.7 million people, 85 species of animals, 32,000 species of insects and 2 billion migratory birds, the boreal forest spans nearly the entire Northern Hemisphere, just below the Arctic Circle, and makes up one of the world’s last remaining stretches of true wilderness. Discover the biodiversity and global importance of our northernmost forests through first-person stories, commissioned objects, interactive experiences and exquisite photography and videography.

This timely bilingual exhibition weaves together themes of climate change, Indigenous perspectives and the relationship between people and nature while taking audiences on a learning journey that starts with curiosity, builds empathy and leads to action. This family-friendly exhibition is located in The Dotty Brown Art & Nature Center and is part of PEM’s Climate + Environment Initiative.

Andrew Gn: Fashioning the World
On view September 13, 2025–February 16, 2026

Experience a glittering retrospective of the fashion, art and design mastery of Singaporean designer Andrew Gn. Named a “pioneer among foreign-born, Paris-based designers” by Vogue, Gn is one of Singapore’s most prolific creative forces, producing more than 80 collections and 10,000 pieces of clothing over 25 years. Making its North American debut, this exhibition showcases nearly 100 stunning works, including clothing, accessories, original illustrations and digital media, divided into thematic sections that highlight the designer’s signature blend of Western aesthetics and Asian decorative arts.