COVID-19 Update: Travel Guidelines for Faculty, Students, and Staff

Please be advised that all PAFA-sponsored travel has been suspended until further notice.

Due to the fast-changing circumstances related to COVID-19, we would like to urge faculty and staff who are traveling for personal reasons to carefully consider travel risks related to locations in the United States where a COVID-19 state of emergency has been declared, or to other countries affected by the virus.

Non-Essential Visits To PAFA

  • Effective immediately, all in-person, non-essential PAFA events with 50 or more attendees must be postponed, canceled, or offered virtually.

  • Faculty and staff are encouraged to postpone or cancel any scheduled, non-essential visits to campus by those outside of the PAFA community.

  • Students with private studio spaces are prohibited from bringing guests to campus.

Travel Guidelines

  • PAFA-sponsored international travel for students has been suspended. Considerations will be made for travel associated with the Travel Prizes.

  • During this period of global health concern, students, faculty, and staff must register all personal international travel or domestic travel to areas beyond your daily commute. This is to ensure that PAFA can contact you in the event of important updates and to monitor travel to areas that have been identified as presenting a high risk of COVID-19 exposure. Students, faculty, and staff should refer to their emails for a link to register travel.

  • Any student in studio, faculty, or staff member returning from personal travel from an affected country, domestic region, or known exposure is required to undergo home-quarantine and social-distancing at their non-PAFA residence for a minimum of 14 days prior to returning to campus.

  • Apart from personal studios, the PAFA campus will remain closed to students from Friday, March 13 at 5:00 PM until further notice.

Advice for 14-Day Home Quarantine and Social-Distancing

  • Consistent with recommendations from public health authorities remain at home for 14 days after your return from affected countries or domestic locations, or after known exposure to the virus.

  • Monitor your health for symptoms including fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

  • If you develop symptoms, call ahead before seeking medical care, and do not use drop-in urgent care sites or other locations.

  • Practice "social distancing" by avoiding public places where close contact with others may occur.

  • Practice good hand hygiene with frequent hand-washing with warm water and soap.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough, and put your used tissue in a wastebasket. Practice good cough and sneeze etiquette.

  • Do not share personal items.

  • Decline requests from visitors during the quarantine period.

  • Faculty and staff may return to normal activities, and students may return to their personal studios after the 14-day period is complete.

Last Updated
March 13, 2020 - 11:57 AM

About PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United States’ first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.