Visitors to the Kuerner Farm from May 13 through May 24 will hear Kuerner Sounds, a pop-up experience by noted Philadelphia-based artist and composer Michael Kiley, as part of the guided tour of the historic property. To create Kuerner Sounds, Kiley manipulated existing sounds from the farm and layered them with original tones to create an atmospheric piece representing his personal aural response to the site. The piece is intended to bring attention to both the creative process of the artist and the specific sound qualities of the farm. The Kuerner Farm is a historic property of the Brandywine River Museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The presentation of Kuerner Sounds is supported by a capacity building grant by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.

Tours of the farm including the sound element leave from the Brandywine River Museum at 2 and 3:15 p.m. each day and cost $8 in addition to regular museum admission of $12 for adults; $8 for seniors, $6 for students and free for Brandywine Conservancy members. Tickets are limited and may be purchased in advance online or by calling 610-388-8326. Same day tickets may be available at the museum admission desk.



For more than 70 years, the Kuerner Farm was a major source of inspiration to Andrew Wyeth. Beginning with his earliest painting of the farm in 1932 at the age of 15, Wyeth found vital subjects in its people, animals, buildings and landscapes for nearly 1,000 works of art.  In 2011, the Kuerner Farm was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Wyeth discovered Karl and Anna Kuerner's farm, located approximately one mile from his parents' home in Chadds Ford, on one of his boyhood walks. Wyeth was intrigued by the Kuerners, who emigrated from Germany, and by Karl Kuerner's stories of his service in the German army during World War I. The Kuerners had strong ties to their heritage, continuing to speak German and socializing mostly with other German immigrants. Andrew Wyeth was one exception. As a young artist, he developed a close relationship with the Kuerners, and after years of gaining their trust, he was permitted to roam the property freely-even the inside of the house-to draw and paint. (For a complete history of the Kuerner Farm, click here).

Many of Wyeth's best-known works of art emerged from his long fascination with the farm, including Winter 1946 (1946), Groundhog Day (1959), Evening at Kuerners (1970), Young Bull (1960), Spring Fed (1967) and Overflow (1978).

Thanks in large part to the philanthropic spirit of Karl Kuerner, Jr. and his family, the Brandywine River Museum acquired the Kuerner Farm in 1999 and began offering educational tours in 2004. Reproductions of Wyeth's works can be viewed on the tours, along with parts of the house, barn and property to demonstrate how Wyeth altered the physical details of a site in order to communicate a particular idea.

Tickets cost $8 per person in addition to regular museum admission, free to Brandywine Conservancy members. To purchase tickets, please click here  or call 610-388-8326 or 610-388-8121.  No service fees or other surcharges will be added during the ticketing process. Tickets are non-transferable. No refunds or exchanges.

For group reservations only, please call 610-388-8333 or send an e-mail to grouptours@brandywine.org. 

Please note: if you wish to use a coupon or voucher for free or discounted admission to the Brandywine River Museum (*e.g., AAA or other similar offer) , tickets cannot be purchased in advance.  Please purchase your tickets at the admissions desk on the day of your visit.  For questions about tickets, please call 610-388-8326 or send an e-mail to shop@brandywine.org. 

PACKAGES

Discover more about the art of the Wyeth family on special package tours that include visits to multiple historic properties, a guided gallery tour and lunch.

TRANSPORTATION
Transportation to the Kuerner Farm is by Brandywine River Museum shuttle bus only. Please note: shuttles depart from the museum promptly at the time noted on the ticket.  Visitors should board the shuttle 10 minutes before their scheduled departure time. 

Due to uneven walking surfaces, tours are not accessible to those with physical disabilities.