Information
Landmark: Philadelphia Museum of ArtCity: Philadelphia
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, towering over 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, ranks among the nation’s largest and most celebrated museums.People know it not just for its vast, varied art collections, but for the gleaming stone arches and the weight of history in its walls.Founded in 1876 during the bustle of the Centennial Exposition, the museum has evolved into a world-class institution devoted to preserving, showcasing, and bringing to life art from countless eras and cultures.In Philadelphia, it’s a lively cultural hub that draws millions every year, from school groups snapping photos to travelers lingering by its grand stone steps.The museum’s building rises in the Greek Revival style, shaped like a classical temple with broad stone steps climbing to its towering, columned façade.The 72 steps, famously called the “Rocky Steps,” shot to worldwide fame after the 1976 film *Rocky*, where the hero charges up them in a gritty training montage, breath visible in the cold morning air.Tall columns frame the museum’s entrance, and a wide portico stretches out in welcome, the stone cool to the touch as you step into its dramatic approach.Over the past few years, the museum has been transformed by the “Core Project,” a sweeping renovation and expansion guided by renowned architect Frank Gehry, whose bold curves now catch the morning light.The project boosted accessibility with fresh ramps, sleek elevators, and clear signage, while opening up public areas with new galleries and a vaulted walkway under a sweep of skylight at the north entrance, making visits more inviting.The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s permanent collection holds more than 240,000 works, spanning over two millennia of art from every corner of the world-from ancient bronze coins to vivid modern canvases.The museum’s American Art collection ranks among the nation’s most significant, featuring 18th- and 19th-century Pennsylvania furniture polished to a warm glow, gleaming silver pieces, and a remarkable array of works by Thomas Eakins, a central voice in American realism.In the European Art section, you’ll find masterpieces ranging from the medieval era to the 20th century, with highlights by Peter Paul Rubens, Renoir, van Gogh, and Picasso-brushstrokes that still seem fresh under the gallery lights.The museum boasts an exceptional array of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, alongside a striking arms and armor collection where polished steel glints under the lights.The museum’s Asian collection spans delicate porcelain bowls from China, vivid silk paintings from Japan, intricate Korean textiles, carved sculptures from India, and ornate decorative pieces from across Southeast Asia.You’ll find a 16th-century Indian temple hall, its stone pillars cool to the touch, and a cozy Japanese teahouse built in the old tradition.At the PMA, you’ll find Pablo Picasso’s bold lines, Marcel Duchamp’s playful twists, Salvador Dalí’s dreamlike visions, Cy Twombly’s sprawling scribbles, and countless other groundbreaking pieces that chart the shifting pulse of art through the 20th and 21st centuries.Just a short walk along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the Rodin Museum-part of the PMA-holds one of the largest collections of Auguste Rodin’s sculptures outside France, including iconic works like The Thinker and the dark, imposing Gates of Hell.At the foot of the museum steps, the bronze Rocky Balboa statue waits, glinting in the sun-a beloved Philly landmark that embodies grit, heart, and unshakable perseverance.The museum makes visiting easy and enjoyable, with guided tours, audio guides, hands-on educational programs, a cozy café smelling of fresh coffee, and a store stocked with art books and one-of-a-kind gifts.The space is fully wheelchair accessible, and they can provide assistive listening devices or an American Sign Language interpreter if you ask-right down to a headset that fits comfortably over your ear.The museum welcomes visitors six days a week, closing only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and on Fridays it stays open late enough to catch the sunset through its glass atrium.Admission prices change depending on the ticket, with students getting a discount and kids under 18 walking in free.On select days, the museum lets visitors pay whatever they can, making it easier for everyone to step inside and wander past its bright, echoing galleries.The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a cultural gem, blending its sweeping stone steps and grand façade with a world-class collection that stretches across continents and centuries.It takes visitors on a walk through centuries of art, then pulls them into Philadelphia’s lively cultural scene, where music spills from open doorways and murals brighten the streets.
