Information
Landmark: Rodin MuseumCity: Philadelphia
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
Rodin Museum, Philadelphia, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
In Philadelphia, the Rodin Museum draws visitors with its world-class collection celebrating the artistry of Auguste Rodin, from the cool bronze of *The Thinker* to the delicate contours of his other masterworks.Home to one of the largest, most complete collections of Rodin’s sculptures outside Paris, it draws art lovers and curious tourists alike, all wandering the lively museum district along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway where bronze figures catch the afternoon light.In 1929, movie theater mogul Jules Mastbaum opened the Rodin Museum, driven by his wish to share the sculptor’s masterpieces with Philadelphia.Prominent architect Paul Philippe Cret designed the museum in the Beaux-Arts style, with its graceful symmetry and broad, commanding proportions that draw the eye the moment you step inside.A formal French-style garden wraps around the museum, its neat hedges and gravel paths first laid out by Jacques Gréber, the French landscape architect who worked with Cret.The garden’s calm air invites quiet reflection, and the soft rustle of leaves pairs beautifully with the sculptures.In the past few years, they’ve carefully brought this outdoor space back to life, matching its old layout and the quiet charm of weathered stone paths.The museum’s Collection: Masterpieces of Auguste Rodin features over a hundred sculptures, from his iconic “The Thinker” to other celebrated works that capture every curve and shadow in bronze.Visitors can wander among sculptures inside the museum, then step outside to find more tucked between rose bushes and shaded paths, enjoying a lively mix of art and nature.One standout piece is *The Thinker*, Rodin’s famous bronze of a man hunched forward, his chin pressed into his hand, caught in a moment of intense reflection.First imagined as part of *The Gates of Hell*, the piece now stands as a worldwide emblem of deep thought, the kind that makes you pause like someone lost in a quiet library aisle.The Kiss is a marble sculpture capturing two lovers locked in a tender, breathless embrace.Rodin’s work catches the soft ache and fierce rush of romantic love, revealing his gift for shaping raw human feeling in bronze.The Burghers of Calais is a striking bronze sculpture honoring six townsmen who, in the midst of the Hundred Years’ War, stepped forward to be taken hostage so their city could live.The figures carry a heavy sorrow, stand with quiet courage, and bear the weight of sacrifice like a soldier’s worn medal.The Gates of Hell is a massive bronze doorway, born from Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, its surface crowded with more than 200 figures locked in twisting, anguished scenes that seem to writhe in the dim light.Among its contents are several smaller pieces-one is no bigger than a man’s hand-that Rodin later turned into standalone sculptures.Young *Mother in the Grotto* glows with the quiet closeness of a mother’s embrace, her figure radiating the gentle heat of love that defines Rodin’s deeply human, emotionally charged sculpture.The museum’s design lets you wander among the sculptures, stepping from cool indoor galleries to the sunlit courtyard outside.The garden steals the show, a calm retreat where sculptures stand between bright flower beds, shady trees, and winding paths.The museum hosts special exhibitions, hands-on workshops, and lively community gatherings that draw people closer to Rodin’s work and to sculpture as an art form.You’ll find us at 2151 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, PA 19130.We’re open Wednesday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the doors stay shut on Tuesdays and big holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Fourth of July.Admission’s pay-what-you-wish, though we suggest $10 for adults.Seniors, students, and young people can get discounted tickets, and kids 12 and under walk in free with a smile.The museum’s easy to navigate for wheelchair users, with smooth ramps and a quiet elevator making it simple for everyone to explore the collections in comfort.Parking can be tight on the street, so it’s best to head for a nearby garage-like the one by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where you might catch the faint echo of footsteps on its cool concrete floors.You can get to the museum by hopping on a SEPTA bus or catching the bright purple PHLASH trolley.The Rodin Museum sits in Philadelphia’s celebrated Museum District, just a short walk from the “Rocky Steps” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation’s striking modern art galleries, and the hands-on exhibits at the Franklin Institute-making it a perfect stop on a full-day cultural tour of the city.The Rodin Museum isn’t just a hall of sculptures-it’s a graceful, light-filled space that draws you in, stirs deep feelings, sparks admiration for human creativity, and surrounds you with the enduring legacy of one of history’s greatest sculptors.Visitors of every age and taste can wander through its seamless mix of art, graceful buildings, and gardens scented with fresh blooms, discovering an experience they won’t find anywhere else.
