Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Art museum on Fairmount hill, Philadelphia, United States.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is an art museum on Fairmount hill in Philadelphia, United States, housing over 240,000 objects from antiquity to the present day. The building rises with its columns and monumental outdoor steps above the adjacent park and offers a wide view over downtown from the main entrance.
The city hosted the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, which featured an initial art pavilion that later became the seed of this institution. The present main building on the hill was constructed between 1919 and 1928 following plans by several architects and greatly increased the exhibition space.
The sweeping outdoor steps of the building appeared in many films and draw daily visitors who take photos there and enjoy the view across the city. Inside, the museum presents a large collection of armor along with a fully reconstructed 16th-century Japanese tea house.
Visitors find thematically organized galleries across several floors that spread throughout the building and are accessible from a central hall. Those who wish to explore all areas should plan several hours and wear comfortable footwear.
In the basement of the building lie restored vaulted rooms that formerly served as water storage and are now used for special exhibitions. The museum administration works closely with universities and regularly invites students to curate small exhibitions within the collection.
Location: Philadelphia
Inception: 1876
Founders: Anna H. Wilstach, William P. Wilstach
Architects: Horace Trumbauer, Zantzinger, Borie & Medary, Paul Philippe Cret, Julian Abele
Official opening: 1876
Architectural style: Greek Revival architecture, Art Deco architecture
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Opening Hours: Sunday,Monday,Thursday,Saturday 10:00-17:00; Friday 10:00-20:45
Phone: +1(215)7638100
Email: visitorservices@philamuseum.org
Website: https://philamuseum.org
GPS coordinates: 39.96583,-75.18139
Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:00
Philadelphia contains major sites from the American founding era alongside diverse museums and urban architecture. The Old City holds Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, while Independence National Historical Park encompasses several 18th-century buildings. Elfreth's Alley preserves colonial-era rowhouses, and Eastern State Penitentiary documents the history of incarceration. The city maintains significant art collections including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum. The Franklin Institute focuses on science education, while the Academy of Natural Sciences presents natural history displays. The Museum of the American Revolution complements the historic sites downtown. Beyond the center lies Valley Forge National Historical Park, where Washington's army encamped during the winter of 1777-78. Reading Terminal Market has offered regional produce and food stalls since 1893. Fairmount Park extends along the Schuylkill River and includes Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. Additional destinations include the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens with its mosaic artwork. One Liberty Observation Deck provides views across the cityscape, while the Rocky Statue outside the art museum references the film series.
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Rocky Steps
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Fairmount Park
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Charioteer of Delphi
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Rodin Museum
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Eakins Oval
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Fairmount Water Works
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Perelman Building
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Rocky Statue
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Sedgeley
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Undine Barge Club
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The Ideal Scout
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Statue of Abraham Lincoln
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Vine Street Expressway Bridge
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Alexander Dallas Bache School
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West River Drive Bridge
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West Philadelphia Elevated
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Mulford Building
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Equestrian statue of Anthony Wayne
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