Art and Culture
From the The Philadelphia Museum of Art to the Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia is home to some of the most important art works in history. In addition to these world-class institutions, the city is populated with smaller, more niche spots like the Mutter Museum, a fascinating medical museum as well as innovative galleries and cultural centers. There are also plenty of performing art spaces that showcase everything from ballet to opera to independent theater.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Perched at the western end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a world class cultural institution. Designed in the Neoclassical style and completed in 1928, it houses over 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years. The museum's vast collection includes remarkable pieces from European, American, and Asian art traditions, featuring masterpieces by artists like Marcel Duchamp, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso to name a few. The museum's grand marble steps were immortalized in "Rocky" and have since become a popular tourist attraction.
Barnes Foundation
Founded by Albert C. Barnes in 1922, the museum is celebrated for its exceptional collection of impressionist, post-impressionist, and early modern art, featuring masterpieces by artists such as Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, and many others. Barnes was a pharmaceutical entrepreneur and avid collector who arranged the works in "ensembles" that encourage viewers to appreciate visual relationships, color interactions, and spatial compositions. This approach was revolutionary, challenging traditional art viewing practices.nOriginally located in a private residence in Merion, Pennsylvania, the museum moved to a newly build modern facility in the city of Philadelphia in 2012.
Mutter Museum
One of the most unique medical museums in the world, the Mutter Museum features an extensive collection of medical specimens, anatomical oddities, and historical medical instruments. Founded in 1863 and housed in The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, it was designed to educate medical professionals and the public about human anatomy, pathology, and the evolution of medical science. Visitors can explore preserved human remains, including a collection of over 2,000 specimens in glass jars, showcasing various medical conditions, developmental abnormalities, and historical medical curiosities.
Rodin
Located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, the Rodin Museum is home to the largest collection of Auguste Rodin's works outside of Paris. Established in 1929, the museum's stunning Beaux-Arts building features a French-inspired garden which provides a beautiful setting for Rodin's masterpieces. The exterior features a dramatic bronze cast of Rodin's most famous sculpture, "The Thinker," while inside, the museum houses over 140 sculptures, including iconic works like "The Gates of Hell," "The Age of Bronze," and "The Kiss."