Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art

The Art Museum stands on 10 acres that was formerly the reservoir for the Fairmount Water Works. It is one of the largest art museums in the country and holds over 225,000 objects.

The griffin was adopted as the symbol for the museum in the 1970's. There are several griffins sitting atop the pediments and corners of the building.

The steps leading up to the front entrance to the museum were made famous when they were featured in the 1976 film "Rocky."

Before the building was opened, Philadelphia's art museum was house in Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, the only surviving building from the Centennial Exposition of 1876.

Construction of the current building began in 1919, and the first section was completed in the spring of 1928.

Location

Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 25th. Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
USA

Getting There

The Philadelphia Museum of Art can be accessed by public transportation. Several SEPTA bus routes stop at or near the museum, including routes 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, and 48. The closest subway station is the Spring Garden Station on the Broad Street Line, which is about a 10-minute walk from the museum. The museum can also be reached by regional rail; take the SEPTA Chestnut Hill West line to the Museum Station. Additionally, several Indego bike share stations are located near the museum.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Pennsylvania that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.