List of museums in Philadelphia facts for kids
This list of museums in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are university and non-profit art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.
Current museums
| Name | Neighborhood | Type | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University | Center City | Natural history | Nature dioramas, large mineral crystals, dinosaurs, live animals |
| ACES Museum | Germantown | Military | Honors the black and minority veterans of World War II |
| African American Museum in Philadelphia | Center City | Ethnic | Formerly known as Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum |
| American Philosophical Society Museum | Center City | Multiple | Changing exhibits on history, science and art drawn from its collections |
| American Swedish Historical Museum | South Philadelphia | Ethnic - Swedish American | Focuses on Swedish contributions to history, art, architecture, music, science and technology |
| Arthur Ross Gallery | West Philadelphia | Art | Gallery of the University of Pennsylvania |
| Athenaeum of Philadelphia | Center City | Art | Museum of American fine and decorative arts, exhibits about architecture and design history |
| Barnes Foundation | Center City | Art | Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings, American masters, Old Master paintings, African sculpture, Native American ceramics, jewelry and textiles, American paintings and decorative arts and antiquities from the Mediterranean region and Asia |
| Bartram's Garden | Southwest Philadelphia | Historic house | Botanical garden with a historic house to tour |
| Belmont Mansion | West Philadelphia | History | Historic mansion with Underground Railroad museum in Fairmount Park |
| Betsy Ross House | Center City | Historic house | Possible home of Betsy Ross, who sewed flags for the U.S. Navy and may have sewn the first American flag. |
| Bishop White House | Center City | Historic house | Part of Independence National Historical Park, late-18th-century-period house |
| Carpenters' Hall | Center City | History | Part of Independence National Historical Park, colonial history of the carpenter's guild |
| Cedar Grove Mansion | West Philadelphia | Historic house | 18th-century stone house reflection five generations of owners |
| Center for Art in Wood | Center City | Art | International arts institution, gallery and resource center for design of art in wood |
| Civil War Museum of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Civil War | Temporarily closed 2008, seeking new location; collection stored at the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, National Museum of American Jewish History and the African American Museum in Philadelphia |
| Cliveden | Germantown | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, mid 18th-century mansion that was the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting of the 1777 Battle of Germantown during the American Revolutionary War |
| Colored Girls Museum | Germantown | Ethnic - African American | A "memoir museum" devoted to the stories, experiences, and history of ordinary Black women and girls |
| Concord School House | Germantown | Education | 18th-century one-room schoolhouse |
| Congress Hall | Center City | History | Part of Independence National Historical Park, restored to period when the building served as the meeting place of the U. S. Congress from 1790 - 1800 |
| Declaration House | Center City | Historic house | website, part of Independence National Historical Park, 18th-century house where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence |
| Dolley Todd House | Center City | Historic house | Part of Independence National Historical Park, 18th-century-period home of Dolley Todd Madison |
| Drexel University Collection | West Philadelphia | Art | website, painting, sculpture, decorative arts and porcelain, exhibited in the AJ Drexel Picture Gallery, Rincliff Gallery, Peck Gallery |
| Eastern State Penitentiary | Lower North Philadelphia | Prison | Tours and exhibits about the 19th century prison that was in use until 1971 |
| Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion | Germantown | Historic house | Victorian mansion and garden |
| Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site | Lower North Philadelphia | Historic house | Home once rented by author Edgar Allan Poe, exhibits about his life and works |
| Elfreth's Alley Museum | Center City | Historic house | Only house on Elfreth's Alley that is accessible to the public |
| The Fabric Workshop and Museum | Center City | Art | Devoted to creating new work in new materials and new media |
| Fairmount Water Works | Lower North Philadelphia | Natural history | Interpretive center houses interactive exhibits about water and the water works |
| Firemen's Hall Museum | Center City | Firefighting | website, history and heroic moments of Philadelphia firefighting |
| Fort Mifflin | Southwest Philadelphia | Military | Centerpiece of the British conquest of Philadelphia during the American Revolution, 18th- and 19th-century buildings |
| Founder's Hall | Lower North Philadelphia | Decorative arts | Part of Girard College, collection of furniture, silver, paintings, ceramics, textiles and archives of Stephen Girard, and school memorabilia |
| Franklin Court | Center City | History | Part of Independence National Historical Park, site of Ben Franklin's house, features Benjamin Franklin Museum, an 18th-century printing office, an architectural/archeological exhibit, an operating post office and a postal museum |
| Franklin Institute | Center City | Science | Many hands-on exhibits, also Ben Franklin's inventions |
| Galleries at Moore College | Center City | Art | Part of Moore College of Art and Design |
| Germantown Historical Society Museum | Germantown | Local history | website, furniture, decorative and historical exhibits, located in the John Fromberger House |
| Germantown White House | Germantown | Historic house | Owned by the National Park Service, formerly the Deshler-Morris House, 18th-century house that sheltered George Washington and his family |
| Glen Foerd on the Delaware | Northeast Philadelphia | Historic site | Philadelphia's only remaining Delaware riverfront estate open to the public, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Historic American Landscape Survey |
| Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library | Northeast Philadelphia | Military | Located in the John Ruan House, features Civil War and Grand Army of the Republic artifacts, books, and memorabilia |
| Grumblethorpe | Germantown | Historic house | Mid-18th-century house |
| Hill-Keith-Physick House | Center City | Historic house | Operated by the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks, 19th-century home of surgical pioneer Dr. Philip Syng Physick |
| Historical Society of Frankford | Northeast Philadelphia | Local history | History of Northeast Philadelphia |
| Historical Society of Pennsylvania | Center City | History | Changing exhibits of the history of Pennsylvania and the founding of the United States |
| Independence Hall | Center City | History | Part of Independence National Historical Park, location where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted |
| Independence National Historical Park | Center City | History | Includes Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Carpenters' Hall, Visitor Center and National Constitution Center |
| Independence Seaport Museum | Center City | Maritime | Maritime artifacts, ship models, permanent and interactive exhibits, including the warship USS Olympia (C-6) and the submarine USS Becuna (SS-319) |
| Insectarium | Northeast Philadelphia | Natural history | Thousands of live and mounted insects, interactive displays |
| Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia | West Philadelphia | Art | Part of the University of Pennsylvania |
| John Johnson House | Germantown | Historic house | Significant for its role in the antislavery movement and the Underground Railroad |
| La Salle University Art Museum | Germantown | Art | Collections include European and American art from the Renaissance to the present |
| Laurel Hill Mansion | North Philadelphia | Historic house | website, 18th-century Georgian house |
| Lemon Hill Mansion | Lower North Philadelphia | Historic house | Located in Fairmount Park, operated by the Pennsylvania chapter of the Colonial Dames of America and the Friends of Lemon Hill, early-19th-century house |
| Leonard Pearlstein Gallery | West Philadelphia | Art | website, part of Drexel University's Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, exhibits novel and experimental art in all contemporary mediums including digital, video, sculpture, photography, graphics, and fashion design |
| Liberty Bell Center | Center City | History | Part of Independence National Historical Park, includes the Liberty Bell and exhibits about its history and role as an international icon of freedom |
| Library Company of Philadelphia | Center City | Library | Changing exhibits from its collections of American history and culture from the 17th through the 19th centuries |
| Living Loft Puppet Museum | West Philadelphia | Puppet | Creations of the Spiral Q Puppet Theater, open by appointment |
| Mario Lanza Museum | South Philadelphia | Biographical | website, memorabilia from the career of the legendary tenor Mario Lanza |
| Marian Anderson Museum and Birthplace | South Philadelphia | Biographical | Two sites operated by the Marion Anderson Historical Society |
| Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania | Center City | Masonic | Center of Freemasonry in Pennsylvania |
| Mount Pleasant | Lower North Philadelphia | Historic house | Colonial era mansion |
| Mummers Museum | South Philadelphia | Art | website, costumes from the Mummers Parade |
| Museum of the American Revolution | Center City | History | History of the American Revolution |
| Mütter Museum | Center City | Medical | Collection of medical oddities, anatomical and pathological specimens, wax models, and antique medical equipment |
| National Constitution Center | Center City | History | History and relevance of the United States Constitution |
| National Liberty Museum | Center City | History | Eight galleries focus on heroism, freedom, diversity, faith and more; includes over 100 works in glass illustrating the beauty and fragility of freedom |
| National Shrine of Saint John Neumann | North Philadelphia | Religious | Shrine with museum about John Neumann |
| New Hall Military Museum | Center City | Military | website, part of Independence National Historical Park, exhibits about the founding of the United States Marine Corps and the Army and Navy Departments |
| Old City Hall | Center City | History | Part of Independence National Historical Park, site of the first U.S. Supreme Court |
| Painted Bride Art Center | Center City | Art | Non-profit artist-centered performance space and gallery particularly oriented to presenting the work of local Philadelphia artists |
| Paul Robeson House | West Philadelphia | African American | Legacy of Paul Robeson, community art exhibits |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | Center City | Art | Oldest art museum and school in the nation, 19th- and 20th-century American paintings, sculptures, and works on paper |
| Philadelphia Art Alliance | Center City | Art | Institution hosts art exhibits, theater and music workshops, poetry readings, lectures, concerts and recitals |
| Philadelphia Doll Museum | Lower North Philadelphia | Toy | African, Europeans American Folk Art dolls, the renowned Roberta Bell Doll Collection, American and internationally manufactured dolls and more; emphasis on black dolls |
| Philadelphia History Museum | Center City | Local history | History museum for the City of Philadelphia (currently closed, future unknown) |
| Philadelphia Museum of Art | Lower North Philadelphia | Art | European, Asian and American fine art, furniture and decorative arts, arms & armor, period rooms |
| Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art | Lower North Philadelphia | Art | Part of Congregation Rodeph Shalom, exhibits contemporary art that illuminates the Jewish experience |
| Philadelphia's Magic Gardens | South Philadelphia | Art | Mosaic-covered gardens, building and art gallery |
| Please Touch Museum | West Philadelphia | Children's | Interactive museum to promote learning in children |
| Polish American Cultural Center Museum | Center City | Ethnic - Polish | website |
| Powel House | Center City | Historic house | Operated by the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks, 18th-century Georgian townhouse mansion |
| The Print Center | Center City | Art | website, contemporary printmaking and photography |
| RittenhouseTown | Germantown | Historic village | 18th and 19th century houses. Site of British North America's first paper mill and birthplace of David Rittenhouse |
| Rodin Museum | Center City | Art | Largest collection of sculptor Auguste Rodin's works outside Paris |
| Romanian Folk Art Museum | Center City | Ethnic - Romania | website, Romanian costumes, rugs, pottery, furniture and a full Transylvanian interior |
| Rosenbach Museum & Library | Center City | Art, Library | Rare miniature portraits, 18th- and 19th-century British and American furniture and decorative art, rare books, manuscripts and illustrations, collection of works by Maurice Sendak |
| Ryerss Museum and Library | Northeast Philadelphia | Historic house | Mansion with Asian and European decorative arts, located in Burholme Park |
| Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial | South Philadelphia | Art | Community art centre, contains art by Violet Oakley, tiles by Henry Chapman Mercer, 18th-century Portuguese art, primitive European art, religious art from the original church |
| Science History Institute (formerly the Chemical Heritage Foundation) | Center City | Science | History of science, particularly chemistry, and the role science plays in the modern world |
| Second Bank of the United States | Center City | Art | Part of Independence National Historical Park, art gallery exhibits of Colonial and Federal leaders, military officers, explorers and scientists, including many by Charles Willson Peale |
| Shofuso Japanese House and Garden | West Philadelphia | Historic house | Part of Fairmount Park, traditional 17th-century–style Japanese house and garden |
| Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum | Southwest Philadelphia | Automotive | Collection of over 65 historically significant racing sports cars |
| Stenton | North Philadelphia | Historic house | Early American Georgian architecture, operated by The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America |
| Strawberry Mansion | North Philadelphia | Historic house | late 18th-century house located in Fairmount Park |
| Tall Ship Gazela & Tug Jupiter | Center City | Maritime | 1883 tall sailing ship Gazela, the 1902 iron tugboat Jupiter and lighter barge Poplar open for tours |
| Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine Shoe Museum | Lower North Philadelphia | Clothing | Open by appointment, part of Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine |
| Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial | Center City | Historic house | Historic house where wounded Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived |
| Tyler School of Art | Lower North Philadelphia | Art | Features Temple Contemporary gallery |
| University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology | West Philadelphia | Archaeology, Anthropology | Artifacts from Egypt, China, Mesopotamia, Greco-Roman antiquities, Buddhist art, African art, and Mayan and other Pre-Columbian artifacts |
| Upsala | Germantown | Historic house | Late 18th century house |
| Wagner Free Institute of Science | Lower North Philadelphia | Natural history | Victorian cases and hand-labeled natural history specimens arranged in the 1880s |
| Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History | Center City | Jewish | Story of Jews in America |
| Wells Fargo History Museum | Center City | History | Include a stagecoach, telegraph equipment, historic clothing and currency |
| Woodford | North Philadelphia | Historic house | Part of Fairmount Park, houses collection of antique household goods, including Colonial furniture, unusual clocks and English delftware |
| Woodmere Art Museum | Northwest Philadelphia | Art | Paintings, prints, sculpture and photographs focusing on artists from the Delaware Valley |
| Wyck House | Germantown | Historic house | Oldest house in Germantown |
Defunct museums
- Peale's Philadelphia Museum opened in 1784, closed in 1849
- Curtis Center Museum of Norman Rockwell Art, Philadelphia, closed in 1997
- National Philatelic Museum, Philadelphia, opened in 1948, closed in 1959
- Philadelphia Commercial Museum, closed in 1994
- Sweetbriar Mansion, closed since 2014; late 18th-century house located in west Fairmount Park; was operated by the Modern Club of Philadelphia from 1939 to 2014
- Neon Museum of Philadelphia, closed in 2022 after 2 years open
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List of museums in Philadelphia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.