List of museums in Philadelphia facts for kids

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a city full of history and culture. It's also home to many amazing museums! A museum is a special place where people collect and take care of interesting objects. These objects can be about art, science, history, or different cultures. Museums then show these collections to the public so everyone can learn and enjoy them.

This list will help you discover some of the cool museums you can visit in Philadelphia. Get ready to explore!

Awesome Museums to Explore

Philadelphia has a wide variety of museums. You can find everything from ancient history to modern art, and even places dedicated to science and nature.

Science and Nature Museums

• Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Center City): Step into the natural world! See huge dinosaur skeletons, amazing mineral crystals, and even live animals.
• Franklin Institute (Center City): This is a super fun place with tons of hands-on exhibits. You can learn about science by doing experiments and seeing how things work. Don't miss the giant heart you can walk through!
• Insectarium (Northeast Philadelphia): If you love bugs, this is the place for you! See thousands of live and mounted insects and learn all about them.
• Mütter Museum (Center City): This unique museum has a collection of medical oddities and old medical tools. It's fascinating for those interested in the human body and medical history.
• Wagner Free Institute of Science (Lower North Philadelphia): This museum looks like it's from another time! It has natural history specimens arranged in old Victorian cases, just like they were in the 1880s.
• Fairmount Water Works (Lower North Philadelphia): Learn all about water and how it gets to your home with interactive exhibits.

History and Culture Museums

• African American Museum in Philadelphia (Center City): Discover the rich history and culture of African Americans.
• American Swedish Historical Museum (South Philadelphia): Learn about the contributions of Swedish Americans to history, art, and science.
• Betsy Ross House (Center City): Visit the possible home of Betsy Ross, who might have sewn the very first American flag!
• Eastern State Penitentiary (Lower North Philadelphia): Explore this historic prison that operated for many years. You can take tours and learn about its past.
• Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site (Lower North Philadelphia): See the home where famous author Edgar Allan Poe once lived and learn about his life and spooky stories.
• Elfreth's Alley Museum (Center City): Walk down America's oldest continuously inhabited residential street and visit one of its historic homes.
• Fort Mifflin (Southwest Philadelphia): Explore this historic fort that played a big role in the American Revolution.
• Franklin Court (Center City): This is the site of Benjamin Franklin's house. You can visit a museum about him, an old printing office, and even a postal museum.
• Independence Hall (Center City): This is a very important place! Both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted here.
• Independence National Historical Park (Center City): This park includes many historic sites like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Carpenters' Hall.
• Independence Seaport Museum (Center City): Learn about Philadelphia's maritime history. You can even tour a historic warship, the USS Olympia, and a submarine, the USS Becuna!
• Liberty Bell Center (Center City): See the famous Liberty Bell and learn about its history as a symbol of freedom.
• Museum of the American Revolution (Center City): Dive into the history of the American Revolution and learn about the fight for independence.
• National Constitution Center (Center City): Explore the history and importance of the United States Constitution with interactive exhibits.
• National Liberty Museum (Center City): This museum focuses on heroism, freedom, and diversity, with beautiful glass art.
• Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (Center City): Discover the story of Jewish people in America.
• Wells Fargo History Museum (Center City): See a real stagecoach, old telegraph equipment, and learn about the history of Wells Fargo.
• Colored Girls Museum (Germantown): This museum shares the stories and experiences of everyday Black women and girls.
• Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial (Center City): Visit the historic house where the Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko lived.

Art and Design Museums

• Barnes Foundation (Center City): See an amazing collection of paintings by famous artists like Post-Impressionists and early Modern painters, along with African sculpture and other art.
• Center for Art in Wood (Center City): Explore beautiful art and designs made from wood.
• The Fabric Workshop and Museum (Center City): This museum is all about creating new art using different materials and media.
• Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia (West Philadelphia): See modern and experimental art from today's artists.
• Mummers Museum (South Philadelphia): Check out the colorful and creative costumes from the famous Mummers Parade!
• Painted Bride Art Center (Center City): A place that shows off performances and art from local Philadelphia artists.
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Center City): This is the oldest art museum and school in the nation, with great American paintings and sculptures.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art (Lower North Philadelphia): One of the largest art museums in the country! It has art from Europe, Asia, and America, plus furniture and decorative arts.
• Philadelphia's Magic Gardens (South Philadelphia): A unique outdoor and indoor art space covered in colorful mosaics. It's truly magical!
• Rodin Museum (Center City): See the largest collection of sculptures by the famous artist Auguste Rodin outside of Paris.
• Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial (South Philadelphia): A community art center with various art collections.
• Tyler School of Art (Lower North Philadelphia): Features the Temple Contemporary gallery, showing modern art.
• Woodmere Art Museum (Northwest Philadelphia): Focuses on art by artists from the Delaware Valley region.

Historic Homes and Mansions

Many historic homes in Philadelphia offer a glimpse into the past, showing how people lived centuries ago.

• Bishop White House (Center City): A late 18th-century house that is part of Independence National Historical Park.
• Cedar Grove Mansion (West Philadelphia): An 18th-century stone house that shows how five generations of owners lived.
• Cliveden (Germantown): A mid-18th-century mansion that was the site of a major battle during the American Revolutionary War.
• Declaration House (Center City): The 18th-century house where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence.
• Dolley Todd House (Center City): The 18th-century home of Dolley Todd Madison.
• Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion (Germantown): A beautiful Victorian mansion with a garden.
• Germantown White House (Germantown): An 18th-century house that sheltered George Washington and his family.
• Glen Foerd on the Delaware (Northeast Philadelphia): Philadelphia's only remaining riverfront estate open to the public.
• Grumblethorpe (Germantown): A mid-18th-century house.
• Hill-Keith-Physick House (Center City): The 19th-century home of surgical pioneer Dr. Philip Syng Physick.
• John Johnson House (Germantown): Important for its role in the antislavery movement and the Underground Railroad.
• Laurel Hill Mansion (North Philadelphia): An 18th-century Georgian house.
• Lemon Hill Mansion (Lower North Philadelphia): An early 19th-century house in Fairmount Park.
• Mount Pleasant (Lower North Philadelphia): A colonial era mansion.
• Powel House (Center City): An 18th-century Georgian townhouse mansion.
• Ryerss Museum and Library (Northeast Philadelphia): A mansion with Asian and European decorative arts.
• Shofuso Japanese House and Garden (West Philadelphia): A traditional 17th-century-style Japanese house and garden.
• Stenton (North Philadelphia): An early American Georgian architecture house.
• Strawberry Mansion (North Philadelphia): A late 18th-century house located in Fairmount Park.
• Upsala (Germantown): A late 18th-century house.
• Woodford (North Philadelphia): A historic house in Fairmount Park with antique household goods.
• Wyck House (Germantown): The oldest house in Germantown.

Other Unique Museums

• Please Touch Museum (West Philadelphia): A fantastic interactive museum designed to help children learn through play.
• Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum (Southwest Philadelphia): See a collection of over 65 historically important racing sports cars.
• University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (West Philadelphia): Explore artifacts from ancient Egypt, China, Mesopotamia, and many other cultures around the world.

Past Museums

Some museums in Philadelphia have closed over the years. Here are a few:

• Peale's Philadelphia Museum (1784-1849)
• Curtis Center Museum of Norman Rockwell Art (closed 1997)
• National Philatelic Museum (1948-1959)
• Philadelphia Commercial Museum (closed 1994)
• Sweetbriar Mansion (closed 2014)
• Neon Museum of Philadelphia (closed 2022)

Images for kids

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  Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

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  The Philadelphia Museum of Art.