Memorial Hall (Philadelphia) facts for kids
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Memorial Hall
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Home of the Please Touch Museum
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 Location in Philadelphia
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | West Fairmount Park 4231 Avenue of the Republic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131 |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1876 |
| Architect | Herman J. Schwarzmann |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001665 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 8, 1976 |
| Designated NHL | December 8, 1976 |
Memorial Hall is a beautiful building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is located in West Fairmount Park. This building was designed in a style called Beaux-Arts. It was built in 1876 to be an art gallery for a big event called the Centennial Exposition.
Memorial Hall is special because it's the only main building from that huge exhibition that is still standing today. For many years, it was home to the Pennsylvania Museum of Industrial Art. This museum is now known as the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Since October 18, 2008, Memorial Hall has been the home of the Please Touch Museum. This museum is a fun place for children to learn and play. In 1976, Memorial Hall was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States. You can find the building west of the Schuylkill River.
Contents
Building History and Design
Memorial Hall was designed by Herman J. Schwarzmann. He was the chief engineer for the Fairmount Park Commission. This building is an early example of the grand and detailed Beaux-Arts architecture style in the United States. It cost about $1.5 million to build. That was a lot of money back then!
The building was made without wood, which was very new for the time. This made it fireproof. The outside of Memorial Hall is made of granite. Inside, you can see beautiful marble and fancy plaster decorations.
The building is about 365 feet (111 m) long and 210 feet (64 m) wide. It has a basement and a ground floor. Its most famous part is a large iron and glass dome, which is 150 feet (46 m) tall. On top of the dome is a 23-foot-tall (7.0 m) statue of Columbia. Columbia is a poetic symbol for the United States. She holds a laurel branch, which means victory. At the corners of the dome, there are four statues. They represent important things like industry, business, farming, and mining. Memorial Hall even inspired the design of the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany!
The Centennial Exposition of 1876
Building Memorial Hall started on July 6, 1874. It was finished just in time for the opening ceremony on May 10, 1876. Ulysses S. Grant, who was the President of the United States, officially opened the building. He was joined by members of Congress and the Supreme Court. Even Emperor Pedro II of Brazil was there!
The Centennial Exposition lasted from May to November. Almost ten million people visited Memorial Hall during this time. Memorial Hall was built to show off art exhibits from around the world. So many artworks were sent that another building had to be built just for them! A separate building was also made for photography displays. Memorial Hall was one of over 200 buildings built in Fairmount Park for the exposition.
Life After the Exposition
After the Centennial Exposition ended, Memorial Hall reopened in 1877. It became the museum part of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art. The building closed in 1928 when the Philadelphia Museum of Art opened in a new location.
Later, the Fairmount Park Commission used the building for its offices starting in 1958. For a while, the hall was even used as a police station. It also had a gym and a swimming pool in different parts of the building.
On December 8, 1976, Memorial Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places. By the year 2000, the building was in need of repair. It was mostly used to store art. The Fairmount Park Commission looked for a new group to help fix up the building. In 2005, the Please Touch Museum signed an 80-year lease. They started big renovations to restore the hall to its original beauty.
Special Events and Uses
Music Recordings
In the 1980s and 1990s, the famous Philadelphia Orchestra made many recordings inside Memorial Hall. They recorded in a basketball court that was set up there. The orchestra's usual home, the Academy of Music, wasn't good enough for recordings. Memorial Hall had better sound for their music.
Remembering Richie Ashburn
In September 1997, a special viewing was held at Memorial Hall. It was for Richie Ashburn, a beloved former baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was also a long-time sports announcer. After he passed away, hundreds of thousands of people came to Memorial Hall to pay their respects. They walked by his casket in the Grand Hall.
The Please Touch Museum Today
In 2005, the Please Touch Museum started an $85-million project to make Memorial Hall its new home. The museum officially opened its doors to the public on October 18, 2008. Today, the eastern lawn outside Memorial Hall is used by the Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia. This team plays vintage base ball games using rules from 1864!
Gallery
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Ground plan of Art Gallery and Annex (1876).
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Nearing completion (March 7, 1876).
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East facade
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Southwest vestibule
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Rotunda
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Statue near entrance
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Beaux-Arts doorway
See also
In Spanish: Memorial Hall para niños
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Philadelphia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in West Philadelphia
- Ohio House - the Ohio state exhibit for the Centennial, which is also still standing
- Centennial comfort stations - two comfort stations, which are also still standing
