Philadelphia Commercial Museum facts for kids
The Philadelphia Commercial Museum was a unique place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that first opened its doors in 1895. It was also known as the International Bureau of Commerce. This museum had a big job: to help businesses in the United States trade with other countries. It also gathered products and information from all over the world to teach people about global trade. It was the very first institution in the U.S. to actively promote American industries and businesses to foreign markets.
The museum's main building was a grand, classical-style structure. It was located at 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard. This building was originally built for a big event called the 1899 National Export Exposition.
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History of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum
How the Museum Started
The idea for the museum came from a smart botanist named William P. Wilson. He was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1893, Professor Wilson visited the World's Columbian Exposition, a huge world's fair. He thought it would be a great idea to create a "permanent world's fair museum."
After the fair, he bought many of the exhibits. He then shipped them back to Philadelphia. The museum first opened in temporary locations. Four years later, in 1899, the museum's official building was ready and dedicated. William Pepper became the first president of the museum's board of trustees.
Amazing Collections from Around the World
The museum leased old offices from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. It then started collecting amazing exhibits from many different places. These included items from Latin America, Africa, Australia, Japan, and India. The museum soon had the largest permanent collection of raw products in the world. This collection helped people learn about resources from various countries.
William Pepper had an idea to place the Commercial Museum near the University of Pennsylvania Museum. This was similar to the famous South Kensington Museum in London. In 1896, the City Councils agreed to give the museum's trustees 16 acres of land. This land was for building the museum's permanent home.
Building the Museum and Its Funding
The buildings for the museum cost a lot of money to build, about $1,000,000. The U.S. Congress provided $300,000. This money came with the understanding that the buildings would become the Commercial Museum's home after the Export Exposition. The state of Pennsylvania gave $75,000, and the city of Philadelphia contributed $200,000. Other money came from people in Philadelphia and across the country who wanted to support the museum.
Later Years and Closure
In 1966, the museum changed its name. It became known as the Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center. After many years of educating people about global trade, the museum eventually closed. It shut its doors on July 1, 1994.
