The Philadelphia Museum of Art has one of my favorite balances in the city: it feels grand,…read morecosmopolitan, and genuinely important, yet somehow never intimidating. My art knowledge is limited, but the museum has a way of making curiosity feel like enough, whether I'm wandering through the galleries, people watching, browsing the excellent store, grabbing something at the café, or bringing our daughter to the terrific kids' areas. The building and its setting at the end of the Parkway are spectacular, and the staff consistently bring a warmth and approachability that feels distinctly Philadelphian. I also enjoy simply passing it on a run or walk and seeing it presiding over this beautiful part of the city. Friday evenings may be my favorite way to experience it. The happy hours are a fantastic deal, parking is deeply discounted, and there is something wonderfully civilized about having a glass of rosé or two in a world-class museum while a cool, diverse crowd settles in for the evening. We brought our daughter with us, and she felt completely welcome, which says a lot about what the museum gets right: sophistication without stiffness, culture without exclusion. One of Philadelphia's great institutions, and one I feel lucky to have nearby. Très bien!

Nice museum to see a bunch of paintings and history. The prices are $30 for an adult, $28 for a…read moresenior (65+ years old), $14 for a student with valid ID, and $0 for those 18 years old and younger. The fountain out front was turned off. Inside is a ton of American history. Also, Japanese art, European art, and well pretty much art all around the world. Oh, and I love all of the Japanese samurai stuff. It's so cool seeing the armor warriors wore way back in the day when going into battle. Claude Monet, Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, amongst plenty of other famous artists have paintings here. We probably spent 90 minutes to 2 hours in here. That was enough for us. A fun way to start your morning.

An ad for this museum came up in my Instagram feed and I'm glad it did. I put it on my list when I…read morewas visiting Philly recently. This is more like a house than a museum and the walls are filled with art from top names in the art world. I had a very nice but rushed visit cause I was trying to visit the Philly art museum before it closed as well. Next time I'll take more time. Cezanne, Manet and Picasso. The staff was nice to deal with too.

Beautiful museum- the tickets are pricey but it's a great experience. We loved their collection of…read moreMatisse and Renoir paintings. There's also a great temporary exhibit running through August of 2026 called Freedom Dreams on the main level that's very moving.

A wholly original and beautiful little spot with an incredible story behind it. Really cool to see…read morehow one man's vision endured against long odds and now has left a great space for other artists to share their work too. The gift shop also has great, unique stuff. Worth making a little trip here and strolling the neighborhood to see the vendors and Isaiah's other work nearby. Pro tip: Get your ticket in the gift shop and don't worry about timed entry!

We love quirky places like this. There are a number of these "weird" art installations in our home…read morestate of Wisconsin so we knew we had to visit this when in Philadelphia. We bought timed ticks online a couple of weeks in advance - with our reciprocal museum membership we got free admission. The history of this place and the artist who created it is fascinating. There is so much to see in each area and around each corner. It's easy to miss stuff. Don't forget to walk around the block to see the exteriors of nearby buildings. They have all been given the "mosaic" treatment! We were here a bit under one hour. Definitely worth a stop!

A hidden gem that a lot of people miss even though it is right on the Parkway! The Thinker is out…read morefront and can be viewed without entering. The museum is small but has lots of Rodin's work. It is a beautiful building. The gardens are also lovely to walk through with a nice fountain and reflecting pool in the front.

This was one of the greatest surprises I've had in the city…read more We came on a day where it was paid as you wish. A very tall kindhearted gentleman greeted us at the front door so splendidly. He was so welcoming. I was so glad because I had so many questions !! I really walked into this place knowing of only The Thinker. I was so happy to find out that there was a guided tour today! Her name was Patricia and she really had such a passion and extensive knowledge for Rodin! We looked at all the pieces on the inside, first which was pretty wise because we were introduced two characters, we were going to see in one of the largest pieces outside! One of the largest pieces inside is called the kiss. You can't miss it. It's white a couple is embracing.. The guy took us outside and showed us where that couple is also featured in the big door. But this time they're not kissing -they're having a different experience together. It really goes through all the struggles one may have in life, the ups and downs. Twisting bodies. It was delightful to learn!! And Rodin also had ups and downs. We also had a chance to hang out and sketch a little afterwards! I bought some postcards ! What a wonderful collection I now own. There was a pride and groom, getting their picture taken in the garden, outside. It really is a beautiful space. It's nice to explore all the grounds. It's easy to do. I'm very thankful for all the wonderful staff that took care of us so well. Thank you for making such a delightful trip to see Rodin's wonderful art. I would definitely come back !!!

I took my children to the Franklin Institute and overall felt the price of the ticket was worth it…read more However, as a teacher, I was dismayed that the newer exhibits (Wonderous Space and Body Odessey) were very screen-heavy with an emphasis on watching videos and clicking. The few hands-on experiences were very popular (the Giant Heart, the Asteroid) and for good reason. I'm sure the exhibits were expensive, but I would love to see a return to more tactile learning for a child-centered museum. The older exhibits like Sir Isaac's Loft, Sports Zone, and Amazing Machines were great for young kids. There were so many engaging opportunities for hands-on exploration. The Science Live Shows were wonderful (we saw Liquid Air and Combustion) and both presenters were very funny and engaging. We spent about 2.5 hours there and could have stayed longer!

When trying to find something to do with my niece who was visiting me last weekend, this came to…read moremy. Because she just finished up a STEM camp for kids back home and her just liking to see/do new things, decided to take her here. Glad I did because she had a blast! We didn't get a chance to see the new Universal Theme park/studios exhibit, but she loved everything else - walking through the heart, the space exhibit where she looked up at the stars and tried to figure out how she would jump in another planet's atmosphere, etc. Great time and look forward to coming back in the future!

What a fabulous tour and place. The only reason why I knew about this temple was because of the…read moremovie national treasure. when I was looking up things to do in Philadelphia, this populated. From the outside, it looks like a church a small church but on the inside, it is immaculate, ginormous and just all in all beautiful. You do have to do a tour that's the only way to see the facility which we did. We got there around 10:30 and then we just booked a tour for the 11 o'clock. They gave the history, they talked about the architectural, their charity work, and the facilities also used for weddings, photo shoots, etc... but so fun we really enjoyed it. This is probably one of our favorite highlights of our Philadelphia trip.

After having it on my list for a while, I finally took a tour of the Masonic Temple with my husband…read moreand some friends yesterday. It was worth waiting for. Right across from the Philadelphia City Hall, the Masonic Temple serves as the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. It's a huge building and - wow - is it maximalist! Our tour was a little over an hour, and I recommend booking ahead (a group walked in just in front of us and hoped to buy tickets for the tour about to start, only to learn that it was sold out). Our tour guide was knowledgable (but told us when she didn't know the answer to a question because the Masons are secretive and keep a lot of facts about what occurs in the Lodge to themselves). The architecture is really stunning and there's so much to see: incredible plasterwork, grand staircases, murals, and more! Photography without flash is allowed throughout the tour, and I took about a million photographs. The Temple has a fascinating history, and the architecture and decor made my jaw drop a few times. Definitely worth visiting if you live in or are visiting Philadelphia.

I visit museums without pre-conceived notions, reading reviews generally after the fact. PAFA --…read moreas it's known -- is a good one. Founded in 1805 the academy is the first school and museum of fine arts in the United States. The historic landmark building is closed for renovations with three stories of exhibits now housed in their Hamilton Building (which is NOT named for Alexander!) Several things impacted me: the galleries are wide open, light and airy. A pleasure to walk through. A number of items from the Atwater Kent collection -- formerly the Philadelphia History Museum -- are on display. The diverse collection ranges from baseball, department stores (Wanamakers, anyone?), civil rights ... the list goes on. There is student and alumni art for sale and casts of Greek and Roman antiquity located in an active student workspace. As with most museums, exhibits change. The gift store with its friendly proprietor, is as good as any I've been to. A beautifully curated collection, and after Thanksgiving, I believe everything is discounted 30% for the holidays.

The PAFA collection in the renovated 1800s building is amazing!! We really enjoyed the extensive…read moregalleries

WHAT A BLAST. We came here for my birthday kind of ironically because online we saw reels saying it…read morewas the "weirdest museum ever," and thought it would be kind of funny/maybe even creepy. Little did we know it was actually FASCINATING; it was so fun to admire every last piece in the museum. The tram guide was great, the pre-recorded audio is helpful and interesting, and the collection is so varied and extensive that you can't help but love it. The pipe organs - fabulous. The walkable "toy box" collection was great after the tram. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone - it was soooo fun.

What a fun thing to do! We didn't know what to expect and want to say we all really enjoyed the…read moreexperience! Admission was reasonable and enjoyed the self-guided part while waiting for the next tram departure time. There was everything you could imagine - except one thing! A TELEX MACHINE (which I used to operate). When I asked the staff if they had one none of them even knew what I was talking about (early 20's)! We took the tram tour and really enjoyed it. The tram moved at a nice pace so you could really take in everything. So much to see - everywhere. It was a really fun way to spend a few hours on a rainy day! But I urge you to visit rain or shine!

With our North American Reciprocal Museum (ROAM) membership, entry to The Mütter was free. I…read morerecommend the museum for those interested in medical science. Preserved specimens dating back nearly two centuries ago are there for viewing and learning. There are a couple rooms that seem to rotate exhibits from today on the first floor. The upper level seems to be reserved as a meeting / reception area, within what may formerly was a medical library. Interesting.

I came here once in high school and again recently for its community day where it was free…read moreadmission (normally $20 for a ticket). The mutter museum used to be a collection for private medical education at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Their main exhibit is the area with red carpet where you can go downstairs and look at all of the displays of human remains, replicas, and health information. They definitely break it down for non health professions to understand. There's a lot of fascinating things that they have preserved and displayed. They also have the Franklin garden, art therapy room, and legionnaires "Philly killer" exhibit. They do have a mini gift store at the front if you want to pop in. Because it is a small museum, I think you could go through the entire museum in about 1.5 hours if you read everything and looked at every exhibit.

I was enthralled with Woodmere before setting foot inside. The museum is housed on six acres in a…read more19th century stone mansion, surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful statuary. Before going home I sat on the verandah, imagining what it must have been like to live there. The museum is dedicated to the art of Philadelphia. I was captivated by local artists I never before heard of. One of my favorites is Edith Neff. (See the swimming pool painting I posted.) The photography exhibit with works by Harvey Finkle, captured the humanity of political and social justice movements. It resonated with me. And then there's the children's gallery. The current exhibit, "Walk in the Rainforest" was created by young artists, and runs through October 27th. The museum is relatively small. Take in the architecture and the beautiful chandeliers, which I guess are original to the house. Docent-led tours are available and the museum hosts "Friday Night Jazz," with tickets available on line.

What a great little museum nestled in the neighborhood!…read more Love this area and it's a nice establishment to come explore! We got here on a nice sunny day and there was plenty of parking on site. Inside, there's some twist and turns and cool exhibits in each direction. It's a small museum that you can definitely spend a few hours in. We got here when one of the visiting artists was giving a presentation - so cool! His works were on display in the main gallery and it was great to hear his story and also chat about his work. Definitely worth the hike out of the city for a little art and culture within the woods! Enjoy!