Philadelphia Museum of Art Museum

Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA

Website: https://philamuseum.org

Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00am-5:00pm (hours and late nights vary; check website)

Admission: Adult $25 (general admission); discounts for seniors/students; Philadelphia-area residents may have special programs (check site)

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a large encyclopedic art museum located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. It is a major regional museum known for its broad collections and the monumental approach from the parkway.

Collections span European masterworks, American art, Asian decorative arts and modern and contemporary works, presented in a multi-wing museum building with rotating special exhibitions. The wide exterior staircase leading to the main entrance is an iconic viewing and photo location often associated with the museum.

The museum grew from 19th-century civic art collections and was developed into its current monumental building during the early 20th century, expanding its galleries and holdings over the decades to become a comprehensive art institution. Its collections have been built through acquisitions, gifts and long-term loans.

The museum sits at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a cultural corridor in central Philadelphia that connects the city center to Fairmount Park and several other museums and civic institutions.

• Rocky Steps fame: The exterior steps leading to the museum are popularly known as the “Rocky Steps” and include a widely photographed approach used in popular culture.

What to See#

• Rocky Steps: The museum’s main steps on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, popularly known as the “Rocky Steps,” a wide exterior staircase that leads to the museum entrance and is a frequent photo spot.
• Permanent and special exhibition galleries: Galleries that cover European, American and Asian art, along with special exhibition spaces and period rooms.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art sits at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It’s directly served by SEPTA bus routes that run the Parkway (including Route 38) and is about 1-2 miles northwest of Center City/City Hall (a short drive or a 15-25 minute walk). There is on‑site and nearby parking; regional rail riders can walk or take a short bus/taxi from Suburban Station or 30th Street Station.

• Visit on weekday mornings or late afternoons to see major galleries with fewer visitors; peak crowds cluster around midday and weekend afternoons.
• If you want to see the famed steps and skyline view, combine a short outdoor stop at the Rocky Steps with a museum visit - the parkway and nearby Rodin Museum make for an easy multi-site outing.
• Reserve timed-entry for special exhibitions in advance; allow extra time for the European and American collections, which are spread across multiple wings.