Museums in Philadelphia

Eastern State Penitentiary is the ruins of the world's first true penitentiary, opened in 1829. Its crumbling cellblocks and imposing Gothic façade create one of the most atmospheric historic sites in America. Al Capone's restored cell is a highlight.

The Museum of the American Revolution opened in 2017 in Old City, housing an immersive collection of Revolutionary War artifacts anchored by George Washington's original headquarters tent — the very tent from which he commanded the Continental Army.

The Mütter Museum at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia houses a remarkable collection of medical anomalies, anatomical specimens, and antique medical instruments. Not for the faint of heart, it is one of the most unusual museums in America.

The Penn Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) holds one of the world's finest collections of archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, spanning every continent and over a million objects.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the largest and most important art museums in the United States, housing over 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years. The Greek Revival building on Fairmount is crowned by the famous "Rocky Steps."

The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest and most prominent science museums in the United States, named after Benjamin Franklin. Its hands-on exhibits span physics, earth science, and technology, anchored by the iconic Giant Heart walk-through.

The Rodin Museum holds the largest collection of Auguste Rodin's sculptures and drawings outside of Paris, housed in a 1929 Beaux-Arts building with a formal sculpture garden on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The Barnes Foundation holds one of the world's greatest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and early Modernist paintings, including 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, and 59 Matisses. The works are displayed in unique "wall ensembles" as arranged by founder Albert C. Barnes.