What to Do in Philly: 12 Must-See Philadelphia Museums

In a city like Philadelphia, one can actually feel a bit overwhelmed considering the museum scene and the embarrassment of riches found there. There are, for example, Philadelphia history museums (covering everything from the Revolutionary War to the history of Jewish Americans to the creation of the Constitution, and more), art museums, museums about medicine, about science, about natural history … plus a great many institutions dedicated to specific groups in Philly (Swedes! Mummers!), or even specific people. And happily, given our prime address in the heart of the city, Guild House Hotel, a boutique luxury hotel, is within walking distance—or a very short ride—to dozens of them.

So. Where to begin? Here, we’ve cultivated our own (highly subjective, deeply opinionated) list of 12 Philadelphia museums you simply can’t miss: some famous museums, some under-the-radar museums, some art, some history, some wildcards … it’s far from a comprehensive catalog of all the best Philadelphia museums, but nevertheless a pretty great place to start if you’re looking to soak in some Philly culture.

 

The museum: African American Museum in Philadelphia 

The draw: Ours is the first museum in a major American city to collect “and interpret the lives and work” of African Americans and people of the African diaspora. Four galleries and some 750,000 artifacts tell any number of stories of the Black American experience, from people in the Civil Rights movement to the Negro Baseball League to the arts, and beyond.

The bonus: The Liberty Bell sits just around the corner from this museum—a worth-it destination for folks interested in the many iterations of what seeking liberty has looked like in the U.S.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 1.5 miles

 

The museum: The Barnes Foundation 

The draw: No big deal here, just a national treasure with one of the world’s greatest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. Intimate, inspiring, quirky, one-of-a-kind, and packed with more Renoir than all of Paris. (Really!) There’s also loads of Matisse, Picasso, Degas, Van Gogh, Monet, and all your other favorites, displayed so accessibly you can actually see brushstrokes.

The bonus: The petite, pretty Rodin Museum sits just next door, with gorgeous gated grounds and, inside, a surprising number of bronzes, plasters and marbles from the French master.

The distance from G.H.: 1.5 miles

 

The museum: Eastern State Penitentiary

The draw: This historic penitentiary planted in what is now the middle of a residential Philly neighborhood offers an amazing guided tour, as well as an audio tour narrated by Steve Buscemi (!), during which you learn about life in the 19th century prison and hear stories that range from the heartbreaking and horrific to the fascinating. (To wit? Al Capone was briefly a prisoner in the 20th century; he decorated his cell with furniture, rugs, paintings and more. Today, the cell is part of the tour.) The point of the place is to “interpret the legacy of American criminal justice reform,” and it’s moving and memorable.

The bonus: At certain points during the year (summer, the holidays), ESP has been known to offer night tours, as well as a beer garden featuring mission-driven local businesses like Triple Bottom Brewing, Down North Pizza and The Monkey & The Elephant.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 1.8 miles

 

The museum: The Fabric Workshop and Museum

The draw: This cool little contemporary art museum featuring just about every type of medium you can think of is also a workspace with real live artists, plus special exhibits that run throughout the year. (And? It’s FREE … with a $5 suggested donation.)

The bonus: The gift shop sells real art. As the site notes, the Workshop’s artists-in-residence program has worked with the museum to create “special editions in a range of media, creating a trove of unique gifts.” In other words? Good shopping!

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 0.5 miles

 

The museum: Marian Anderson Historical Society and Museum

The draw: Okay, so this one comes with a small caveat: As of December 2021, this onetime home of and museum honoring the great Marian Anderson is still closed to the public. That’s thanks to a flood that damaged the home and displays this past year. (Hey, you can donate to the cleanup effort here!) If you plan a trip during the temporary closure, you can arrange for a virtual visit … or simply just walk by the humble abode of one of the great women in both Philadelphia and American history. (Well, really world history: You’ll recall, maybe, that conductor Arturo Toscanini called Anderson’s beautiful contralto “a voice heard once in a hundred years.”) When it’s open, the museum houses memorabilia and photos (among other things) from the singer and Civil Rights icon.

The bonus: You’re not terribly far from the Rosenbach (see below!), another small, cool Philly institution.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 1.1 miles

 

The Museum: Museum of the American Revolution 

The draw: This relatively new addition to the Philly museum scene offers a family-friendly, in-depth look at a moment in history that so defines this city and this country, telling the story of the Revolution through different groups of people who lived it. You can also see Washington’s tent, which served as his mobile headquarters.

The bonus: When you’re done at the museum, you can walk a couple of blocks over to Franklin Fountain, a favorite old-fashioned ice-cream parlor and soda fountain named for, yup, Ben Franklin. Loaded with charm and amazing treats.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 1.3 miles

 

The museum: Mütter Museum at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia 

The draw: A collection of medical artifacts and anatomical specimens that range from ancient old surgical tools to the cast and liver of conjoined twins to Grover Cleveland’s tumor to a (truly!) astounding nine-foot-long diseased colon. It’s surprisingly moving and striking in some parts, though not for the faint of heart. Meantime, the special exhibitions are almost always fascinating.

The bonus: The Mutter is but blocks away from the beautiful Ben Franklin Parkway, which isn’t just Philly’s version of the Champs-Élysées, but also home to PMA, the Barnes, the The Franklin Institute, the Rodin Museum, and the Academy of Natural Sciences.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 1.1 miles

 

The museum: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA)  

The draw: This famous school, which educated several members of the New Century Guild, offers an intimate, impressive look at a great deal of artwork, and the exhibitions, including the current “Women in Motion” exhibit, are worth the trip.

The bonus: Immediately next to PAFA is Claes Oldenberg’s renowned “Paint Torch” sculpture, the 51-foot paintbrush (and six-foot drop of “paint”) created to honor the act of creating art.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 0.8 miles

 

The museum: The Philadelphia Museum of Art

The draw: The grand dame of great Philly museums, the stunning PMA has more than 200 galleries spanning 2,000 years of art, with permanent collections ranging from Chinese ceramics to Persian carpets to Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings to the second-largest collection of armor in the U.S., and much (much, much!) more. It’s also home, famously, to the famous “Rocky” steps. Photo op!

The bonus: Even the grounds around the museum are art: The new, one-acre terraced Sculpture Garden is a lush oasis of calm, dotted with works of art, and surrounded by stunning views of the museum, the Schuylkill River, and famed landmarks like Water Works and Boathouse Row.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 2 miles

 

The museum: The Rosenbach Museum

The draw: This small museum in Philly’s Rittenhouse neighborhood is a tiny treasure built around Philly collector Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach. Here, you can see an original Ulysses manuscript, as well as letters from George Washington, the archives of Maurice Sendak, first editions of books by Phillis Wheatley, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Emily Dickenson and more … plus antique jewelry, objects and furniture.

The bonus: The Rosenbach is situated on Delancey Place, one of Philadelphia’s grandest streets with gloriously old, stunning residential real estate. And it’s just around the corner from Rittenhouse Square, a beautiful public park that was one of William Penn’s original five city squares.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 0.8 miles

 

The museum: Wagner Free Institute of Science 

The draw: If you are interested in life at the turn of the century—the era in which Guild House Hotel’s namesake New Century Guild was born—then you’ll like this c. 1855 North Philly museum specializing in Victorian-era science and natural history, complete with fossils, a saber-tooth tiger, dinosaur bones, stuffed birds and more. And as its name implies, the museum offers free admission.

The bonus: About a mile east of here is another under-the-radar gem: The Neon Museum of Philadelphia is exactly what it sounds like—150 neon displays, signs, clocks and more. It’s fun, with cool programming, too.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 2.5 miles

 

The museum: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History 

The draw: This beautiful museum devoted to the American Jewish experience is filled with fascinating displays and artifacts telling the stories of Jewish Americans over the course of the last couple hundred years. One favorite attraction? The museum’s Jewish History Hall of Fame, featuring Barbra Streisand, RBG, Sandy Koufax, Steven Spielberg, and more. (The museum is currently virtual admission only; keep your eyes peeled for its official in-person ropening!)

The bonus: Just up the street you can find the Bourse Food Hall, a collection of eateries where you can find everything from cheesesteaks to poke bowls to pour-over coffee. Also? You’re right across from the Independence Mall, with so many of the big destinations: Independence Mall, the Liberty Bell, the National Constitution Center (another excellent museum), the Independence Visitor’s Center and more.

The distance from Guild House Hotel: 1.2 miles