Philadelphia Museum of Art
add photosThe Philadelphia Museum of Art is home to the famous Rocky steps as well as several famous pieces of art from paintings to sculpture, photography to textiles. The first Sunday of each month is "pay as you wish"
Be sure to check out the family activities for kids ranging from 3 years of age and up. Free guided tours are conducted hourly between 11:00 A.M.and 3:00 P.M. Tours are also available in foreign languages and sign language. The Museum Restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday through Sunday 11:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. and for dinner Wednesday 5:00 P.M.to 7:30 P.M. Sunday brunch is available from 11:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. The cafeteria is open 10:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Wheelchair accessible.
A visitor shuttle between the Perelman Building and the Museum's main building operates every 10–15 minutes Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m–5:00 p.m.
10 Reviews for Philadelphia Museum of Art
25
60 families found this helpful
"Incredible"
This is the one of the best attractions in Philadelphia if not the USA. The scope of the museum is very broad, the architecture intriguing, the exhibits massive and well presented. You will feel as if you are wondering through different countries in various time periods exploring everything from castles to pyramids. If you want to explore all exhibits, plan on a two day excursion. Public transportation makes the museum very easily accessable. Best suited for tweens, teens, and adults.
Send a Message 
Send a Compliment
It's helpful
0 families found this helpful
"Easy on the Eyes"
As one of the largest museums in the United States, the Philadelphia Museum of Art invites visitors from around the world to explore its renowned collections, acclaimed special exhibitions, and enriching programs, both in person and online. I was able to catch the Picasso exhibit a few months back. There were a lot of people, but definitely worth the wait. I enjoy the museum, but it is not a place for younger children. They were very bored.
0 families found this helpful
"Great day!"
We really enjoy spending a day at the Philadelphia art museum. The museum is very large so I suggest you try not to see all of the exhibits in one visit. Look at the museum map and pick a few exhibits then come back in a few months to see some more. Kids of all ages will enjoy a climb up the museum steps immortalized by the rocky movie.
0 families found this helpful
"Great exhibits"
I wuld recommend this for kids 8 and up. I would take them to specific exhibits or sectionsa nd not try to dot he whole thing at once. I like to play "scavenger hunt" with kids, who can find a picture that has at least four shades of blue in it. Who can find a picture of a dog laying on a bed, who painted the picture. MAke up questions regarding the type of exhibit. This museum is manageable with kids unlike the Met in NYC
0 families found this helpful
"Great exhibitions, great food"
We love to visit the art Museum. Out 2 year old loves to walk everywhere and he is amazed by the sizes and colors and textures of all the things he sees around him. Even though he's young, we can tell it's a great sensory experience for him. And the cafeteria, although not cheap, is wonderful.
0 families found this helpful
"Philadelphia Art Museum"
We took preschoolers here, which was not smart. Its so quiet and there are lots of "scary" pictures that the kids didn't like. Wait until kids are late elementary aged at least. In the meantime, try the Rodin Museum or something to teach them about art!
'10, '11
0 families found this helpful
"PMA for young kids? "
Unless you're coming during the Art after 5 on Fridays or during family Sundays, I'd only bring kids 6 and up.
I recently took my toddler and cousin to the Philadelphia Museum of Art during their Art after 5, Friday event and we all had a blast. He sat entranced by the the jazz music and was in love with the drummer. Between sets, we had ample time to exploring the different galleries of PMA. We weren't able to cover it all, but got to see just the right amount for a toddler. However, if we were here just to look at art, I think he would have only lastest an hour at most.
If you've got kids ages 5-10, picked up a self-guided tour book at the front desk. If your kid's younger, I'd still pick it up for ideas on how to engage them with the museum's artwork. My 2 year old had fun trying to locate the different pieces of artwork printed in the tour book. The staff and all the security folks are quite kid-friendly and understanding. Some even helped us find the various pieces of artwork we were hunting for in the African American Stories in Art.
The food served during the Jazz was quite delicious although small in size. We ordered the grilled salmon with corn salsa on a bed of greens which my son promptly demolished except for the black beans.
Family Sunday Fun days have some free reading and art classes that are available on a drop-in basis, but space is limited. The museum also provides art classes for kids of various ages, but all require pre-registration and the classes come in blocks of 10, so get ready to commit.
Parking - Expensive, so try to come via public transportation. If you're driving, check for a free parking spot alongside the museum driveway first. You might get lucky.
As mentioned before, don't miss out on running the Rocky steps. You'll get your kids rising up to the challenge against the backdrop of Philadelphia's Ben Franklin Parkway and the Logan Square fountain. My toddler couldn't get enough of it.
Overall, lots of fun. Would be nice to have a dedicated area for hands-on learning about the world of art that's available to kids all the time to help them engage with art directly.
______________
This review is based on a complimentary press pass from the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Board.
0 families found this helpful
"Art smart"
Grab your teen and run up the steps to the Museum of Art, just like Rocky Balboa did in the film, "Rocky." Then, when they're out of breath, take them inside the museum. The architecture of the Museum itself is a thing to behold, and you're sure to see some recognizable art. Often, the museum has really good traveling exhibits that are worth seeing. You and your teen will get a nice dose of "culture" as well as some terrific walking exercise.
0 families found this helpful
"Great museum"
This is a fantastic museum to take children to. It is very large, with so many great exhibits. You can easily spend an entire day exploring the museum. They always have great special exhibits. It is also very spacious, making it easier for the little ones. We have never been disappointed here!
0 families found this helpful
"Dont' miss the Arms and Armor collection"
At the far end of the parkway, on the other side of Eakins Oval, are some steps that many people will recognize. Who can forget that memorable scene from Rocky when the boxer runs up all these steps? But the collection inside the Philadelphia Museum of Art is even more memorable—with a permanent collection of some 300,000 works, including one of the largest and most important collections of European art in the United States.
The art museum takes a somewhat unusual approach, juxtaposing the painting, sculpture, furniture, ceramics, textiles, and architectural elements from the same period to convey a sense of that time. The museum is also known for its outstanding collection of rural Pennsylvania crafts and works by Thomas Eakins. We know a seven-year-old boy who could spend all day in the Arms and Armor collection.
The art museum’s neo-classical facade stands at the end of Benjamin Franklin Parkway at Twenty-sixth Street, within walking distance (unless your children’s legs are very short) of the Franklin Institute, Free Library of Philadelphia, Please Touch Museum, Logan Circle, and other parkway sites.
“Something every Sunday” is how the museum describes its family activities. Different programs are offered, usually on a walk-in basis, for families with children ages three to thirteen. Most of the programs take place on Sunday at 10:15 A.M. or 1:30 P.M. Programs range from storytelling to hands-on art activities, with titles like Tales and Treasures, Try a Technique, and Gallery Games. Many of these programs are free, and the rest require a small free. Accompanying adults are free.
Children especially like the Japanese teahouse, Chinese palace hall, and the thirteenth-century French cloister. Every day of the week you can pick up a family-oriented self-guided tour brochure at the West Information Desk. The museum’s automated information line is (215) 684–7500.
For information about family activities and children’s art classes, call (215) 684–7605. Wheelchair accessible, with changing tables in the restrooms.
What's Nearby? Hotels » Activities »
Find Hotels near Philadelphia Museum of Art »
Find Activities near Philadelphia Museum of Art »
Find Restaurants near Philadelphia Museum of Art »
Get the inside scoop from parents who have been there!
