Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia is one of the leading cities in the US for museums, without question, as well as historical sites that are unparalleled. When it comes to art museums, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and The Barnes Museum hold their own against any museums in NYC, especially when it comes to the impressionist, post-impressionist, and cubism works of Monet, Renoir, Degas, Picasso, VanGogh, Matisse, Cezanne, Manet, and more.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art easily gets the award for the most popular museum BEFORE YOU EVER ENTER THE MUSEUM. At any time of day or night, there are people running up and down its stairs, as Sylvester Stallone iconically did in ROCKY. The statue of “Rocky”, dedicated during the third installment of the franchise, sits to the right of the stairs. Throughout every day, hundreds, if not thousands, of people line up to take a photo with the iconic Rocky statue. There’s even a book, which was published nearly two decades ago, about the millions of people who’ve run up and down those stairs, imitating “Rocky”, and celebrating jubilantly with their hands in the air, as the character did in most installments of the movie, as part of his training routine.

The Museum has works from every period of art, from Rembrandt to Rothko, Pollock, Miro, and Twombly. There’s days of the month where you can elect what to pay for admission, and heavily discounts for seniors, students, military members, and those receiving government assistance. You’ll need at least 2-3 hours minimum to make your way through the extraordinary museum. Wear comfortable shoes (especially for your highlight reel imitating “Rocky Balboa“. The artwork in its permanent collection is truly one of the greatest in the world. Throughout the year, there are exhibitions from across the world celebrating artists, subject matter, and time periods. The Museum is located at the end of the beautiful Benjamin Franklin Parkway, aligned with flags from every nation, sculptures, and beautiful landscaping. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is truly exceptional, and not to be missed!