Known locally as “The Art Museum,” it has been among the largest and most important museums in the United States since it opened in 1876. The Museum sits in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park at the west terminus of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and receives about 800,000 visitors annually. Though known for its collections of Thomas Eakins paintings and Pennsylvania German art, some recent special exhibitions at the Museum include Paul Cezanne in 1996 and Salvador Dali in 2005. Besides its architecture and collections, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is well known for its tall steps, known the “Rocky Steps” for their appearance in the film starring Sly Stallone. Due to overwhelming popularity and overflowing collections, it was announced in October of 6 that Frank Gehry will design an expansion to the museum entirely under the Rocky Steps that will not alter the Museum’s Greek revival façade. Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Website: www.philamuseum.org