Who doesn't like free? Throw in some art and history, and you got me. After a day of walking…read morearound and standing in lines to see other sites, I just walked right in here and went about the exhibits at my own pace. I realize that as I am writing this, this may not be open to the public because of the uptick in the new wave. The main exhibit in here is the 'People of Independence.' Which gives you a glimpse of how things were back in those times. The description states something along the lines of "those that prized order and reason" while living in a world or disease, slavery, and the unknown. Oh, if they only knew. The building itself was an amazing piece of art itself. High ceilings, original fixtures, and your typical looking bank building. They have made a few upgrades to the building, but overall it looks like how it was intended to look. Like I said, I went at my own pace here to take in what I wanted, when I wanted. Be aware of the other people in here, some of them will attempt to push you along. Just stand your ground and you will discover a bit of history that you were unaware of.

Hidden Gem in Old City…read more If you are planning a trip to Philadelphia, I highly recommend adding this stop on your spots to visit. It is free and has many portraits of prominent figures that worked on building what we call America today. This location only recently reopened possibly due to government funding being low on certain venues. We were running a few minutes late for the 1pm tour and asked one of the workers there if we missed the deadline and he replied, " you guys are the tour as you are the only ones who showed up for it"! Hey, works for us lol. After stopping here, you have many spots in the immediate surrounding area you can head to. I recommend if you are coming from out of town to spend at least a week in the city and don't forget to try a Philly cheesesteak, a Philly soft pretzel, and a water ice! As always people SYOY!!!

I come here all the time for First Fridays and it's honestly one of my favorite small museums in…read morePhiladelphia. The fact that it's generally free makes it even better. What I really appreciate is how often they rotate the exhibits on the first floor. It gives you a reason to keep coming back because there's usually something new to see. The second floor houses the permanent collection, which is thoughtfully curated and showcases just how creative artists can be when working with wood and natural materials. The pieces range from traditional woodworking to contemporary art that really pushes the boundaries of what you expect from the medium. Some are incredibly intricate, others are playful, and some are just plain impressive. It always makes me stop and look a little longer than I planned. The gift shop is also dangerous for my wallet. It's filled with beautiful handcrafted wood pieces, jewelry, home goods, and small art objects that feel more like gallery pieces than souvenirs. Every time I walk through, I find something I want to take home. If money were no object, I'd probably buy half the store. The staff are consistently friendly and welcoming too, which adds to the experience and makes the space feel approachable. It's definitely a niche museum, but that's exactly what makes it special. There aren't many places dedicated to this kind of art, and it's fascinating to see how artists transform wood, fiber, and other natural materials into something completely unexpected. Always a fun visit and one of those hidden gems I find myself coming back to again and again.

The Museum for Art in Wood in Old City is a fun little museum. It's free to visit (although they…read moresuggest a $5 donation), so it's great short stop if you're in the area. It is - as the name suggests - a museum dedicated to art made from wood. There are bowls and vases and sculptures and trinkets and furniture and more. Some of the pieces are beautiful. Some of the pieces made me laugh or smile. And they have a great shop. But since the museum is small and free, I'd suggest popping into the museum, not just the shop. A quirky little art museum, worth fitting into your Old City itinerary if you need a break from revolutionary history, early American history, and the Constitution!

Outstanding representative contemporary fine art gallery with some abstract shows recently. Great,…read morehonest, reliable service in this Philadelphia institution. You do have to search for the door to the second floor of this well lit gallery on 16th Street near Sansom Street.

I have personally visited and acquired art from this gallery…read more But, don't let the gallery name, Works on Paper, deceive you in to thinking that this venue offers only drawings and prints. The gallery also has a diverse inventory of original paintings and sculptural objects. And, there is no reason to travel to Chelsea, NY as the gallery specializes in emerging and contemporary art in a spectrum of both media and artistic styles. The space is conveniently located in the heart of Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square amid the bustle of Walnut Street, directly above American Apparel. The gallery space is large and open with natural light and a constantly changing exhibition of contemporary masters (Andy Warhol, Richard Serra, Chuck Close, Richard Diebenkorn, James Rosenquist, Jasper Johns, Sean Scully and Sol Lewitt, et al) and contemporary artists whose name and history should be more household but is more broadly museum-based (e.g., Toby Kahn). According to the the gallery owner, Works on Paper publishes, distributes and trades important Print editions and is also vested in developing the next generation of important artists ranging from abstract to street-based to post modern landscapes to architectural interiors, all in a variety of media. The gallerist, Evan Slepian, is ideally suited for his profession - he is immediately likeable, recognizably passionate, intellectually knowledgeable and connected to the American and European art community. Mr. Slepian is conversant on the subject of his art and artists without being condescending and his pricing is comparatively reasonable with fine and collectible art ranging from offerings of a few hundred dollars to a million plus. This top floor gallery is a top notch space with inventory worth exploring like any great public, private or museum collection. Keep your eyes open when visiting, it's easy to be overwhelmed and miss an exotic desktop object or small canvas casually placed as if in your private home. Highest of recommendations.

This is such a great gallery!…read more It's in a prime location in Rittenhouse Square, right next to the Apple Store and above American Apparel. It's easy to miss it as it's on the top floor, but once you find it, you'll be happy you did. Lots of interesting artwork there, and displayed very well. Even the restrooms are adorned with some gems - including a few Shepard Fairey pieces you can't help but love.

High 5 Gallery is one of those cool new art spaces that I've known about for a little over a year,…read morebut took awhile to get to. But it's hard not to appreciate and get behind an art gallery that's owned by a talented female artist who works hard to set up monthly shows that follow a unique theme and feature some incredible local artists who aren't readily featured in other area galleries. That moment finally came when I went to see Off White, an intriguing exhibit that exclusively featured artist of color, and included my friend TelenitArt (https://www.facebook.com/telenitart/). Not only was it an impressive show that showcased a good range of artists who worked with several different mediums, but I was also impressed with how the bulk of the artists were on hand to answer questions and give tours of their work. This month's show left me in absolute of of the Pen & Stencil pop art of street artist KC Grummun, who gives historical figures and Rocky Balboa a punk rock twist among other things.But toss in other shows like the open house exhibit for the Women's Caucus for Philadelphia Art, and it shows their commitment towards bridging the artistic gap.

This is the kind of place where, if you are in the high-end modern art pieces, funky high-end…read moresculptures or just the NYC-esc design world; then you are amazed CerealArt is in Philadelphia. If you have no idea what CerealArt is, just be glad it's in Philly. Trust me, it ups our reputation and gives us a great name. (For it's caliber and design clout, it should be in SoHo). This place carries some of the most amazing pieces from designers and artists from Japan to Sweden. There are tons of MOMA-esce wares here and lots of Red Dot award-winning pieces.

Fun place with cool modern, pop culture kind of art. Find stuff from hot artists like Marcel Dzama…read moreand Yoshitomo Nara. It's definitely consumer art, as they sell 'multiples,' meaning you don't get an original work of art but an item designed by the artist or featuring work from the artist. But that's not always a bad thing. If you like Giant Robot, you'll find CerealArt interesting. Oh, how I wish Philly had a GR store....

I came across here when Gemini Wolf had their CD release show in it about a month ago, and I was…read moredefinitely impressed by the art that was inside it. Not only will you find all kinds of art that you will like, you will also find plenty of art that you can afford, which is pretty rare for a Philly art gallery. While there were a few pieces that went for $100 or more, a lot of them also went for $50 or less. So you will definitely find something good to add onto your wall. Art@Sophi also has the occasional incredible concert, or art party that is always worth checking out.

Pretty neat museum. Only been in it a few times…read more I usually go to the playground that is on the same premises and my daughter loves it. When it comes to the museum it's pretty interesting, but their are only certain hours. You'd have to check the times beforehand to make sure they are open.

As the story goes, Joseph willed Burholme to his second wife, Anne and upon her death, son Robert…read more Upon Joseph's death, Robert and stepmother Anne moved back to Burholme, then adding to the home a parlor and library. Just months before Robert's death he married his housekeeper, Mary Ann Reed. Robert left her Burholme, with stipulations stating the estate (Burholme), be turned over to the city to be used as a park, museum, and library. After Robert's death, Mary Ann remarried, continued to travel and collect items, from around the world. The museum is free and open Friday - Sunday. This isn't the average museum. It's less pictures and more, statues, trinkets, artifacts, books, and so on. Throughout the collection you see the traveller; the passion for collecting is evident. The eclectic collection makes you wonder about life in the past, their friends abroad, and their legacy to allow us into their world of wonder.