Very happy to see the gardens and inside of the museum…read more The security in the front desk staff were welcoming and so helpful. The weather was perfect for getting to enjoy the outside of the museum. Make sure when you come you get a nice tour from the knowledgeable docent . Of course you can enjoy the museum without one. They had a very nice gift shop! I got a pair very cute green socks ! I heard that one of the pieces was going to be changed out for another, so I was happy to look at each piece today !!! I'd like to come back!

I enjoy Calder's work and was excited to hear he'd get a museum on the parkway. I joined the Barnes…read moreto get early access! The space is beautiful, and once the Gardens fill in it will look so different. It's a place to visit with the changing seasons. I love the art, the building, the gardens. It's a good place to bring visitors. But so much of the layout, the plants and the art is presented without comment. That can be good and bad. As a curious person, I want to know more. I wish there was information or a book with statements from the landscape architect, the building architect, and the curator. Everything seems quite deliberate but I don't understand why.

The Rodin Museum is one of those places that makes Philadelphia feel unusually rich culturally:…read moreintimate enough to drop into, yet substantial enough to feel transporting every time. We love it for many of the same reasons we love the Barnes next door. However, the mood is completely different: older, more classical, and distinctly European, with the formal garden and beautiful building framing Rodin's work perfectly. I have visited the Musée Rodin in Paris, housed in the extraordinary Hôtel Biron near Saint-Germain, and seeing his work in that historic house is unforgettable; Philadelphia's museum captures some of that same intimacy in its own way. Its location along the Parkway, beside the Barnes and between the Art Museum and Center City, makes this entire stretch one of my favorite parts of Philadelphia. Summer may be when we love the Rodin most, especially during the happy hours in the garden. We come with our kids when the weather cooperates, enjoy delicious food and wine, people-watch, and watch the grounds turn into a relaxed, genuinely social gathering where everyone seems to be having fun. It is spacious enough to feel festive and welcoming enough that bringing young children never feels awkward. We are always proud to bring visitors here because it shows off our city so beautifully. Great art, a magnificent setting, and a summer evening full of people simply enjoying Philadelphia make the Rodin feel like one of the city's great gifts.

There was no way I was going to miss this gem of a museum. I was somehow able to convince my…read morehusband that it's not your typical art museum with hours and hours of gallery walk throughs. It's a large but centralized collection of Auguste Rodin's sculpture at its finest. It's all displayed in one beautiful building that was built to enhance his art in an indoor and garden setting. It's a "Pay What You Wish" museum. It doesn't matter what day you visit. Just keep in mind that it's closed on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The suggested fee is $15 for adults. You can also take that amount off your admission to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) by showing the Rodin admission receipt. Basically, the Rodin Museum is included when you purchase a ticket to the PMA. I must admit that the highlight for me was actually outside in the sculpture garden, which is free to the public. The bronze "Gates of Hell" doors are not to be missed. I'd only seen the plaster cast of it when visiting the Musee D'Orsay with my mother. I remember how impressive it was back then. The bronze doors from the cast are even more impressive. There is so much detail. There are also many larger than life sculptures as you walk through the arch and garden. "The Burghers of Calais" bronze sculpture was another big highlight. Just look at the detail and size of these sculpted hands. It's totally worth a visit no matter how you gain access. It's such a beautiful place. Don't miss it!

Went to the 2nd annual Philly Cocktail Fest had a blast yet again. They host 2 different time…read moresessions. Ticket was $50 and I got to try 15 different bars/restaurants that participated along with other side vendors. Congrats to Jerry's Bar winning back to back years

My friends suggested that we stop by the Punk Rock Flea Market, which was held at the armory…read more Hey - why not? An armory is a perfect place for a DIY punk show, so why couldn't one host a flea market? The event was a success. There were plenty of vendors who were selling everything from old vinyl to thrift clothing to homemade artwork and more - all with a punk rock attitude. The venue itself is a-ok. It's obviously an old military armory, complete with a few military artifacts. I'm not sure if it's still used for military purposes, however its website advertises it can be rented out for corporate expos, tradeshows, weddings and other events. There's plenty of space for all these things, though not many bells and whistles. A note - the bathrooms are downstairs. I didn't see an elevator, so you may want to inquire about one if you think your guests may need it.

This is a gem of a gallery that features an eclectic mix of pieces. It's run by a co-op and I love…read morethat the artists are often the ones working there. Everyone is always warm and welcoming and the pieces are interesting and well priced. They participate in the first Friday exhibitions too. Make it a point to stop by and specifically check out the pieces by Joe Klaus - stunning! I've got one of his originals in my home and highly recommend.

I still don't get why they kept the 3rd Street name after they moved. But 3rd street is a pretty…read moresolid gallery that offers a lot of diverse art displays that are generally exclusive to Philadelphia. And it's been doing so for awhile. Last months display featured works of art that were themed after horses. There were ink drawings, paintings, and full sized statues that were made out of sticks in honor of them. A couple other themes from the past year have included dragons, and familiar Philadelphia structures that were redesigned to look like fortresses. This month's display featured the awesome art of John James Pron. PHILApocalypse was pretty much multimedia artworks of famous Philly landscapes being destroyed, but pretty much done in dark and amusing fashion. Picture the Waterworks by the Art Museum getting flooded and people surfing during it. Or people camping out in the Academy Of Music while Philly goes underwater, or Spring Garden becoming a desolate wasteland. It's definitely worth checking out.

The Barnes Foundation is one of my favorite complements to the larger Philadelphia Museum of Art…read morebecause it feels so manageable without sacrificing any sense of significance. The collection is extraordinary, and the story of Albert Barnes and the eventual move to the Parkway makes it one of Philadelphia's more interesting cultural stories. What I love most, though, is the building itself: the warm limestone, water, courtyards, and low-slung modernism somehow remind me of contemporary Mexican architecture, almost something you might encounter in Cabo. Its location beside the Rodin Museum also makes it a perfect stopping point between the Art Museum and City Hall. My wife and I have brought our young daughter here, enjoyed the art, and then stopped for coffee at the café and sat outside afterward. We both commented on how transportive that outdoor area feels, with the water, architecture, and landscaping briefly making it seem as though you are somewhere else entirely. Cool people, good vibes, beautiful surroundings, and a collection important enough to reward serious attention without taking an entire day to absorb. The Barnes is one of those Philadelphia institutions that works equally well as a destination, a family outing, or simply a beautiful place to spend a few hours.

An ad for this museum came up in my Instagram feed and I'm glad it did. I put it on my list when I…read morewas visiting Philly recently. This is more like a house than a museum and the walls are filled with art from top names in the art world. I had a very nice but rushed visit cause I was trying to visit the Philly art museum before it closed as well. Next time I'll take more time. Cezanne, Manet and Picasso. The staff was nice to deal with too.

Cute little gallery in old city. The staff is very welcoming and they host a free preview every…read morefirst Friday. While the place is cozy, there is plenty of srt to be seen on the 1st and 2nd floor. Enjoy!

The thing I love the most about this Gallery is the house band that plays inside it every First…read moreFriday. they play traditional Irish Folk music that is absolutely worth checking out. since the gallery has the look and feel of an old cottage they are right in their element too, and it really makes you feel welcome. The art is also very good too. picture a Philadelphia street that you have walked through on several occasions depicted in a traditional painting. that is usually what you are going to find, so it usually shows these areas as you have never seen them before. It also has some good sculptures and other kinds of artwork on most occasions. The only flaw to this gallery is that it has a very thin stairwell that can make going upstairs a horror-show experience. but the art that is upstairs can be very worth it.

This is another fun gallery to go to when doing First Friday in Old City. the only flaw to it…read morehowever is the fact that it's on the second floor of a building and it has the worst set of thin stairs to climb before you get there. it can also be pretty small and packs up fairly quickly. But once you overcome these burdens you will come across some exceptionally diverse pieces of art. It mostly has graffiti style art, or styles that come pretty close to it. But it also has a good and inexpensive jewelry table on most occasions, as well as a DJ. And if you come early enough you may very well find a good spread of vegetables, and boxes of wine!

This gallery, studio is Phenomenal - this is 1 of the few places that I walk into on Frankford Ave…read moreArts Corridor and am WOWed by every single piece of recycled material! The owner Kyle Keener is a mastermind in recycling someone else's junk into unique phenomenal pieces of items that I want to decorate my entire home and all my friends and families home with! His yard art? Forget about it!!!! AMAZING! I met Kyle 1 day prior to my opening house, and this genius installer/creator turned my courtyard into this magical light infused space and I was so appreciative - everyone that visited the courtyard was in awe! Kyle can turn anything into a lamp, if your on the Frankford Ave Art corridor or in Fishtown stop by the Keener Vision Studio, you will thank me!!