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Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

118 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19107 (City Center West)
215-972-7600
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Ranked #13 of 256 attractions in Philadelphia
Type: Art Museums
Traveller Description: The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is located on the western side of North Broad Street, a few blocks north of City Hall.  It was founded in... more »
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90 reviews from our community

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

I cannot believe it took me this long to visit such a quaint museum. The older building contains the most beautiful architecture with such attention to detail, inside and outside! There is a small collection with some very popular artists. I don't think this would be appealing to young children, unless they absolutely love art. The standout experience was the... More

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See 3 more reviews by quelinda13 for Philadelphia
NYC
Senior Contributor
34 reviews 34 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

Time to slow down, art lovers. With PAFA, you can enjoy a terrific exhibition of its permanent collection without the crowds you inevitably find at the Barnes and PMA. Enjoy significant paintings and sculpture from the dawn of the country (appropriate for the town where the founders gathered to make history) to contemporary works. Many famous American painters are represented... More

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See 7 more reviews by NYCBookMark for Philadelphia
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

A group of about 35 members of the Directors Circle of the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum visited the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts for an in-depth view of Samuel F.B. Morse's painting of masterpieces from the Louvre as a backdrop to portraits of his friends and of the iconic painting of Thomas Eakins depicting surgery upon the thigh of... More

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See 4 more reviews by Pam S for Philadelphia
Senior Contributor
44 reviews 44 reviews
15 attraction reviews
Reviews in 25 cities Reviews in 25 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 April 2013

While most art lovers coming to Philadelphia see the Philadelphia Museum of Art, they are missing a fabulous collection of art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Their American collection is of national interest and loaded with rare gems. The museum is spacious, well designed for viewing, and very reasonable.

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See 8 more reviews by Paul4ejjr for Philadelphia
United, Pennsylvania
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 April 2013

I used to be a member...No Longer. The building itself is worth seeing. It is absolutely magnificent. Huge Marble Staircase, Marble Walls, Fountains...Just beautiful. Smaller than Art Museum but worth seeing.

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See 9 more reviews by SusanC20 for Philadelphia
Bermuda
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
13 attraction reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 April 2013

Close to Center City , building is an art work in own rights. Museum is well lit, signage good and some lovely pieces selected from collection on walls. Staff were not very friendly however to adults and certainly not to kids- could do with improvement ! Would recommend museum for anyone with art interest.

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See 4 more reviews by TouringOnion for Philadelphia
Barnegat, New Jersey
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 April 2013

Prepare to spend a few hours if you love art. We were there for 3.5 hours. Turkey sandwich and pasta salad very good in the cafe.

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See 5 more reviews by NoseyNeatnick for Philadelphia
Boston, Massachusetts
Senior Contributor
46 reviews 46 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 March 2013

The Academy is located in a stunning turn of the (last) century Moorish palace on North Broad St., just north of Market. The building is worth going to see for itself, but they also happen to have a fantastic collection of paintings and sculpture mostly by Philadelphia articts, many of whom attended and/or taught at the Academy. A must see... More

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See 3 more reviews by golfxj6 for Philadelphia
Bethesda, MD
Top Contributor
84 reviews 84 reviews
22 attraction reviews
Reviews in 27 cities Reviews in 27 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 March 2013

The artwork is wonderful, but the building steals the show. Actually there are two buildings to meander through. It will be obvious which one is architecturally stunning. Giant paintbrush outside will make you smile.

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See 7 more reviews by CWnut for Philadelphia
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 March 2013

The building itself is worth the trip with its columns and tile. The collections are like a walk through history, with many famous paintings of George Washington and his contemporaries, sculptures and busts of Franklin and Lincoln. Also had a special exhibit of the face of women.

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See 4 more reviews by ondlinks for Philadelphia

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