Atwater Kent Museum
15 South 7th Street
Philadelphia
(215) 685-4830
What
You Will See
This museum is devoted
to the history of Philadelphia, and shows
how people worked, played, lived and
struggled on the city streets and
suburban towns of Greater Philadelphia
during the last three centuries. It was
founded in 1938 by radio pioneer A.
Atwater Kent, who purchased the historic
building -- the original home of the Franklin
Institute -- and gave it
to Philadelphia to become a historical
museum.
Don't miss the collection of
Norman Rockwell's paintings for The
Saturday Evening Post. Rockwell
illustrated a total 321 covers for the
magazine from 1916 to 1963. His work
touched millions of people and have been
reproduced more often than the work of
Rembrandt, Picasso and Michelangelo
combined.
We also liked the Experience
Philadelphia exhibit, which features
a huge floor map of the Philadelphia
region and tells about how the city
itself works.
More Fun Nearby
The Curtis Center (corner of 7th
Street and Washington Square), once the
headquarters of the company that
published the Saturday Evening Post,
makes a fitting stop after you've admired
the museum's collection of Rockwell cover
illustrations. Enter through the
magnificent Fountain Court and then relax
on the benches by the "Dream
Garden," an enormous glass mosaic by
Louis Comfort Tiffany.
The Atwater Kent Museum is
also right around the corner from the Liberty
Bell in the heart of
Philadelphia's historic district. Independence
Hall, Carpenter's
Hall, and the Betsy
Ross House are all nearby.
Museum Information
For hours,
admission fees and up-to-the-minute
information about exhibitions, visit the
Atwater Kent Museum's web
site.
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