From Reservoir to Art Museum / Parkway Museums District

From Reservoir to Art Museum, also, Parkway Museums District. . , From Reservoir to Art Museum , 1928 , This hill, called “Faire Mount”, once held a reservoir that fed Schuylkill River water down through hollow logs to Philadelphia’s homes and hydrants., But years of pollution from coal mines, dairy farms and towns upstream made the water undrinkable. The city closed the reservoir in 1909., Meanwhile, art lovers had been seeking a new home for the “Pennsylvania Museum”, which had opened in Memorial Hall for the Centennial Exposition of 1876. By the early 1890s, the building had become outmoded and overcrowded. It was also too far from downtown., The old reservoir caught their eye. In 1911, a team of architects – including several who had submitted proposals for the design of the Parkway – began plans for an art museum., The Parkway opened in 1918; The Philadelphia Museum of art, in 1928. The new museum made a perfect endpoint for the grand boulevard., First Museum Director, Fiske Kimball , Just 36 when hired, Fiske Kimball supervised the completion of the museum. Inspired by other museums, he acquired “period rooms” from around the world, including lavish interiors from England, France and the United States., Kimball implemented programs and policies that made the museum accessible and enjoyable for the general public. He also convinced patrons to donate money, and their art collections, even after the 1929 stock market crash., Kimball led the Philadelphia Museum of Art until 1955., Parkway Museums District , , ❶ Boathouse Row , This picturesque collection of historic buildings comprises an important center of the United States’ rowing community. The boathouse shelters the sculls (boats) of local clubs, high school and college programs. The “Schuylkill Navy” hosts several major rowing regattas every year including the Dad Vail and the Head of the Schuylkill., ❷ Fairmount Water Works , This collection of Classical buildings was built between 1819 and 1822 to provide fresh drinking water to the City. The first water works in America, this 19th-century engineering marvel and tourist attraction has been restored as a restaurant and Interpretive Center. The family-oriented Center features interactive exhibits on environmental education and cultural heritage., ❸ Philadelphia Museum of Art , Among the largest museums in the United States, housing over 225,000 works of art, its collection spans 2,000 years of creativity from around the world. Strengths include old master painting, arms and armor, American art, Impressionism and modern art, the arts of Asia, and contemporary art in all mediums. The Museum presents spectacular exhibitions and innovative education programs for all ages., ❹ Philadelphia Museum of Art (Perelman Building) , The Art Deco landmark building houses galleries showcasing the Museum’s vast and distinguished collections of prints, drawings and photographs; costume and textiles; and modern and contemporary design., ❺ Eastern State Penitentiary , Known for its grand architecture and policy of solitary confinement, “Eastern State,” opened in 1829, was once the most influential prison in the world. The vaulted skylit cells once held flamboyant bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and gangster Al Capone. It stands today in ruin, a castle-like fortress with a surprising, eerie beauty., ❻ Rodin Museum , Opened in 1929 as the gift of movie theater magnate Jules Mastbaum to his fellow Philadelphians, the Rodin Museum contains the largest public collection of Auguste Rodin’s sculpture outside Paris, including such famed works as The Thinker and The Gates of Hell., ❼ The Barnes Foundation (Future Site) , The Barnes Foundation, established in 1922 by Dr. Albert C. Barnes to “promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts,” features excellent examples of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting by Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, and others. The Foundation is working on plans to relocate the collection to the Parkway., ❽ Free Library of Philadelphia , Chartered in 1891 as “a general library which shall be free to all,” the Free Library of Philadelphia moved to Logan Square in 1927. Today the Central branch serves at the hub of a 34-branch system and houses 7,000,000 items including rare books, a children’s department, music, and public computers., ❾ Franklin Institute Science Museum , The Franklin Institute was established in 1824 in the spirit of inquiry and discovery by Benjamin Franklin. It opened as a science museum on the Parkway in 1935. With exciting interactive exhibits on astronomy, physics and electricity, it is the home of the famous walk-through Giant Heart, the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, The Planetarium and the Tuttleman IMAX theater., ❿ Moore College of Art and Design , Founded by Sarah Peter in 1848, Moore is the nation’s first and only women’s visual arts college educating women for careers in art and design. Continuing education programs, Young Artists Workshops, The galleries, The Art Shop and Sculpture Park make Moore a unique “must-see” arts and culture destination., ⓫ Academy of Natural Sciences , Founded in 1812, Philadelphia’s natural science museum features exhibits and educational programs, including Dinosaur Hall, historic diorama and live butterflies that showcase the diversity of life on earth. The work of the Academy’s biological and environmental scientists and its extensive library and specimen collections are world renowned., ⓬ Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul , Begun in 1846, the brownstone-and-bronze Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia opened in 1864. Modeled after the Lombard Church of St. Charles in Rome, it was originally designed without side windows to prevent destruction by anti-Catholic mobs. Today the Cathedral welcomes guests and dignitaries from around the world., ⓭ Friends Select School , As the only pre-K through 12 independent Quaker school in Center City Philadelphia, Friends Select provides a unique learning experience in a close community environment. Students at this coeducational college-preparatory school benefit from rich reciprocal relationships with academic, historic and cultural institutions., ⓮ Quaker Information Center , The Quaker Informational Center is a resource on Quaker heritage, modern Friends, and Friends organizations located at the Friends Center complex, home of the historic 1856 “Race Street Meetinghouse”. Extensive free literature is available and staff in on hand most weekdays to answer questions and explain the meetinghouse., ⓯ Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts , Founded in 1805, the Academy is America’s oldest art museum and school. The Academy’s commitment to art education is evidenced through its exhibitions, public and degree programs, and its ever-growing collection of historical and contemporary American Art, housed in the frank Furness-designed historic landmark building and the elegant Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building., ⓰ Masonic Temple , Considered one of the wonders of the Masonic world (Freemasonry id the oldest continually existing fraternal organization), the Temple was dedicated in 1873. This designated national Historic landmark, with its magnificent exterior and interior architecture, is the home of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania., ⓱ Pennsylvania Convention Center , The largest public convention project ever undertaken in Pennsylvania, the Convention center incorporates the former train shed of the Reading Railroad as its Grand Ballroom, the oldest surviving structure of its kind in the world. Below lies the Reading Terminal market, continuously used as a marketplace since 1653., ⓲ City Hall , Built between 1871 and 1901, the ornate City hall contains over 250 sculptures and is topped by a 17-foot-tall, 27-ton bronze statue of the city’s founder, William Penn – the tallest statue atop any building in the world.