Marker Logo
THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Logan Square in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Moore College of Art & Design
⎯⎯⎯
A Vibrant Visual Arts College

Parkway Museums District

 
 
Moore College of Art & Design side of the marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 19, 2022
1. Moore College of Art & Design side of the marker
Inscription.
Moore College of Art & Design
1848

Moore College of Art & Design, founded in 1848, is the nation's first—and only—visual arts college for women.

Sarah Worthington Peter, a Philadelphia philanthropist, founded the school to educate women in the fields of textile and fine arts. Her aim was to help women achieve financial independence through careers in art and design.

In the mid-1800s, Philadelphia was at the center of the Industrial Revolution. Factories here made textiles, wallpapers, floor coverings and upholstery fabrics. The school prepared women to work as designers in these new industries, giving them economic opportunity and independence.

Today, Moore's accredited college programs continue to educate women to be independent and creative, and to excel in fine art and design careers.

Moore Moves to the Parkway
The school's earliest location was in founder Sarah Worthington Peter's home in Society Hill. In 1875, the school moved to the Forrest mansion on North Broad Street.

In 1959, Moore College moved to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where students could benefit from the many cultural institutions along this grand boulevard.

In 2000, Moore expanded to the adjoining building, now called Penelope P. Wilson Hall.


[Captions:]
The
Paid Advertisement
Click or scan to see
this page online
College was once located on Broad Street in the former home of actor Edwin Forrest.

Moore's unique mission: to educate women for careers in the visual arts.

Designs by 1923 Moore graduate Edna Leonhardt, a pioneering woman business owner and leading tapestry designer of her day.

A Vibrant Visual Arts College
Moore College of Art & Design sets the standard of excellence for educating women for careers in the visual arts. Founded in 1848, it is the first and only women's visual arts college in the nation.

Moore is a vital part of the city's rich arts education community. The Young Artists Workshop offers classes for school-aged girls and boys. Continuing education programs give men and women the opportunity to gain new skills and enrichment through the visual arts.

Each year, the College and the Galleries at Moore host events with local, national and international artists and designers that are open to the public.

Public Spaces at Moore
The Galleries at Moore offer contemporary art exhibitions free of charge. The Goldie Paley Gallery showcases international artists, while the Levy Gallery for the Arts in Philadelphia features regional emerging visual artists.

Visitors
A Vibrant Visual Arts College side of the marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 19, 2022
2. A Vibrant Visual Arts College side of the marker
are also welcome in The Art Shop. The Sculpture Park and the Diamond Cafι.


[Captions:]
The Art Shop, selling artwork by alumnae and students (right), and the Galleries at Moore (below) are open to the public.

Excellence, exploration and innovation are highly valued at Moore.

Moore offers a wide range of art and design majors (above) illustration by fashion major Sophie Wu, '06.

 
Erected by Fairmount Park Conservancy; Center City District, Philadelphia.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, MusicEducationIndustry & CommerceWomen. A significant historical year for this entry is 1848.
 
Location. 39° 57.438′ N, 75° 10.292′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Logan Square. It is on Race Street 0.1 miles east of North 20th Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1916 Race St, Philadelphia PA 19103, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Moore College of Art & Design (here, next to this marker); The City Plan of Philadelphia (within shouting distance of this marker); Meriwether Lewis (within shouting distance of this marker); Connecting People to Nature
Moore College of Art & Design side of the marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 19, 2022
3. Moore College of Art & Design side of the marker
(within shouting distance of this marker); US Sanitary Commission Great Central Fair (within shouting distance of this marker); Parkway Museums District (within shouting distance of this marker); Swann Memorial Fountain (within shouting distance of this marker); Aero Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 471 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on March 27, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
m=194409

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisement
Jul. 4, 2026