Find Hotels Near Penn Museum Philadelphia

The Penn Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a world-class destination for exploration and discovery. The museum houses more than 100,000 artifacts from around the world. From ancient Egypt and the Mediterranean to China, Japan, and India–all throughout Central and South America–the Penn Museum showcases diverse cultures from six different continents.

The museum was founded in 1887 as part of the University of Pennsylvania. It's one of the oldest public archaeology and anthropology museums in the United States. With over 9 million unique visitors over its 125 year history, it has become a cornerstone of education in Philadelphia's vibrant cultural scene.

At the Penn Museum, visitors can explore ancient civilizations through interactive exhibits featuring artifacts ranging from mummies to pottery to sculptures. The collections are divided into nine galleries with highlights such as an Egyptian mummy coffin, elaborately decorated Japanese armor, pre-Columbian stone carvings from Central America, rare coins from Greece and Rome, jade burial suits from China’s Han Dynasty era, ceremonial masks from Africa and more.

The museum also offers various educational programs such as lectures with scholars on current research topics related to archaeology and anthropology; workshops that provide hands-on experiences; art classes; outdoor activities; videos; tours with experts; special events like performances by local musicians; scavenger hunts throughout the galleries; family activity days; and adult evening programs featuring archaeological films or guest speakers.

In addition to its collections and exhibitions, the Penn Museum features several research laboratories staffed by experienced academics who conduct research in areas such as molecular biology/DNA analysis, climatology/dendrochronology (the study of tree rings), archaeological chemistry/microscopy analysis (the study of artifacts at microscopic levels), bioarchaeology (the study of skeletal remains) and more. Throughout its history it has been actively involved in excavation projects worldwide including locations such as Israel, Syria, Korea and Mexico among many others.

The Penn Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday 10am – 5pm with extended hours until 8 pm on Wednesdays during certain months. Admission rates are free for members or $15 for adults ($13 for seniors); $10 for children between 6-17 years old (free for 5 years old or younger). There are discounts available for college students with valid ID cards or active military personnel with military IDs as well as group discounts available for groups over 15 persons upon request.