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A million objects — including art and artifacts from around the globe — are housed at the Penn Museum, one of the world’s finest archaeological and anthropological museums.
From stone tools and household items to architectural monuments and rare art objects, the museum illustrates the story of humanity’s history and achievements.
With materials from ancient Egypt, Asia, Mesopotamia, the Americas and ancient Greece and Italy, the Penn Museum explores the world — all under one roof.
In late 2019, the museum unveiled a major transformation of its Main Entrance Hall and two of its collections — the Africa Galleries and the Mexico and Central America Gallery.
Founded in 1887, the Penn Museum has sponsored worldwide scientific explorations which have yielded new knowledge, and continue to do so. Many of the art and artifacts on display come from early expeditions: Sumerian cuneiform clay tablets (with some of the world’s oldest writing), monumental ancient Egyptian statues of pharaohs and officials, Buddhist sculptures from China and Native American regalia.
Don’t miss the chance to marvel at the elegant gold, lapis-lazuli and carnelian jewelry worn by the Queen Puabi circa 2550 BCE in the city of Ur.
The first things visitors to the Penn Museum see in the Main Entrance Hall is the Sphinx of Ramses II. Relocated to the entrance area in late 2019, the Sphinx is an impressive 25,000 pounds and 3,000 years old.
The renovated Mexico and Central America Gallery, which reopened in November 2019, houses 250 artifacts — the largest collection of Mayan monuments in the U.S. Highlights in the multimedia space include gold pieces from areas that are now Panama and Costa Rica, and the most Maya stone stelae (upright stone or slab) on view in the United States.
Also unveiled in November 2019, the Africa Galleries comprise objects from 21 countries across 4,000 square feet of renovated space focused on transparently addressing — and challenging — the legacy of colonialism in museums.
Visitors should check out the Kuba textiles, carved ivory and Ashanti gold beads, as well as Sherbro masks from Sierra Leone and a 16th-century plaque from the Benin Royal Palace.
Object and artifacts from 21 countries are on view in the Africa Galleries. — Photo by Eric Sucar for University of Pennsylvania
La Ancient Egypt: From Discovery to Display exhibition — on view during the renovation of the renowned Egypt Galleries — features art, artifacts and mummies from 5,000 years of ancient civilization. Classical World galleries feature ancient Greek and Italian treasures, while other noteworthy galleries include objects and the stories they tell from Asia, North America, and Canaan and ancient Israel.
La Artifact Lab: Conservation in Action invites guests to watch conservators at work on everything from mummies to ancient pottery.
A suite of Middle East Galleries takes guests on a 10,000-year journey from the earliest villages and towns to increasingly complex cities. Treasures from museum archaeological excavations in what is now Iraq and Iran include clay cuneiform tablets with some of the world’s earliest writing, stone monuments, alabaster serving dishes and the 4,500-year-old jewelry of a Mesopotamian queen.
Highlights in the museum's Middle East Galleries include Mesopotamian Queen Puabi’s 4,500-year-old ornate headdress and crowning jewelry. — Photo courtesy Eric Sucar/Penn Communications
The Penn Museum is located in University City, just across the Schuylkill River from Center City.
Visitors can conveniently access the museum via SEPTA public transportation, Indego bike share or ride-share apps. Limited parking is available in a nearby garage.
While the museum requires guests to buy tickets, admission is free for museum members, active U.S. military personnel, kids 5 and under, and PennCard holders (University of Pennsylvania faculty, staff and students).
The Penn Museum focuses on research and public engagement. — Photo courtesy Penn Museum
La Visit Philly Overnight Package — rezève plis pase 190,000 fwa depi 2001 — vini ak pakin otèl gratis (ki vo jiska $100 nan Center City Philadelphia) ak lojman otèl pou yon nuit.
Dinosaurs, live animals and more inhabit America’s oldest natural history museum...
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