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In Philly, all roads lead to Rocky, one way or another.
Philly’s favorite fictional son has sparked spin-offs, podcasts, bus tours, generations of fandoms and, now, a major exhibition at the city’s premier art institution.
Maar Opstaan: Rocky en het maken van monumenten goes beyond Sylvester Stallone’s Oscar Award-winning franchise.
Built around the iconic statue, this blockbuster showcase assembles the biggest names in art and sports — from Andy Warhol and Gwendolyn Brooks to Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier — for a journey spanning 2,000 years, 150 artifacts, 50 artists and the one-and-only Rocky Balboa.
Curated by Paul Farber, the mind behind Monument Lab and the podcast The Statue, Rising Up, taps renowned art collections from around the world, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum and three Smithsonian museums, plus unexpected sources like historic boxing gyms.
It all memorializes the real-life champions, the anonymous underdogs, the struggles and the triumphs that paved the way for Rocky.
Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the movies that started it all, Opstaan: Rocky en het maken van monumenten runs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Sunday, August 2, 2026.
Thomas Schomberg’s iconic statue from Rocky III is the undeniable heart of the show.
The 8-foot-6-inch-tall, bronze prop-turned-artwork takes its rightful — though temporary — place binnen de Philadelphia Museum of Art, among some of the city’s most recognizable monuments.
(No worries: Stallone lent the city his personal version of the statue, so you can still snap your Rocky pic with the famous steps as your backdrop.)
The statue is joined by behind-the-scenes film memorabilia and tidbits, including contact sheets of Stallone testing potential poses, preliminary models and polaroids of the actor taken by Andy Warhol (more on him later).
A fun Easter egg for real Rocky fans: Listen out for a special remix of the Rocky theme song, Nu gaan vliegen.
- Foto door Visit Philadelphia
Before there was Rocky, there was Joe, the real-life Philly boxing icon who inspired Stallone.
Rocky punching the slaughterhouse meat? Joe did it first. That iconic run up the steps? That was Joe, too. The heavyweight champion even made a cameo in the first film.
Smokin Joe Frazier at weigh-in at the Philippine Coliseum, 1975, Leroy Neiman, American painter and printmaker, 1927-2012, ROK-51 — Foto met dank aan Philadelphia Museum of Art
Don’t miss tributes to Frazier’s history-making Madison Square Garden match against Muhammad Ali — the “Fight of the Century” — rendered through photography, poetry, watercolor and film.
You’ll also find memorabilia, including his boxing gloves; footage of him in and out of the ring, narrated in his own voice; plus homages to hallowed North Philly boxing grounds, Joe Frazier’s Gym and the Blue Horizon Gym.
Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 1990, 1990, Larry Fink, American, 1941 – 2023, 2023-81-4 — Foto met dank aan Philadelphia Museum of Art
Boxing — the sport, the athletes and everything it represented — captured the attention of pop art pioneers: Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring.
Warhol’s bold portraits of Muhammad Ali, Basquiat’s larger-than-life untitled “cave painting” (featuring boxers vying for a crown) and a boxing poster featuring the artists are all must-sees.
Also, keep an eye out for Haring’s Macho Camacho, a massive centerpiece inspired by world champion Puerto Rican boxer, Héctor “Macho” Camacho.
Portrait of a Macho Camacho, 1985, Keith Haring, American, 1958 – 1990, ROK-30 — Foto met dank aan Philadelphia Museum of Art
From Iran to Philly, contemporary artists have taken up the gloves as a metaphor for the struggles outside of the ring.
A mural of Philadelphia boxer Bernard Hopkins, painted by 15 imprisoned artists and once a source of vibrancy and hope inside a local prison, deserves a stop.
As does Cassils’ The Resilience of the 20%, a massive, rock-like sculpture forged by the LGBTQ+ performance artist’s own fists to represent the struggle of trans people.
Solidarity, 2023, Hank Willis Thomas, patina bronze, Pace Gallery, Los Angeles. Courtesy of the Artist and Pace Gallery, ROK-132 — Foto met dank aan Philadelphia Museum of Art
The exhibition culminates in the Engagement Lab, a space for guests of all ages to interact further with the exhibition.
Who do you think deserves a statue or monument of their own? Add your suggestion to a wall alongside others.
Want to learn more about boxing as an art? Pick up a book from the exhibit’s library.
Want to get an idea of where this whole, expansive project started. Pick up a headphone and listen to audio inspired by Het standbeeld podcast.
Self Portrait laying on Jack Johnson’s Grave, 2006, Rashid Johnson, American, born 1977, Durst lambda print mounted on panel, Cosmic Studios, Private Collection, ROK-66 — Foto met dank aan Philadelphia Museum of Art
The exhibition is included with museumentree, available online or in person. Pro-tip: The museum is pay-as-you-wish every single Friday evening during the exhibition’s run.
Rising Up is perfect for art-lovers, athletes and everyone in between, especially Rocky and boxing fans.
Neck Amphora, 510-490 BCE, Artist/maker unknown, ROK-1 — Foto met dank aan Philadelphia Museum of Art
Yep, bring the whole family! Consider coming to the museum’s monthly Family Festivals, which feature special programming for kids and pay-what-you-wish admission.
The exhibition is on the larger side, spanning eight different galleries, but the space is fully ADA accessible with seating sprinkled throughout.
It’s a super exciting time to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The museum celebrates the nation’s 250th birthday met Een natie van kunstenaars, a massive joint exhibition with the Pennsylvania Academie voor Schone Kunsten featuring over 1,000 portraits, sculptures, furniture, photographs and more.
Het is het grootste jaar tot nu toe voor Philly!
Haal er het beste uit door de Visit Philly Overnight Package, die wordt geleverd met gratis parkeren bij het hotel en gratis kaartjes voor een aantal van de populairste attracties in elk van de vijf graafschappen van Greater Philadelphia, waaronder Universal Theme Parks: De tentoonstelling in The Franklin Institute, het Mercer Museum in Bucks County, Longwood Gardens in Chester County, de Brandywine Museum of Art in Delaware County en Elmwood Park Zoo in Montgomery County.
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