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Marian Anderson Historical Residence & Museum
See the quaint home that Marian Anderson purchased in 1924, right across the street from the Union Baptist Church where she sang as a child.
Visitors to the National Marian Anderson Museum find a marvelous ensemble of memorabilia, books, rare photos and even films regarding the great contralto’s life.
Various rooms, with hardwood floors and lace curtains (which Anderson adored), are dedicated to musical programs, lectures, audiovisual presentations and more.
There’s even an artists-in-residence program at the home — the Marian Anderson Scholar Artist Program — which supports artists from ages 18-45.
Anderson performed at Carnegie Hall, the White House and world-renowned concert halls.
Marian Anderson was born in Philadelphia in 1897. With the purchase of the Martin Street home in 1924, Anderson settled in her childhood neighborhood and owned the property until her death in 1993.
Her trailblazing performances occurred at Carnegie Hall, the White House and world-renowned concert halls. In 1939, she overcame racial barriers to sing at the Lincoln Memorial and received the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal. Anderson toured the world and also became the first African American woman to sing the national anthem at a presidential inauguration.
She died in 1993 in Portland, Oregon, at age 96.
Custom tours of the National Marian Anderson Museum can be arranged, which include a viewing of a documentary about Anderson’s life, a live performance from a National Marian Anderson Scholar Artist and light refreshments.
Tours cost $10 per person.
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia) and overnight hotel accommodations.