The Philadelphia Museum of Art, one of the largest art museums in the United States, was built in 1928. The museum is located in Fairmount Park on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The original building was designed by Horace Trumbauer and Julian Abele, and it has been expanded and renovated many times since then.
The idea for a major art museum in Philadelphia was first proposed in 1876 by local artist Thomas Eakins. The original plan was to build a museum in the city’s Centennial Exhibition park, but it didn’t happen due to funding issues.
It wasn’t until 1922 that Philadelphia finally got its own art museum. The project was funded by a group of local citizens led by philanthropist John Gribbel. They raised $3 million for the building and purchased land from Fairmount Park to construct it on.
The construction took six years, from 1922 to 1928, and the museum officially opened its doors to the public on May 10th of that year. The opening ceremony was attended by President Calvin Coolidge and other dignitaries from around the world.
Since then, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has grown into one of America’s premier cultural institutions. It houses an impressive collection of over 240,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of human history, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints and drawings from all over the world.
The Museum also hosts numerous special exhibitions throughout the year featuring works by renowned artists such as Monet, Picasso and Warhol as well as contemporary works by living artists like Ai Weiwei and Yoko Ono.
Today, more than 800,000 people visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art each year to experience its incredible collections and exhibitions. It stands as a testament to Philadelphia’s commitment to preserving cultural heritage for generations to come.
In conclusion, The Philadelphia Museum of Art was built in 1928 after a proposal from artist Thomas Eakins in 1876 with funding from local citizens led by philanthropist John Gribbel raised $3 million for construction costs and land purchase from Fairmount Park for construction site . Today it houses an impressive collection with over 240 000 objects spanning 5 000 years of human history with numerous special exhibitions , hosting more than 800 000 visitors annually .