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Gay-friendly: Museums & the Arts
The arts in Philadelphia work overtime
Museums
If you love to explore museums, this is the place for you. Philadelphia’s museums comprise one of the largest collections of art in the country. The city also has one of the largest concentrations of outdoor and mural art in the world, as well as a variety of galleries in which to browse and shop.
Discover renowned American artists at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the nation’s first art museum and school. Opened in 1876 to celebrate the country’s centennial, the museum houses a collection of American masters spanning four centuries. Showcasing 2,000 years of human creativity, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is home to one of the most important collections in the U.S., including masterpieces of painting, sculpture, decorative arts and architectural settings from Europe, Asia and the Americas.
The largest collection of Rodin sculptures and drawings outside of Paris, including The Thinker and the Gates of Hell, can be examined at The Rodin Museum. The African American Museum in Philadelphia displays historical and contemporary materials and art from African American culture. The Barnes Foundation, located in the suburb of Merion, houses one of the world’s finest private collections of early French modern and post-Impressionist paintings, including works by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Manet, Monet, Modigliani and Picasso.
A diverse array of media and influences can be found throughout the region at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Brandywine River Museum, Woodmere Art Museum, James A. Michener Art Museum, Mercer Museum, Fabric Workshop and Museum, and many others. The beautiful landscapes of the Brandywine Valley and Bucks County provide backdrops for many fine collections and inspiration for new generations of artists.
Philadelphia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of outdoor art in the country, including statues, sculptures and murals. Among those are Robert Indiana’s famous Love sculpture, Alexander Stirling Calder’s Swann Fountain, and Claes Oldenburg’s giant Clothespin.
The Arts
The arts are not just alive in Philadelphia; they’re thriving. Resident performers and featured acts from around the globe provide an impressive array of sights and sounds, all year round.
The Avenue of the Arts, the city’s premier arts district, is home to some of the finest performance venues of any city. The new Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts — an architectural and artistic masterpiece featuring a soaring glass-arched roof — is home to the renowned Philadelphia Orchestra, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and a wealth of visiting artists. One block north, the venerable Academy of Music — the grand dame of the Avenue — houses brilliant performances by the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Ballet.
Original, dramatic, and Broadway-style musical theater is plentiful at the city’s many theaters, such as the Walnut, Merriam, Prince, Arden and Forrest. Groundbreaking performance works flourish at The Painted Bride Art Center and smaller venues around the city. Freedom Theatre continues its nationally recognized productions rooted in African American tradition.
In warm weather, there’s noting quite like an evening of music or theater under the stars at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia’s outdoor amphitheater located in Fairmount Park. For a night of jazz or blues, take in a set at Zanzibar Blue, Warmdaddy’s or any of the city’s intimate music venues.
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