Frame by Frame: A Luxury Arts and Culture Guide to Philadelphia

A luxury arts and culture guide to Philadelphia starts in Rittenhouse Square. From The Franklin on Rittenhouse, the Barnes Foundation is 1.1 miles away, the Philadelphia Art Museum sits at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and the Curtis Institute of Music and the Rosenbach are a short walk from the square. Here is how to plan a cultural weekend in Center City, frame by frame.

Why is Rittenhouse Square the best base for a cultural weekend in Philadelphia?

Rittenhouse Square puts the city's major museums, concert halls and galleries within a walk or a short ride. The Benjamin Franklin Parkway, home to the Barnes Foundation, the Rodin Museum and the Philadelphia Art Museum, begins a few blocks north. The Avenue of the Arts on Broad Street, with the Kimmel Center and the Academy of Music, is about 15 minutes away on foot.

Staying at The Franklin on Rittenhouse at 1715 Rittenhouse Square means you can visit a museum in the morning, return for a rest, then head out again for an evening concert. Rittenhouse Square itself is 0.2 miles from the hotel, a 3-minute walk. For a Philadelphia Museum of Art hotel stay, as many travelers still search for it, Rittenhouse offers a walkable alternative to the Parkway's busy boulevards. Our concierge can map out a route, suggest timed-entry slots and arrange cars for longer distances.

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway: three museums in one afternoon

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway links City Hall to the Philadelphia Art Museum and holds three of the city's essential collections along a single mile.

The Barnes Foundation

The Barnes Foundation, at 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, displays Albert C. Barnes's collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early modern paintings, including major works by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse. The galleries keep the founder's original "ensembles," which hang paintings alongside metalwork and furniture. The Barnes is open Thursday to Monday from 11 am to 5 pm and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Adult admission is $30. It is 1.1 miles from the hotel, about 9 minutes by car.

The Rodin Museum

The Rodin Museum, a few steps from the Barnes, holds one of the largest public collections of Auguste Rodin's work outside Paris. The Thinker greets visitors at the entrance, and The Gates of Hell stands at the garden's edge. The museum, at 2151 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is part of the Philadelphia Art Museum. It opens Friday to Monday from 10 am to 5 pm, with a suggested adult admission of $15, and closes each winter from early January to late February.

The Philadelphia Art Museum

The Philadelphia Art Museum, formerly the Philadelphia Museum of Art, adopted its new name in October 2025. Its collection runs from medieval European art to American painting, Asian galleries and modern masters. The main building at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway opens Thursday to Monday from 10 am to 5 pm, with late hours until 8:45 pm on Friday, and closes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Reserve a timed ticket online and allow at least three hours; admission is pay-what-you-wish on the first Sunday of each month. The famous east steps overlook the full length of the Parkway toward City Hall.

Where to hear classical music near Rittenhouse Square

Classical music in Center City is concentrated within a 15-minute walk of the square, from student recitals to the Philadelphia Orchestra.

• Curtis Institute of Music: founded in 1924, the conservatory sits on Rittenhouse Square at 1726 Locust Street. During the academic year, its students give free recitals in Field Concert Hall, traditionally on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, with no tickets required. Check the Curtis Institute of Music calendar for the current schedule.
• Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center: the home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, at Broad and Spruce Streets.
• The Academy of Music: opened in 1857 on Broad Street, it hosts the Philadelphia Ballet and touring productions in an ornate 19th-century auditorium.

For a quiet evening after a concert, the award-winning Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. cocktail bar shares the hotel's address. Guests who book directly receive 10% off at the bar.

Rittenhouse Square art galleries and literary treasures

Rittenhouse Square art galleries and small museums suit travelers who prefer intimate rooms to blockbuster halls.

The Rosenbach, at 2008–2010 Delancey Place, occupies two 19th-century townhouses a short walk south of the square. It holds rare books and manuscripts, including James Joyce's handwritten manuscript of Ulysses. The Rosenbach brothers lived on this block from 1926 to 1952, and the museum celebrates Bloomsday every June 16. Check its website for tour times before you go.

Gross McCleaf Gallery, founded in 1969 at 127 South 16th Street, represents around 45 artists, many of them from Philadelphia. Ask our concierge which other openings are running during your stay. Twice a year, in June and September, the Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, founded in 1928, brings more than 100 professional artists into the square itself.

Street art, murals and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

Philadelphia is known as a city of murals, and its outdoor art is part of any Center City Philly cultural weekend.

Mural Arts Philadelphia, the city's public art program, has produced more than 4,000 murals since it began in 1984 as an anti-graffiti program. Its walking and trolley tours depart from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts at 128 North Broad Street; book online in advance. Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, at 1020 South Street, is an immersive mosaic environment created by artist Isaiah Zagar from tiles, bottles and found objects. It is 1.4 miles from the hotel, about 10 minutes by car. Book a timed ticket in advance, especially on weekends.

A two-day cultural itinerary from The Franklin on Rittenhouse

This itinerary covers the essential collections in two days without rushing, with every stop starting and ending at the hotel.

Day one: the Parkway

• Morning: continental breakfast at the hotel, then a car to the Philadelphia Art Museum when it opens.
• Afternoon: lunch on the Parkway, followed by the Rodin Museum and the Barnes Foundation (book a timed entry).
• Evening: a concert at Marian Anderson Hall, then a nightcap at the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.

Day two: around the square

• Morning: a walk through Rittenhouse Square and a guided visit of the Rosenbach.
• Afternoon: Gross McCleaf Gallery on 16th Street, then Philadelphia's Magic Gardens on South Street.
• Evening: a free student recital at the Curtis Institute, if one is scheduled.

For more ideas, see our 3-day luxury weekend itinerary in Rittenhouse Square and our curator's guide to Rittenhouse Square.

Key Facts

• Hotel: The Franklin on Rittenhouse, 1715 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103
• Rittenhouse Square: 0.2 miles, 3-minute walk
• Barnes Foundation: 1.1 miles, about 9 minutes by car; open Thursday to Monday, 11 am to 5 pm; adults $30
• Philadelphia Art Museum: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway; closed Tuesday and Wednesday; renamed in October 2025
• Philadelphia's Magic Gardens: 1020 South Street, 1.4 miles, about 10 minutes by car
• Curtis Institute of Music: 1726 Locust Street, on Rittenhouse Square
• Hotel check-in / check-out: 4 pm / 11 am

FAQ

Which Philadelphia museums are closest to Rittenhouse Square?

The Rosenbach on Delancey Place is a short walk south of the square. The Barnes Foundation, the Rodin Museum and the Philadelphia Art Museum line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, about 1 to 1.5 miles north. From The Franklin on Rittenhouse, the Barnes is 1.1 miles away, roughly 9 minutes by car.

Is the Philadelphia Museum of Art the same as the Philadelphia Art Museum?

Yes. The Philadelphia Museum of Art changed its name to the Philadelphia Art Museum in October 2025, with a new logo and website. The museum, its collection and its location at the top of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway remain the same, as do the steps overlooking the city.

How many days do you need for a cultural weekend in Philadelphia?

Two full days cover the essentials: one day for the Parkway museums (Philadelphia Art Museum, Rodin Museum and Barnes Foundation) and one day for Rittenhouse Square, the Rosenbach, galleries and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. A third day adds Old City and Independence National Historical Park.

Do you need to book the Barnes Foundation in advance?

Booking ahead is recommended, especially on weekends. The Barnes Foundation is open Thursday to Monday from 11 am to 5 pm and closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Adult admission is $30, and children 12 and under enter free. The Franklin's concierge can help you choose a time slot that fits around your other museum visits.

Plan your cultural weekend from a former carriage house on Rittenhouse Square, with French-inspired rooms and suites, a complimentary continental breakfast and a concierge who knows the city's galleries. Explore our current hotel offers and book directly for our lowest rate guarantee.