Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
| Type | Boulevard / Museum District |
|---|---|
| Address | From City Hall to Philadelphia Museum of Art |
| Map | View on Google Maps |
| Neighborhood | Center City / Logan Square / Fairmount |
| Website | Official site |
| Established | 1917 |
| Hours | Always open |
The Benjamin Franklin Parkway is a grand boulevard running from City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, inspired by the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The mile-long Parkway is Philadelphia's cultural spine, lined with museums, monuments, and institutions that form the city's premier cultural district.[1]
History
Planning
The Parkway was a century in the making:
- 1892 — First proposed by James Pugh
- 1907 — Design by Paul Philippe Cret and others
- 1917 — Construction began
- 1919 — Officially opened
- 1928 — Art Museum completed as terminus
Design Inspiration
- Modeled on Paris's Champs-Élysées
- Breaks from Penn's grid at a diagonal
- Creates grand vista from City Hall to Art Museum
- Beaux-Arts civic planning
- Multiple traffic circles with monuments
The Route
From City Hall to the Art Museum
Walking northwest from City Hall:
- City Hall — Starting point
- LOVE Park / JFK Plaza — LOVE sculpture
- Logan Circle — Swann Memorial Fountain
- Multiple museums — Either side of Parkway
- Eakins Oval — Washington Monument, flags
- Philadelphia Museum of Art — Terminus
Length
- Approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from City Hall to Art Museum
- Walkable in 20-30 minutes
- Better enjoyed at a leisurely pace
Museums and Institutions
On or Near the Parkway
- Philadelphia Museum of Art — Third-largest art museum in US
- Rodin Museum — Largest Rodin collection outside Paris
- Barnes Foundation — World-class Impressionist collection
- Franklin Institute — Science museum
- Academy of Natural Sciences — Natural history, dinosaurs
- Please Touch Museum — Children's museum (Memorial Hall)
- Free Library of Philadelphia — Central library
- Moore College of Art & Design
Monuments
- Swann Memorial Fountain — Logan Circle
- Washington Monument — Eakins Oval
- Shakespeare Memorial
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Memorial
- Rocky Statue — Base of Art Museum steps
Events
The Parkway hosts major city events:
- Philadelphia Marathon — Finish line at Art Museum
- Made in America Festival — Labor Day weekend
- Wawa Welcome America*** — July 4th celebration
- Pride Parade
- Papal visits — Pope Francis (2015)
Visiting
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Length | ~1 mile |
| Access | Always open |
| Time needed | 30 minutes (walk); hours (museums) |
| Best approach | Walk from City Hall to Art Museum |
Tips
- Allow a full day if visiting multiple museums
- The Parkway is busier during festivals—check event calendar
- Visit museums on weekday mornings for smaller crowds
- The walk is pleasant; the museums are the main attraction
- Many museums have "pay-what-you-wish" times
Getting There
- SEPTA Subway — City Hall, 15th Street, or Spring Garden stations
- Bus — Multiple routes along the Parkway
- Walking — Best way to experience it
- Parking — Museum lots, street parking, nearby garages
Frequently Asked Questions
See Also
References
- ↑ "Parkway Museums District". Parkway Museums District. Retrieved December 23, 2025