Walk down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia and your eyes usually glue themselves to the "Rocky Steps." It makes sense. That massive Parthenon-on-a-hill vibe of the main building is hard to ignore. But if you just stop there, you’re honestly missing out on the sleekest, most underrated corner of the city's art scene. Directly across the street sits the Philadelphia Art Museum Perelman Building. It’s the Art Deco younger sibling that doesn't get half the credit it deserves, despite housing some of the most avant-garde stuff in the museum’s entire collection.
It's a vibe shift.
The main building is all about the "Great Masters" and echoing marble halls. The Perelman? It’s where the textures, the weird fabrics, and the "how did they even make that?" photography live. Originally the headquarters of the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Company, this 1927 masterpiece was saved from potential obscurity and reopened in 2007 after a massive $90 million renovation. It didn't just add square footage; it gave the Philadelphia Museum of Art a place to put its "cool" stuff. We're talking 144,000 square feet of space dedicated to prints, drawings, photographs, and—most importantly—costume and textiles.
If you've ever wondered where the museum hides those incredibly fragile 18th-century gowns or the trippy mid-century modern chairs, they're here.
The Art Deco Soul of the Perelman Building
Zantzinger, Borie, and Medary. Those are the names behind the original 1920s design. They didn't just build an office; they built a statement. When you stand outside and look at the facade, you'll see these incredible polychrome terra-cotta carvings. It’s colorful. It’s geometric. It represents the transition from the heavy, classicist "Beaux-Arts" style to the streamlined energy of the Art Deco movement. Look closely at the "Portal of Life" above the entrance. It’s got these intricate figures by sculptor Lee Lawrie (the guy who did Atlas at Rockefeller Center) that represent different stages of human existence. It’s basically a philosophical essay carved into stone.
Inside, the transition is just as sharp. The Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building feels intimate. The galleries aren't these endless, echoing caverns. They’re sized for looking at things closely. This is vital because the collections here—especially the prints and photographs—require a certain level of proximity. You can't appreciate a 19th-century daguerreotype or a complex textile weave from thirty feet away.
Actually, the renovation by Gluckman Mayner Architects was pretty ingenious. They managed to keep the historic bones while inserting high-tech climate controls that are strictly necessary for preserving old silk and light-sensitive paper. It’s a delicate balance. If the air is too humid, the art rots. If it’s too dry, it cracks. The Perelman Building is basically a high-tech humidor for world-class culture.
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Why Fashion People Obsess Over This Space
The Philadelphia Art Museum Perelman Building is secretly the fashion capital of Pennsylvania. Seriously. The Costume and Textiles department is massive—over 30,000 objects. We're talking about everything from Japanese kimonos to Elsa Schiaparelli’s surrealist high fashion.
Think about the scale of that.
The museum can’t show it all at once because light is the enemy of fabric. So, they rotate. One month you might walk into a dedicated gallery showcasing 1920s flapper dresses, and the next, it’s an exploration of West African kente cloth. It makes the building feel like a living thing rather than a static monument. They also have the Joan Sheichel Gallery, which is specifically for contemporary fashion. It’s where you see the stuff that bridges the gap between "clothing" and "sculpture."
Most people don't realize that Philadelphia was a textile powerhouse in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Perelman Building honors that history. It’s not just about looking at pretty dresses; it’s about understanding the global trade, the labor, and the artistic innovation that goes into what we wear every day.
Photography and the Joan and Robert Montgomery Gallery
Photography is the other big hitter here. The museum’s collection is world-renowned, and the Perelman is its primary stage. Because photography is so sensitive to light, you won't find these pieces sitting out for years. This is where you go to see the heavyweights: Paul Strand, Alfred Stieglitz, and the gritty, beautiful street photography that captured 20th-century America.
It’s often quiet.
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Unlike the main building, where school groups are often sprinting toward the armor collection, the Perelman galleries usually offer a bit of solitude. It’s the perfect place to stare at a grainy black-and-white print of a Philadelphia street corner from 1940 and realize that, honestly, some things haven't changed that much. The Montgomery Gallery is the hub for this, often featuring thematic shows that pull from the 30,000+ photos in the permanent collection.
The Library and Archives: The Brain of the Museum
Most visitors skip the library. Don't be that person. The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s library and archives are housed right here in the Perelman Building. It’s one of the most important art research libraries in the country.
They have over 200,000 books.
They have auction catalogs from the 19th century. They have the personal papers of artists like Marcel Duchamp. If you’re a nerd for art history, this is the holy grail. The reading room is open to the public by appointment, and it’s a stunning place to sit. It’s quiet, filled with the smell of old paper, and feels like a secret club for people who actually care about where art comes from.
A Lesson in Adaptive Reuse
The Philadelphia Art Museum Perelman Building is a textbook example of "adaptive reuse." Instead of tearing down a historic building or letting it crumble, the city and the museum spent decades planning its second life. It’s a sustainability win, sure, but it’s also a cultural win. It preserved a piece of the city’s architectural skyline while solving the museum’s desperate need for more space.
When you’re there, take a look at the skylights. The architects designed a new addition to the back of the building that lets in a ton of natural light without damaging the art in the side galleries. It creates this airy, modern contrast to the heavy stone of the 1927 original. It’s a conversation between the past and the present.
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Practical Insights for Your Visit
Let's get down to the brass tacks of visiting.
- Timing is everything: The Perelman Building usually follows the main museum's hours, but it’s worth checking the specific exhibition schedule before you go. Since the galleries are smaller, they sometimes close briefly between major installations.
- The Ticket Situation: Typically, your admission to the Philadelphia Museum of Art covers the Perelman Building too. It’s a "two-for-one" deal, but you have to actually cross the street to use it. Many people forget!
- The Cafe: There’s a small cafe in the Perelman that is often much less crowded than the main museum’s dining areas. It’s a great spot for a quick espresso while you process all the avant-garde photography you just saw.
- The Shop: The bookstore here is curated specifically toward the collections in this building. You’ll find better books on fashion, design, and photography here than in the main gift shop.
Beyond the "Main" Museum Experience
The Philadelphia Art Museum Perelman Building isn't just an annex. It’s a specific flavor of art appreciation. If the main building is the sprawling, epic novel of art history, the Perelman is the sharp, curated book of poetry. It’s where design meets function. You see chairs that look like they’re from the future, posters that defined political movements, and photos that captured moments that changed the world.
It also serves as a reminder that Philadelphia’s "Museum Mile" isn't just about the big, flashy names. It’s about the layers. It’s about the way an insurance building can become a temple for the decorative arts. It’s about the way we preserve things that are fragile—like silk, paper, and film—to make sure they don't disappear.
Your Next Steps in the Perelman Building
If you're planning to head over, don't just wander aimlessly. Start with the facade. Take five minutes to walk around the exterior of the building at the corner of Pennsylvania and Fairmount Avenues. Look at the gold leaf and the colored tiles.
Then, head straight for the Costume and Textiles gallery on the second floor. Even if you aren't a "fashion person," the sheer craftsmanship of these garments is staggering. It’s basically engineering with thread.
Finally, check if the Library Reading Room is accessible. Even if you don't have a research project, seeing that space is worth the trip alone. It’s one of those "hidden in plain sight" spots that makes you feel like a local, even if you’re just visiting for the weekend.
Skip the Rocky statue line for once. Walk across the street. The real Philly art secret is waiting in the Art Deco masterpiece on the corner.