Starting Wednesday, July 9, the Penn Museum (3260 South St) will be hosting Garden Jams, its popular summer outdoor concert series. Every Wednesday evening in July guests can enjoy live music by local Philadelphia bands, food trucks, and cocktails in historic Stoner Courtyard, a hidden garden oasis just off of South St. Each event begins at 5 p.m.

Feel free to BYO blanket and picnic essentials, excluding alcohol. The garden bar is fully stocked with wine, beer, and non-alcoholic refreshments. Please note that concerts are held indoors during inclement weather.

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Penn Museum’s popular outdoor music concert series, Garden Jams, kicks off Wednesday, July 10, with a live performance from the West Philadelphia Orchestra. Garden Jams at the Penn Museum begin at 5 p.m. every Wednesday in July (except July 3) and feature live music and happy hour with cocktails and food trucks in historic Stoner Courtyard, along with after-hours access to the Museum’s galleries and exhibitions, including Ancient Food & Flavor, until 8 p.m.

Founded in 2006, the West Philadelphia Orchestra (WPO) plays original tunes written by its own band members. Percussionist and WPO Founder Gregg Mervine says the band was inspired by the “fanfares” of Eastern Europe and many other sources.

“Balkan brass bands are the most prominent influence, and we always mix in a few classic tunes from that repertoire,” Mervine explains. “We’ve had a lot of fun in the past—weaving in and out of the gardens and fountains, parading around with kids, and creating a wide-open, free-flowing environment at Garden Jams.”

Other performers in this year’s Garden Jams line-up include:

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The Penn Museum’s outdoor summer concert series that shines the spotlight on local bands, like the West Philadelphia Orchestra, returns as “Garden Jams” on Wednesday, July 5.

Every Wednesday evening in July, guests can enjoy cocktails in a hidden garden oasis (just off of South St.), live bands, food trucks, and exclusive after-hours access to the Penn Museum galleries, including a new exhibition, Ancient Food & Flavor. Each event begins at 5 p.m. (Note: Concerts are held indoors during inclement weather).

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Students enrolled in any high school in Philadelphia, including homeschooled teens, can visit the Penn Museum free of charge this fall as part of a back-to-school initiative.

Free admission for students will be offered Tuesdays through Fridays, from 3-5 p.m.. Students will be offered a safe space during a critical after-school timeframe. They will also receive free admission on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Identification is not required, but teens will be asked by museum staff about their birth date, zip code, and the school they attend.

Students from any college or university are also able to visit the museum at no cost on Tuesdays-Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m. In addition, teachers can always visit the museum for free.  Continue Reading

After a four-month closure, the Penn Museum is reopening its doors to visitors. The official reopening date is Tuesday, July 28 and the museum will have COVID-19 safety protocols in place, such as limited capacity in the galleries and advanced online ticket reservations for visitors.

Admission to the museum will be timed to help social distancing and floors will have special markings to guide visitors on a one-way route through the museum.  Continue Reading

The Summer Nights music series is returning to Penn Museum this Wednesday, June 26 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Summer Nights concerts take place in the Stoner Courtyard on the Museum’s grounds.

Each week special guests will be curating a specific playlist with songs of their choice and cash bar will be set up in the courtyard.

As part of the Summer Nights series this summer Penn Museum will also present movie nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. with catering until 7:30 p.m. on select dates: June 26th, July 17th, August 7th and August 28th.  Continue Reading