A computer rendering of the redesigned main entrance hall at the Penn Museum, where the famous 3,000 year-old Sphinx will rest (from the Penn Museum website).

How does one move a 25,000-pound Sphinx up a couple flights of stairs? Very carefully, we presume. That’s what folks at the Penn Museum are mulling over right now as they plan to move the Museum’s best-known artifact, a 3,000-year-old, red granite Sphinx, into its redesigned main entrance hall.

“The Sphinx has long been our mascot and this puts it front and center, as the anchor of our new visitor experience,” said Julian Siggers, the Museum’s Williams Director.

Moving day is scheduled for June 13th and the new location will be unveiled in the fall.  Continue Reading

If you haven’t visited The Penn Museum‘s iconic lower level Egypt (Sphinx) Gallery for a while you may want to do it within the next 10 days. On July 9, the gallery will close for extensive artifact conservation which will take several years, according to a museum announcement.

This is the first time the red granite Sphinx surrounded by colossal architectural elements of a Pharaoh’s palace circa 1200 BCE is taking a break, after more than 100 years of educating and entertaining guests. The new Ancient Egypt & Nubia Galleries are expected to open in four to six years.  Continue Reading

The popular Summer Nights at the Penn Museum concert series returns Wednesday, June 20, and we’re happy to announce the opening night special for our readers. The series features live music performances from some of Philadelphia’s best live bands—offering the sounds of Creole Zydeco, Latin Jazz, Middle Eastern folk, Pre-Revolutionary Cuba, and more. Concerts are held in the Penn Museum’s outdoor Stoner Courtyard every Wednesday night from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., will run through Sept. 5.

The opening night will feature the Middle Eastern-fusion sounds of Animus,the perfect group to kick off the concert season as the museum celebrates the opening of its new Middle East Galleries. Primarily an Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Latin/American fusion ensemble, Animus also performs traditional Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern music.  Continue Reading

Summertime brings many chances for locals to enjoy outdoor music performances in the area. We wrote about summer jazz returning to local parks, West Philly Porchfest, and the annual 40th Street Summer Series. Summer Night Concert Series at the Penn Museum is another great tradition that kicks off this Wednesday, June 21 with a performance by The Mid East Ensemble and a special offer for West Philly Local readers (see more info below).

The eighth annual Summer Nights Concert Series will bring an eclectic lineup of performances—including Creole Zydeco, Calypso, ‘20s Jazz, Middle Eastern folk, and more—to the relaxing garden setting of the museum’s Stoner Courtyard. The series is geared to visitors of any age, from friends meeting after work to families with children. Concerts are presented every Wednesday evening, June 21 through September 6, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. To see the full line-up, visit the Penn Museum website.  Continue Reading

While scientists agree that many common assumptions about race are wrong the consequences of racism are very real. This fall, the Penn Museum (3260 South St) on the University of Pennsylvania campus, will bring together more than two dozen internationally recognized experts from diverse backgrounds for an in-depth and powerful exploration about race, science, and justice in a free series of five evening classes geared to adults and young adults (14 and above).

The Public Classroom @ Penn Museum: Science and Race: History, Use, and Abuse will run non-consecutive Wednesdays, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., beginning September 21 (September 28; October 26; November 9; November 16). Individuals can sign up for one, several, or all sessions. Seating is limited and advance registration is recommended. Interested individuals can sign up at: penn.museum/pmclassroom.

For those who can’t attend the program at the museum, there will be live streaming of the program on the website.  Continue Reading

West Philadelphia Orchestra will kick off Summer Nights Concert Series at Penn Museum on Wednesday, June 15 (Photo courtesy of Penn Museum).

It’s hard to imagine summer in the city without outdoor music. A popular outdoor concert series, Summer Nights at the Penn Museum, kicks off on Wednesday, June 15, with a performance by well-known brass band West Philadelphia Orchestra. We’re excited to let you know about a special admission deal for West Philly residents. Those who will print out and bring this post to the museum on June 15 (or show it on your cell phone), will be able attend the concert for only $5 (regular admission is $10). Please note that this offer is only valid for the first concert in the series, which will take place every Wednesday through Sept. 2.

Concerts take place outside in Penn Museum’s Stoner Courtyard garden from 5 to 8 p.m., and the ticket also includes admission to most of the museum’s galleries. Concerts take place rain or shine, moving inside in inclement weather. For more information, click here.

And here’s some more information about West Philadelphia Orchestra:

WPO draws inspiration from Serbian, Romani, and Hungarian musical traditions, as well as New Orleans brass street bands. Original compositions include lighthearted titles such as “Truck on Fire” and “Super Lunch,” both sung in English, while the track “Busta Woo-Ha” is a WPO mashup of a traditional Klezmer melody, “Dem Rebens Tanz,” with a Busta Rhymes / Galt MacDermot sample. Be prepared to sing along!