Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Museum and art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built 1805 by Frank Furness. Added to the National Register in 1971, and a National Historic Landmark.
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What it is
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is a museum and private art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1805, it is the longest continuously operating art museum and art school in the United States.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | SW corner of Broad and Cherry Sts., Philadelphia, PA |
| County | Philadelphia County |
| Listed | May 27, 1971 |
| Listed for | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 71000731 |
| Built | 1805 · more from the 1800s |
| Architect | Frank Furness |
| Type of place | art museum, art academy, private not-for-profit educational institution |
| Style | Renaissance Revival architecture, Second Empire architecture in the United States and Canada |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | SW corner of Broad and Cherry Sts., Philadelphia, PA |
| Website | pafa.org ↗ |
| Coordinates | 39.9556° N, 75.1635° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Philadelphia | 632 listed places in Philadelphia → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site · 1 mile · on Park Atlas |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 7 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Philadelphia County
Local history books for Philadelphia
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Guidebooks to historic places in Pennsylvania
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts listed on the National Register?
May 27, 1971. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts built?
1805, designed by Frank Furness, in the Renaissance Revival architecture and Second Empire architecture in the United States and Canada style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?
Yes. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?
SW corner of Broad and Cherry Sts., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The nearest national park unit is Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, 1 mile away.
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 71000731. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.