Rodin Museum is an elegant Beaux-Art-style building which houses one of the largest collections of works outside Paris by François Auguste René Rodin, a French sculptor. Rodin is known as the founder of modern sculpture and several of his artworks are well known across the world. The museum houses more than 150 of the French master’s sculptures along with a collection of paintings, drawings and studies.
While exploring the museum, you will be able to see several of the famous works by the sculptures out of which a collection of 15 hand structures is an important one. To know more about this collection, you can go on an exhibition tour of the Hands. Once your exploration of the museum is complete, you must walk into the lush garden where, amongst the trees and pathways stands 8 beautiful sculptures by the sculptors such as The Thinker and The Gates of Hell.
Highlights
• Visit Rodin Museum which houses one of the largest collections of works outside Paris by François Auguste René Rodin.
• Take an exhibition tour of The Rodin’s Hand and learn about the 15 objects of the collection from a knowledgeable guide.
• View other collections including Eternal Springtime, The Burghers of Calais, and others.
• Walk into the serene garden to look at some famous sculptures such as The Thinker and The Gates of Hell.
• Relax in the garden and enjoy summer cocktails and flavourful snacks at the Rodin Garden Bar pop-up
How To Reach
- By Car: Rodin Museum is 0.9 mi away from the city centre, it will take 4 min via the Benjamin Franklin Pkwy route.
- By Bus: Take a bus to Ben Franklin Pkwy & 22nd St bus stop which is 0.1 mi away from the museum. You can reach the location from the bus stop with a 4-minute walk
- By Train: Take a train to 30th Street station which is 0.8 mi away from the museum. You can reach there from the train station with a 19-minute walk
- By Light Rail: Take a light rail to 22nd St station which is 0.6 mi away from the museum. You can reach Rodin Museum from the light rail station with a 15-minute walk
Best Time To Visit
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is open year-round from Friday to Monday from 10 am to 5 pm (Friday: 8:30 pm)
- Best Season: The spring ( March to May) and fall seasons (September to November) are the best seasons to visit the Rodin Museum.
- Best Day of the Week: The best days of the week to visit the Rodin Museum are on Mondays when there is less crowd.
- Best Time of Day: Visit during the afternoon around 1:30 pm to be just in time for the guided Exhibition Tour
Other Essential Information
Visitor's Tips
- Rodin Museum has a self-serve coat check where you can keep larger items such as backpacks, bags larger than 16 x 16 x 8 inches, selfie sticks and large umbrellas.
- You will be able to enjoy the free wifi available for the public inside the museum.
- Personal photography is allowed in the permanent collection galleries but without the use of selfie sticks, tripods and flash.
- You must maintain a safe distance of 18 inches from the artwork to not damage them.
- Kids can enter the museum for free, however, an adult should hold them to ensure that they do not run around.
View the Collection at the Museum
While strolling into the museum, you will be able to witness nearly 150 art objects which will give you a glimpse of the rich and diverse perspective of Rodin’s works. All of these artwork highlights the innovations Rodin brought to French sculpture. The Thinker is one of the popular artworks which shows a figure, representing an Italian Poet Dante.
Take an Exhibition Tour: Rodin’s Hands
Visit the museum during the afternoon to embark on a guided tour of Rodin’s Hands. These tours occur from Friday to Monday from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. During the hour-long tour, you will get to see one of the world’s greatest collections of work by Rodin. Listen to the knowledgeable guide tell you about various artworks that are part of the collection.
Witness Rodin's Hands
The Rodin’s Hands exhibition has 15 bronze and plaster artworks through which the artist has conveyed how hands can be used to express a variety of emotions and experiences. Take a look at The Burghers of Calais or The Helmet-Maker’s Wife where enlarged hands or those distended by age or disease have been portrayed.
Know about the Gates of Hell
Learn about The Gates of Hell, which was originally a monumental sculpture that consisted of many of Rodin’s most popular figures such as The Kiss, The Thinker and The Three Spades. Come to know that it was a huge and captivating piece that had intricate work. Look out for the various pieces of work from the monumental piece which are now displayed as stand-alone artwork.
Take a stroll in the Rodin Museum Garden
Once you have completed viewing all the sculptures housed within the museum, take a stroll in the tranquil garden with its lush greenery and carefully landscaped paths. Look out for 8 artworks that have been meticulously placed to offer the visitors the best view of them. Some of the sculptures which you can witness in the outdoor settings are The Thinker, The Gates of Hell, Adam and The Shade, The Age of Bronze and Eve and others.
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