An Illustrated Intro To Philadelphia Public Art

When you think of Philadelphia’s art scene, The Thinker and the Rocky statue likely come to mind, but there is so much more public art to discover in the City of Brotherly Love. From the University of Pennsylvania’s campus to Sister Cities Park, take a moment while you explore the city to uncover some lesser-known Philadelphia statues, and take in some well-known ones, too.

Covenant is among hard-to-miss Philadelphia statues, as long as you know where to look. At 45 feet high, the giant red tube sculpture is a landmark in the residential area of the University of Pennsylvania. The sculpture was installed in 1975 and created by Alexander Liberman, who wanted to create a feeling of bonding for a higher purpose.

Another piece of Philadelphia public art found on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus is Split Button. Depending on the time of year, you might catch students lounging here in front of the campus’s main library. Designed by husband-and-wife team Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Split Button is imagined to be a button that popped off the coat of Ben Franklin.

Ponder the mysteries of life—or just pose for a great photo op—in front of Rodin’s The Thinker.

Visit the Rodin Museum to see The Thinker—and more of Auguste Rodin’s works. This classic statue was originally conceived as part of Rodin’s The Gates of Hell, but ultimately he created this larger version to be an independent work. The iconic piece will greet you at the museum entrance, where you can strike a matching pose.

Entwining lovers or just a clothespin? Claes Oldenburg’s modern, quirky Clothespin stands in contrast to the ornate, late-19th-century City Hall across the street and is another gigantic piece of Philadelphia public art, at 45-feet tall. The artist has likened the piece to another one found in the Philadelphia Museum of Art—Constantin Brancusi’s The Kiss.

Need a meeting place for friends and family? Just tell everyone to meet at the pig. The pig, also known as Philbert, is a 3-foot bronze piggy bank in the historic Reading Terminal Market. After meeting at Philbert, feed him some coins, which go toward charity, and then check out the many vendors in the market for some Philadelphia treats.

It’s amor! You’re likely familiar with Philadelphia’s Love sculpture, but did you know there’s also an Amor statue? Amor, which means “love” in Spanish and Latin, was created by Robert Indiana—who also did the Love sculpture—to mark the pope’s visit to the United States in 2015. You’ll spot this typographic statue in Sister Cities Park.

Yo, Adrian! Show off your eye of the tiger at the Rocky statue.

One of the better-known Philadelphia statues, the Rocky monument is definitely a must-visit piece of public art. Located at the bottom of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, the statue was originally created for Rocky III and after filming was donated to the city and permanently installed. Snap a selfie with the statue, and then run up the steps and get a breathtaking view of the city.

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